IN WHAT MAY COME AS A SHOCK TO MANY, I decided not to name this post using a song title, which is my usual custom on WixxyLeaks. For those of you who know my site, that may seem a bit drastic and out of character, but what the hell. Here at Independent Australia, we will also break our usual custom and leave the title the same for the sake of maintaining the theme.
The HSU debacle has wrought some big changes in many people's lives, including my own, so I thought one little change for one post wouldn't kill anyone. Instead I've named it after a band, not to be confused with the actual Jackson Five − they had talent − although some have said that this group is even more “Whacko” than the original Jacksons.
The Jackson Five ― with the HSU election campaigns in full swing, I figured the timing could not be more appropriate.
The Jackson Five I want to talk about are from the Jackson Faction of the HSU. They are made up of Kathy Jackson, of course, along with her factional allies running in the current elections ― Marco Bolano, Fleur Behrens and, in Sydney, Katrina Hart. Last but not least is Jeff Jackson, Kathy's ex-husband and the former secretary of Number 1 branch.
During the election campaign, there will be a lot of talk of factions. We are already seeing it in some of the mainstream press, as those running for election seek any opportunity to point a finger, rather than talk about themselves.
We are sure to hear all about how some seeking office are from the Williamson faction, or have an ALP connection somewhere in their background. We are already hearing this kind of carry-on in Sydney by Katrina Hart, whereas in Melbourne it would seem that they would rather eliminate people from the election by claiming they are ineligible to stand, as is the case with Diana Asmar, who was ruled out by the Australian Electoral Commission on Thursday. A court challenge by Asmar has been announced in recent days.
If we are to try and cut through the bullshit in all of this, we need to remember this is a Union, not a country club, so of course there will be people with Labor Party ties. Anybody who has missed the link between the ALP and unions best pack their bags now and get on the next space shuttle to Jacksonville. The unions support the ALP because the ALP support workers; it's that simple, it always has been.
There are those in this campaign who will say they have no connection to politics whatsoever; however, if they are a member of the Jackson Five, don't believe a word of it.
The three members who are standing for election are backed by Kathy Jackson. Those of you who know her background know she has a history in political matters.
Although Kathy liked to refer to me as a "failed Labor candidate", at least got that far. Kathy is what many call a "Failed Labor Try Hard". Kathy tried to be pre-selected as a Labor candidate for a Victorian State seat, Northcote, in 2006 and failed. Not happy with the democratic process, she thought she would fight the decision in court, and lost yet again. A record of failure that appears to endure to this very day.
Somewhere along the line, Kathy thought it best to become a turncoat. She now has the apparent respect of alleged misogynist Tony Abbott, who sings her praises in and out of parliament.
She also speaks as guest of honour at Liberal Party think tanks.
It is important when voting that this is taken into consideration, as if the person you are considering voting for is part of the Jackson Five, then you may just be voting for someone backed by a Liberal Party stooge.
The Liberal Party, the ones responsible for WorkChoices, the ones who have just destroyed your workers compensation scheme, the ones who have just made sure you will not be having your income increase at the rate of inflation, the same ones who right now are looking for more ways to screw you, the ones that are looking at ways to get rid of your public service job. These are the people you regularly protest about, not vote in.
Anyway, I said there would be a lot of talk of factions during this election campaign, so I guess this is my contribution.
In the name of full disclosure, I will reiterate that I am not a part of any faction, nor am I a member of the HSU. I am a member of the Labor Party, however being self-employed I am not a member of any union. My writing is not funded by any party, person, company, faction or anything like that, and although people can donate via my website, no donation has been taken or attempted by any factional members, nor politicians that I am aware of. Donations on my site go towards the running of my site, and the upkeep of my mental health, it does not get donated to any campaign or union or anything of the kind.
A quick look at any of my other posts will tell you that I am just someone who doesn't like to see people being abused, or taken advantage of. My motivation in this is to see the Union handed back to its members, not run by the factions.
Call me a crusader, or call me a fuckwit, I've been called both, I simply call it as I see it.
So, let’s have a brief look at the band shall we?
