The Thomson Saga: Just how unlucky can a person be?

      Craig Thomson
       circa 2003-2005








The Northern Leader 25 May 2012:

Records obtained by the Herald indicate a $770 fee was charged to Mr Thomson's HSU credit card on May 7, 2005. The transaction was billed to ''Internat Immobiliare''.

So what is known about this corporation?

Well ASIC lists four companies with similar names:

83526612 ORG INTERNATIONAL IMMOBILIARE PTY. LIMITED.

106620900 ORG INTERNATIONAL IMMOBILIARE PTY LTD

146891778 ORG INTERNATIONAL IMMOBILIARE PTY LIMITED

118001415 ORG INTERNATIONAL IMMOBILIARI (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED

The first company on the list was under a court-ordered liquidation which commenced in 2001 and was eventually deregistered on 1 October 2003.

In October 2003 the second company was registered eight days later and deregistered on 15 March 2008. It has no documents lodged on the ASIC website after its registration document. However the ASIC Gazette lists INTERNATIONAL IMMOBILIARE PTY LTD ACN 106 620 900 as a deregistered company on 31 January 2006.

The third wasn’t registered until 18 October 2010.

While the fourth wasn’t registered until 23 January 2006.

There are also two International Immobiliare Limited - one registered in New Zealand and the other in Britain.

Now if the Internat Immobiliare mentioned in the media was actually a holding company associated with a Sydney escort agency; if this name also represents one of the companies listed by ASIC; and if allegedly the name did turn up as a debit on a Health Services Union credit card account in 2005 – then one would have to be very unlucky to have had the transaction occur in what was the last seven months this company was trading.

Doubly unlucky would best describe anyone who in patronising Internat Immobiliare’s escort agency did not realise that they were also using a business which had a reputation for disputed dalliance claims about its workers and ‘famous’ people and, in at least one case in 2004, a worker had allegedly received a large sum from a media outlet to tell the story.

Terminally unlucky is a phrase which springs to mind when one considers there were also allegations of the agency’s books being cooked by management sometime between 2003 and 2008.

At the same time one might characterize a journalist who found credit card documents  pertaining to a long-defunct company strewn across his investigative path - records which at least two police investigations and a Fair Work Australia investigation apparently failed to find - as nothing less than an incredibily fortunate member of the Fourth Estate.

Indeed Lady Luck has been staggering across the public square in such a way as to make one suspect that she is more than a little inebriated.

However, not quite as inebriated as Channel Nine's A Current Affair which appears to be relying on the memory of a former sex worker, who allegedly met a union official once seven years ago (before he lost weight, his hair went gray and that bald patch developed) and was willing to indentify him this year from a photograph - in exchange for an undisclosed payment.

** The former owner of this escort agency apparently now resides near Mission Beach in New Zealand where he is still finding his way into the news and the New Zealand woman interviewed by A Current Affair is believed to be living in Cabarita Beach area on the NSW North Coast.

NEWS FLASH: CSG miners have HUGE bladders?

The Daily Examiner 8^th  May 2012:

IN YESTERDAY'S Daily Examiner it was reported Metgasco's booth at the Grafton Show was not manned on Friday and Saturday.

This is incorrect. Metgasco staff, including CEO Peter Henderson, manned the booth from 9am-5pm on both days.

The Daily Examiner apologises to Metgasco and its staff for any problems this error may have caused.  

Sounds very like The Daily Examiner committed another blooper, doesn’t it? Except that neither the newspaper nor journalist Claire Simmons said that this CSG mining corporation’s stall was unmanned all day on Friday and Saturday.

What The Daily Examiner actually wrote on 7^th  May 2012 was:

Mining company Metgasco established an information stand at the Grafton Show, but their opponents were unable to locate any mining foot soldiers.

"We were disappointed we were unable to locate any Metgasco representatives at their stall at the Grafton Show," said Denise Deane of the Clarence Valley Against CSG Alliance.

What one earth was the editor thinking in publishing that craven apology for something the newspaper never wrote? Even the Australian Press Council wouldn't have required a retraction in this language, so how heavy was Metgasco playing it with APN management?

