The lawyer for former union boss Kathy Jackson has told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that if it was not for a significant number of missing documents, his client would be exonerated. The one-time whistleblower on union corruption is accused of misappropriating more than $480,000 from the Health Services Union between 2003 and 2011. Jackson appeared in court today, facing 70 charges of theft and deception. Police allege she spent $100,000 of the money on travel, including trips to Hong Kong, Los Angeles and a stay at the luxury Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. Her lawyer, Philip Beazley, told the court he wanted to examine 68 witnesses during the committal hearing. He said their memory of why certain transactions of Jackson’s were approved would be important as large numbers of union documents, including meeting minutes, had gone missing. Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg quipped “Was there a flood or something?” Mr Beazley said he was unsure, however the minutes were gone and he would have to examine members of the Health Services Union on their memories of expenditure approvals for Jackson. “The minutes would exonerate us. We don’t have them,” he said. Jackson was supported in court by her partner, former Fair Work Commission vice president Michael Lawler, and sat on the floor for part of the court session due to a lack of seats. She will face a four week committal hearing from November 13.
