If he were using his own money - as you imply - that would be no problem. The cops don't care if you watch hotel cough. It's not illegal. The rozzers don't come storming into Room 1101 to catch you in the act. The only charges laid are through Amex.
Its not even the money, really. It's the breach of trust and care. The workers of his union, and we are talking about kitchenhands and porters and so on, really do need a union to stand up for them. That's the beauty of the union movement, that they help people work as a community for the mutual good. Happy workers = happy employer.
But when we dig into the Health Services Union, we find that there were
no contested elections for years, if not decades. Because the election notices would be advertised in the classifieds of some obscure newspaper in order to prevent anyone from standing for election or voting. The officials simply took their turn on the gravy train, ripping off their members.
Backed up by Julia Gillard, who depends on Craig Thomson's vote. Sure, she kicked him out when the stench got too bad, but oddly enough, he has continued to support the party that supposedly rejected him.
How can we have any faith in Labor when the union movement is screwing the workers? It's not so much about helping those in need nowadays - it's about looking after your apparatchik mates.
Unfortunately if he had been a wonderful politician he would have made it to Prime Minister. I think he had the traits that could have made him an outstanding prime minister. But I think the big trouble with Australian politics at the moment - is the talent it takes to become leader of a political party and then go one step further and take office are not necessarily the same sort of talent that it takes to run a government - or indeed run the country - successfully.