And was Metgasco telling The Egg Timer that its representatives have bladders of prodigious capacity and the internal fortitude of camels – that on two consecutive days, for eight hours at a time, none of them ever left that stall for either food, drink or a comfort stop?

Pull the other one lads!

Baselines tell the real story on NSW main greenhouse gas emissions

11 May - 17 May 2012

NEW SOUTH WALES

The story: Emissions from energy grew by 1.7%, with an increase in the use of coal-fired generation more than offsetting decreased use of gas and petroleum………

Last week:

• Emissions from energy grew by 1.7%, or 34,000 tonnes, with an increase in the use of coal-fired generation more than offsetting decreased use of gas and petroleum.
• Emissions from coal-fired generation, which accounted for 91% of electricity generation, grew by 4.6% or 48,000 tonnes.
• Emissions from gas fell by 4.3%, or 9,000 tonnes.
• Emissions from petroleum fell by 0.8% or 6,000 tonnes.
• Electricity demand grew by 2.3%.
• NSW met 10% of its electricity demand with imports from other states, compared with 9.0% the previous week.

Last year:

• This week’s indicator is 12% lower than the same week in 2011.
• Total emissions to this stage of 2012 were 6.7% lower than at a similar stage last year.

Baselines:

• 1990: 22% above
• 2000: 4.5% above

Growing dirt pile is getting closer to NSW O'Farrell Government Resources and Energy Minister, Chris Hartcher - Part Three

 

It would appear that the Ashby virus is spreading……………….

The Sydney Morning Herald 19 May 2012:

POLICE are investigating a claim Senator Bill Heffernan assaulted an employee of Chris Hartcher, the NSW Energy Minister, in an alleged homophobic attack at a fractious Liberal Party meeting on the central coast.

Ray Carter, 67, has accused Senator Heffernan of assaulting him and, according to sources, vilifying him over his sexuality at a gathering of party members in the federal electorate of Robertson.

Senator Heffernan was acting as an emissary of Tony Abbott at the Breakers Country Club at Wamberal on May 3. A Liberal source said the pair had been seen to physically clash on two occasions during the evening and also alleged that Senator Heffernan had aimed ''homophobic slurs'' at Mr Carter. In a statutory declaration, Mr Carter alleges Senator Heffernan hit him on his shoulder, causing him to fall into his seat, and later saying to him: ''I didn't know you were a poofter.''……..

Mr Carter, who has been suspended from Mr Hartcher's electorate office over a donation scandal, waited nearly a fortnight to report the allegation to Gosford police.

 Part One here.

Yet another Craig in hot water on the Hill

Excerpts from the Commonwealth Hansard 21 May 2012:

Mr ALBANESE: And I am. The member for Hughes may have failed to declare directorships of several companies, failed to declare potential liabilities arising from the collapse of a company with which he was involved, failed to declare possible criminal charges arising from that collapse and failed to declare that he has been practising as a solicitor at the same time as serving as a member of the House. For the benefit of the House, I will briefly outline the facts that I say potentially constitute contempt against the House. I refer to paragraph 2(d) of the House resolution……..

Mr ALBANESE: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The member for Hughes has failed to declare registered company directorships for several companies, including Homewares Depot Pty Ltd—the member was a director until 25 March 2011, but this was not declared. He was also the company secretary, but the member failed to declare this on his register of interests too. The member was a director of Valentino Franchising Pty Ltd until 25 March 2011 but failed to declare this. The member was a director of Valentino Home Fashion Pty Ltd until 8 March 2011, but once again the member failed to declare this.

For the benefit of the House, I table an extract from the relevant Australian Securities and Investments Commission database documenting the member's involvement with the companies in question. I also refer to the member's statement of registrable interests for the 43rd Parliament lodged on 25 October 2010 and I table that document. At item 4 of that statement, 'Registered directorships of companies', the member has entered 'nil'. In contempt of the resolution of this House, the member has failed to declare the company directorships to which I have just referred.

What is perhaps more concerning is the member's failure to notify the House of the shadow director role that he allegedly played in another company. In a report of February 2012, the liquidators of the member for Hughes's family company have raised questions about whether he was acting as a shadow director at the time of the collapse. These verAustralian taxpayer through the Australian Taxation Office.

