The plot thickens! You will be the judge, Ralph Blewitt speaks about The AWU Scandal in a nutshell - Michael Smith News

WEDNESDAY, 05 DECEMBER 2012

3rd update 1450 5 December, 2012 - the role of Colin Saunders

I have just received an email from one of our most consistent blog contributors who is doing a hell of a job on some private research.   He tells me this:

"I think I know who "CS" is - Colin Saunders.  Colin served on the BCIT Board.  The AWU members of the BCITF Board were as follows:  

For the year ended 30 June 1992 – Bruce Wilson

For the year ended 30 June 1993 – Colin Saunders"

Here's a quote from  a Hedley Thomas and Paige Taylor article in The Australian of 30 October 2012:

"Another official, Colin Saunders, told the AWU meeting in 1993 that Mr Blewitt was "an idiot and couldn't do the job", and if he continued as branch secretary the workers would be sold out.

I spoke with Ralph Blewitt just moments ago about this new information.   You are listening to the story unfold pretty much in real time, as it is unfolding for me.

Update - 1340 5 December 2012

I spoke with Ralph Blewitt earlier.   He phoned me.   He was shocked to see the letter I'd published below.   I did not speak to Ralph before I published the letter.   I had a brief conversation with Ralph earlier, and I asked him if he would speak on the record about this letter.   Here is the on the record conversation.

Original post, morning of 5 December, 2012

Here's a surprisingly eloquent gem.  

Don't look for elegance in its turn of phrase, you won't find it there.   No, this letter speaks volumes because it's so poorly written.   This is genuine Ralphese, unedited by his lawyer friend Ms Gillard.  

This letter shows how the AWU name was central to the fraud.   Imagine the reaction to a letter from the "Ralph and Bruce Personal Benefit Scheme".

Ralph and Bruce could obtain money from employers only because those employers thought the money be applied to some legitimate Union activity. This scam would not work if the payee was shown in the company's books as the "Bruce and Ralph Personal Benefit Scheme".   It only worked by misusing the AWU name.

So, as the WA Police said, there was fraud on the company; but the employer is not the only party that suffered loss.

There was also fraud on the AWU.   The union did not receive money which was intended for it, and its name was taken and used as the means to deceive.   So why, today, has the AWU not made a complaint to police with this new information about The AWU Scandal?

I've spoken with very senior legal and judicial officers about this.   Here is a synopsis of what, with the exception of the Prime Minister, seems to be a unanimous view.  

"A reasonable person with a basic knowledge of industrial law would recognise the potential for serious criminal conduct if a private slush fund takes and uses the name of the Union".

And here, for comparison, is "Ralph"'s application to the WA Corporate Affairs Commissioner with his set of rules for his association.

Download _92_04_22 - Application for Incorporation - from 

IC4

The plot thickens! You will be the judge, Ralph Blewitt speaks about The AWU Scandal in a nutshell