Were they meeting at this table? A picture from within Labor House during the O’Byrne 2010 campaign; sent anonymously to Tasmanian Times with an anonymous claim of irregularities; unpublished because, who knows, it may have been mischief-making or …
THE trade union representing Australia’s lowest-paid workers gave its Tasmanian secretary, David O’Byrne, $15,000 for his personal political election campaign while he was still in charge of the organisation.
Mr O’Byrne, the state Economic Development Minister and heir apparent to Premier Lara Giddings, yesterday conceded some might perceive this as a conflict of interest, but insisted he had acted appropriately.
The funds, previously undisclosed, were paid in two instalments — avoiding the $11,500 threshold for public disclosure via the Australian Electoral Commission.
They were approved by the union’s executive, of which Mr O’Byrne was a member, months before the 2010 state election, while he was still state secretary.
Read the rest, The Australian here
First published: June 30