The member might say the shadow directorship was too uncertain to require declaration under rules for company directors. This is a matter that the Privileges Committee will ultimately have to determine. However, even if the member were not required to declare his involvement with DV Kelly Pty Ltd under the rules for company directors, which I dispute, he was required to declare it under other—…….

Mr ALBANESE: Paragraph 2(m) provides that members must declare any interests of any kind where a conflict with their public duties could foreseeably arise or be seen to be arising. That is certainly the case here. The liquidators report that DV Kelly Pty Ltd may have been trading while insolvent, a grave allegation which could carry significant consequences, importantly for the ability of the member to continue his parliamentary career.

Under the Corporations Act 2001, directors, including shadow directors, of companies trading while insolvent can face civil penalties of up to $200,000 and may be held personally liable for debts incurred. Recall that at the time of the collapse DV Kelly Pty Ltd owed $4 million to creditors. As you would be aware, under section 44(iii) of the Australian Constitution, any person who is an undischarged bankrupt is disqualified as a member of the House of Representatives……..

Mr ALBANESE: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. That raises a serious issue with regard to the liabilities that could potentially be incurred there and, in addition, to the potential penalties to which they would be subject.

Finally, we come to the question of the member for Hughes practising as a solicitor while at the same time serving as a member of the House. There have been reports that after ceasing employment with this company the member represented it in several outstanding legal matters. A search of court databases confirms the member's involvement in this litigation. I table another document.

I refer the House again to the resolution concerning registration of interests, in particular paragraph 2(j), which provides that members must declare any substantial sources of income. If the member for Hughes was receiving any income as a result of his involvement in these legal proceedings—even if only costs were incurred in DV Kelly's favour—was this otherwise an interest that might conflict with the member's official duties within the meaning of paragraph 2(m) of the resolution?

I submit the matters I have outlined today indicate the member for Hughes may have failed to satisfy his obligations under the resolution concerning registration of interests and in doing so may have committed a serious contempt against the House of Representatives. This is an issue that should be referred to the House Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests. In my submission I ask that you consider these matters with a view to allowing precedence. I table the document…..

Mr CRAIG KELLY: Earlier today the Leader of the House made a number of assertions relating to me and my register of members' interests. His comments to the House were incorrect, and I would like to clarify the inaccuracies in those assertions.

The Leader of the House asserted that I am a solicitor. I am not a solicitor, and I do not have a law degree. I have never held myself out to be a solicitor nor made any representation to that effect to any person. I have not derived any income or personal benefit from any matters relating to this allegation.

The Leader of the House also asserted that I failed to declare my directorship of several companies. I took steps to resign my directorships of all companies named in August 2010. I provided instructions to my accountant to this effect. My accountant today has confirmed that this is correct, but he did not act on my instructions until March 2011 due to ill-health and hospitalisation on his behalf. At the time I completed my register of members' interests I understood the instructions had been implemented, and I believed them to be correct. I regret that the ASIC record did not reflect the circumstances that I believed to be correct at the time.

The Leader of the House also asserted that I am a shadow director of a company, DV Kelly Pty Ltd. There is no substance whatsoever to this allegation. Further, I have not, nor have ever been, a shareholder or a director of this company……….

Mr ALBANESE: In my statement I raised the question of whether the member for Hughes had been practising as a solicitor while at the same time serving as a member of the House. To assist the House, this was based on two judgments of the New South Wales Administrative Decisions Tribunal, one on 6 April 2011 and the other on 2 August 2011. In the 6 April 2011 document, next to 'Solicitors', it lists Mr Phillip Kelly and Mr Craig Kelly as 'agents for applicant'. In the 2 August 2011 judgment of the tribunal, next to 'Solicitors', it lists C Kelly as the agent. I table both judgments. I am advised that at the Administrative Decisions Tribunal of New South Wales it is possible to represent interested parties as an agent without being a qualified solicitor. I note the member for Hughes's statement that he was not acting as a solicitor during these hearings. The other matters raised remain matters to be considered by the Privileges Committee. I thank the House.

