FED:Abbott calls for probe into Thomson

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2011
FED:Abbott calls for probe into Thomson

MELBOURNE, Aug 19 AAP - Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has again declined to say whether
he would sack a colleague in the same situation as embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson.

Mr Thomson, the member for Dobell, is facing scrutiny over his former union credit
card allegedly being used to pay for prostitutes, but he denies any wrongdoing.

The NSW MP also this week belatedly updated his listing in the parliamentary register
of members' interests to add that the ALP's NSW branch had paid a "sum of money" - reportedly
$90,000 - to his lawyers on his behalf.

When asked if he would sack a colleague in the same predicament as Mr Thomson, Mr Abbott
said that he did not have all the details, but he would do things differently to Prime
Minister Julia Gillard.

"I don't know all the details. Certainly what I would never do is express full confidence
in a member without asking questions. I would try to get to the bottom of these things,"

he said on the Nine Network.

"I would be demanding answers. I would be insisting that official bodies investigate
and if necessary prosecute in a fully transparent manner."

If a by-election is triggered in Dobell - which could come in the event of a member
being declared bankrupt or facing a jail term longer than a year - and Labor loses the
seat, government could change hands.

Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard should call an official investigation into the matter.

"Craig Thomson is obviously a protected species as far as this prime minister is concerned,"

Mr Abbott said.

AAP mok/mn/nb

KEYWORD: THOMSON ABBOTT

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