Kathy Jackson
The leader of the pack, Kathy has seemingly left a trail of financial destruction in her wake at the number 3 Branch, and now has fled Victoria, heading for NSW ― looking for greener pastures. The struggling Union secretary put her multi-million dollar mansion on the market and is clearly hoping for bigger and better things in the Premier State.
Originally employed by Michael Williamson in HSU East and a long time friend of the Williamsons,(even giving Julie Williamson a $3,500 pair of Bulgari earrings), she is alleged to have taken obscene amounts of money from the members, while delivering results that were less than sub-standard.
I don't want to dwell on Kathy in this post however, as there are umpteen dozen posts full of documentation related to her on our dedicated Jacksonville page.
We all know she calls herself a whistleblower, but one man’s whistleblower is another man’s rat.
The main point to raise here is that, although her cronies and her like to point the crooked finger at Williamson, they should in fact be pointing at a mirror. While the Williamson case is reaching a climax from NSW Police, the investigation into Kathy Jackson currently in progress by Victoria Police has prompted speculation that claims of rorting from the Jackson faction may well dwarf claims against Michael Williamson.
Kathy Jackson, with the big ego and even bigger hair, just has to be the lead singer of the Jackson Five if they were a real band.
Jeff Jackson
I have to be honest, I have yet to hear a bad personal word about Jeff, and from what I hear of him, I'm sure he hates being dragged through the mud in this bitter battle. No doubt he thought he'd left all this behind him. The most common description I hear in relation to Jeff is that he is lovable rogue ― a bit of a lad.
However, we have shown Jeff's HSU credit card statements before, and a breakdown of its expenditure. Things like travel, Foxtel subscriptions, furniture, restaurants, and suchlike are all there in spades, not to mention his numerous visits to brothels.
Jeff Jackson Credit Card Summary
As he handed in his Union car back to the administrator a couple of months ago (despite not working for the Union for years), I don't think Jeff has much to do with the HSU and its problems now, but his vital contribution to its financial woes, and his relationship with his ex-wife factional leader Kathy, make him an important part of the band; let's make him the bass player ― the ace of bass.
Marco Bolano
Bolano the brawler. I will grit my teeth and refrain from linking one of the videos where Marco Bolano is involved in yet another brawl at a union meeting, but we've all seen it, numerous times.
The man with the temperament of a disturbed wasps nest is up for election, and this time he faces stiff opposition. It will take more than dummy ballot boxes to drag him across the line this time around.
Diana Asmar was odds on to defeat Bolano, so something had to be done by the faction to fix this.
I make no claims as to whether she is eligible to run or not, that is up to the AEC, however, as I mentioned earlier, this issue is about to end up in court.
Allegations have been raised regarding alleged tampering with the Union database by Bolano or Jackson. The theory goes that Bolano or Jackson got into the system and stopped the direct debit for Asmar’s Union fee’s, thus making her un-financial. I don’t know if this is true or just an empty claim, but the courts can figure that out. Asmar certainly would not be the first to make that claim, as there have been previous written complaints regarding this type of action.
There was also a Statutory Declaration from an employee of a place where Asmar formerly worked, Complete Family Care, that was touted all over the place by Bolano, stating that Diana never worked there. Bolano sent the employee, Jacinta Roleff, a letter grovelling and begging to be able to leak it to his mates in the press. Since then Roleff has recanted her Statutory Declaration. Interestingly, Bolano – who seems to think he knows all about Asmar and how she is not the right person for the union – but he did not pick up that, in the Stat Dec, Asmar's name was spelt incorrectly. That's right, her name was spelt in that document "Asma". So, it would seem Bolano doesn't even know how to spell her name correctly.
Bolano has been Jackson’s right hand man for a large part of her controversial career as a Union secretary and turncoat. It has been Bolano who acts the bully, the one who has hissy fits on stage at HSU conferences, the one who gets into punch ups, sometimes with his pregnant girlfriend by his side, and of course the one who, according to the Temby Report that his faction likes to hold up as holy scripture, is horrendously overpaid.
Bolano would be the lead guitarist in the band, full of show and posturing. Bolano and Kathy J are the true band leaders.