Background:

Questions over Liberal MP's family business collapse by Andrew Crook in SmartCompany on Monday, 12 March 2012 09:21  

Excerpt from Craig Kelly’s first speech in Parliament on 15 November 2010 :

A little over one year ago I was not a member of any political party, and I never had been, but I was someone with a fundamental belief in our free enterprise system. I was just an average Australian, someone working ridiculously long hours in a small family business and trying to do the best for his family. But I became deeply troubled that Labor governments not only had lost their way but had completely lost the plot and at every turn were heading our nation in the wrong direction.

I owe my presence here today to the democratic traditions of the Liberal Party, a party that embraces all those who share its values and a party that gives opportunities to those who join later in life.

I come to Canberra keen to put almost 30 years of hands-on experience in manufacturing, wholesaling, international trade, retailing and franchising to good use.  

Craig Kelly as director of Valentino Home Fashion Pty Ltd in D.B. Rreef Funds Management Ltd & P.T. Ltd v Valentino Home Fashion Pty Ltd; Valentino Home Fashion Pty Ltd v Westfield Hurstville (Westfield Management) [2008] NSWADT 332 (12 December 2008)

Ceased to be a director on 25 March 2011 in Brookfield Multiplex WS Retail Landowner (ACN 109 033 794) and AWPF Management Pty Ltd (ACN 114 689 146) v Valentino Franchise Pty Ltd (ACN 114 469 662) [2011] NSWADT 184 (2 August 2011)

A line of credit to DVK International Furniture Pty Ltd listed as an investment appears to be indicated in Kelly’s 2010 Statement of Registrable Interests.

Excerpt from the Administrator’s report concerning DV Kelly Pty Ltd and mentioning DVK International and Craig Kelly.

Fractured Political Fairy Tales: Once upon a time in Clarence.............

Nationals MP for Clarence ‘Steve’ Gulaptis addressed Clarence Valley Council on 15 May 2012.

His subject was listed in council minutes as an update on general NSW Government issues.

Given this NSW parliamentarian’s dismal record with achieving any balance between reliable facts versus spin, one has to wonder just how many erroneous ideas shire councillors now hold due to his presentation.

05.004/12

PRESENTATIONS

Mr Chris Gulaptis MP addressed Council and gave an update on general NSW Government issues affecting local government and/or Clarence Valley Council, including:

·

Gazettal of Clarence Valley Council’s LEP

·

New legislation regarding the dual role of councillors who are also members of the NSW State Government

·

Plans for councils to be given the capacity to do spot rezoning

·

Community Building Partnerships projects

·

Completion of Iluka sewerage facility

·

$70M Local Infrastructure renewal scheme

·

Legislation for councils to jointly manage libraries

·

$7000 relocation grant

·

Destination 2036

·

Planned review of the Local Government Act

Mr Gulaptis answered questions from Councillors regarding:

·

progress of a second bridge at Grafton

·

the upgrade of the Pacific Highway and the possibility of having State budget funds reprioritised and diverted to the upgrade

·

which organisations received Community Partnership Grants

·

floodplain management with a view to meeting with Mr Chris Holstein MP

·

proposed changes to the Local Government Act

Daily Examiner's leading opinion piece contains errors of fact

Without commenting on the merit or otherwise of the damages claims a number of persons have launched against the State of NSW in relation to the so-called 2010 Valentines Day Yamba riot, it needs to be pointed out that the local newspaper, The Daily Examiner, has started things off rather poorly with an opinion piece in today's paper. Written by Tim Howard, the piece contains errors that should be corrected.

According to Howard, the criminal trials were conducted "last year".
Wrong - the trials commenced in 2010 and concluded in 2011.

Also, according to Howard, the trials involved "a judge and his associate, the police prosecutors, eight barristers and two solicitors".
Again, wrong - the trials were conducted in the local court before a magistrate who did not have assistance of an associate. The adult defendants were represented directly by seven barristers and three solicitors. A fourth solicitor appeared as an instructing solicitor for two of the barristers.

Elsewhere in today's paper, Howard has a piece "Damages claims over riot arrests" where he wrote:

"Coffs Clarence patrol commander Superintendent Mark Holahan said he was aware a number of people were taking action against the police force.

He said, as the matters were the subject of legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for him to comment on them.

He said court was the best place for these matters to be dealt with."

Perhaps Howard should take the Superintendent's advice. Otherwise, Howard and the paper may have to answer to a case or two of their own.

Source: The Daily Examiner, 24/5/12