No jail time for Jackson

Corrupt union boss slammed

CORRUPT former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson will not spend a night behind bars for using more than $100,000 of union members’ funds to buy herself jewellery, artworks and overseas holidays.

Jackson, 52, was sentenced to two years’ jail in Victoria’ s County Court on Thursday, wholly suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Judge Amanda Fox said Jackson’s dishonesty was “brazen and ongoing” and“involved thought and planning ”.

“The most aggravating feature is the gross breach of trust ,” Judge Fox said.

“You took advantage of your position and abused the trust of others. Your crimes caused substantial damage totheunion.”

Judge Fox said Jackson had made a name for herself as an advocate for her Victorian branch members but“instead you selfishly used their money for your own lifestyle purposes ”.

“I find it was motivated by greed, not need—and perhaps a sense of entitlement ,” she said.

The court heard Jackson used her three union credit cards on 23 occasions on 13 trips, including expenses of her children, former husband Jeff Jackson and subsequent partner Michael Lawler between 2003 and 2010.

Places she jet set ted to on the union’ s purse included New Zealand, the US, London, Athens, Paris, Hong Kong, Bali and India. She also paid off a $22,000 debt owed by Mr Jackson for his Mercedes, misrepresenting it as “legal expenses” in July 2008.

Jackson purported purchases, including a wire table lamp, shelving, curtains and an entertainment unit—the total bill of around $3500 — as “office furnishings” or“relocation expenses ”.

A portrait by Charles Blackman bought for $4636 at aN SW art auction was also hung in her home before being falsely recorded as a “conference seminar” expense. Jackson even used the company card to send a gift basket to a friend in Hong Kong to congratulate her on the arrival of her baby.

Wholly suspended sentences were abolished in Victoria in September 2013, but still exist for crimes committed before that date.