Fleur Behrens
Some of you may remember Fleur as the charming lady who allegedly asked others to sign false statutory declarations on Kathy Jackson’s behalf. At the time, Kathy wanted statutory declarations to back up her ridiculous claims over Bill Shorten. Luckily, Sherida Jacks knew this was highly illegal and refused to do it.
Fleur has been also pumping out flyers, one of which I mentioned in an earlier post. They are unique in that they support change and continuation ― things most normal people might consider diametric opposites, but not in Camp Behrens.
I’d assume the change would be the change to Fleur as secretary, and the continuation would be all the brawling and factional power games typically associated with the Union under Jackson's control.
I would love to tell you more about Behrens, but she has not done much of note. I’m sure that there will be those who have something to say about her in the comments at the end of the post.
If the Jackson Five were a real band, Fleur would be a backup singer. No talent for a real instrument and whose lack of vocal ability can be drowned out by the racket coming from the other four.
Katrina Hart
Katrina Hart uses a charming picture of a rat in a bow tie for her campaign logo. Maybe this is to remind people of the rat who is backing her ticket ― the notorious union turncoat Kathy Jackson.
I would suggest to members that whenever they see that rat logo, they think of the Jackson Five faction as to what those on the ticket really represent.
Jackson even went so far as to use Katrina’s Sydney address as her postal address when she fled north to NSW not that long ago ― that is how close Hart is tied to this factional overlord.
Katrina’s campaign flyers, that feature the cartoon image of Rat Jackson in a bow tie, say a lot about Katrina and her ability to do the job.
They do this by saying nothing. Anybody that cannot even find something to say about their own ability does not inspire confidence. Even stating that she made it through high school would be a start. Instead she focuses on everyone she is running against, claiming they are all factional puppets of Michael Williamson, which of course her mentor Jackson was before becoming a turncoat.
Those who are running against Hart are promoting things called plans, something that Hart seems to lack. Maybe Katrina should look up “plan” in the dictionary, or is her plan the usual “pillage and plunder plan” that Jackson is alleged to have done.
In fact, the only thing on her campaign flyers that isn’t negative smear is the part where earnestly tells us all how noble Kathy Jackson is..hmmm...
If Jackson Five were a band, Katrina would be the drummer, because it would appear that she may possibly be on some sort of mind altering medication, prescribed or otherwise, to think anyone will fall for her smear campaign.
I could have added a sixth member to the Jackson Five, but allow me to explain first.
Although Independent Australia, WixxyLeaks and, to a lesser extent, Crikey, have given the HSU story detailed coverage. The mainstream media has given it coverage at particular points.
Those points would beWilliamson being formally charged with offences on 4th October at Maroubra Police Station, and the FWA Civil cases regarding Craig Thomson being announced.
However, suddenly we are seeing blanket coverage of the HSU in the News Ltd press ― so what has happened that is so important?
The answer is that the election campaign is underway ― something that press wouldn't usually follow this closely, except maybe just a short story on the election result when it’s all over.
Ask yourself this, when have you seen so much coverage of a Union election, particularly in The Australian? How much do you know about the inner workings of the CFMEU, or the MWU? Not a lot, I'm willing to bet.
News Ltd's Ean Higgins
However, Ean Higgins of The Australian has run a story virtually every day on the HSU goings on. You can bet your bottom dollar that if someone on a non-Jackson election ticket farts in public, Higgins will have a quarter page article with vivid descriptions of the ensuing odour. Bolano, Behrens, and Hart on the other hand, could raise campaign funds with Balaclava's and sawn off shotguns and it wouldn't rate a mention.
Higgins has , it seems, become the minister for propaganda and campaign material for the Jackson faction.
If this Jackson Five were a real band, Higgins would be a roadie. It would seem in this campaign he is doing all the heavy lifting.
I guess by pumping this post out, I may be seen as just as bad as the others in putting out factional propaganda. Well, I can accept this.
But it should be noted that I am on the side of the Union largest faction ― that of ordinary. This is the only faction that counts and the only faction with the power to put the corrupt factions out on their ass. So, I will not shy away from the cause.
Now, if you are going to go looking for something to blame my temporary change of tactics with article names and song titles, don't blame the band, don't blame the factions, and don't blame the HSU.
Blame it on the boogie.
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