CANBERRA - The industrial watchdog was so concerned about possible political interference in the Craig Thomson investigation that it got the Australian government solicitor involved, a union official claims.
Health Services Union general secretary Kathy Jackson has publicly released her response to an investigation into her union.
Fair Work Australia has spent almost four years probing whether Ms Jackson, former union president Michael Williamson and former union secretary Craig Thomson, now a Labor MP, breached civil or criminal law in their handling of union finances.
Mr Thomson has denied allegations he used union credit cards for prostitutes and cash withdrawals between 2002 and 2007.
All three have been asked to respond to the investigation's findings by March 5.
The opposition has accused government ministers and officials of interfering in the investigation, given that losing Mr Thomson's New South Wales seat of Dobell could lead to the fall of the Gillard government.
Ms Jackson said she had warned former industrial registrar Doug Williams of possible political interference.
In the documents, Ms Jackson quotes Mr Williams as saying that he had involved the Australian government solicitor in an attempt to make sure there was no interference.
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