This article is part of a series about Julia Gillard
Early life and career
Member for Lalor (1998–2013)
1998 federal election
2006 Labor Party spill
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
2007 federal election
Fair Work Act
Building the Education Revolution
Digital Education Revolution
NAPLAN
ACARA
My School
Prime Minister of Australia
First Ministry
Second Ministry
Election
2010 federal election
Carbon pricing scheme
Minerals Resource Rent Tax
Gonski report
Immigration policies
National Broadband Network
2012 Labor Party spill
National Disability Insurance Scheme
Misogyny Speech
AWU affair
March 2013 and June 2013 Labor Party spills
My Story
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The AWU affair refers to allegations of embezzlement via a fund established for the AWU Workplace Reform Association in the early 1990s by Bruce Wilson and Ralph Blewitt, officials of the Australian Workers' Union (AWU). Wilson and Blewitt raised $400,000 from major construction companies, and have been accused of using the funds for personal benefit, including diverting funds for the purchase of a house in Fitzroy.
Julia Gillard, who subsequently became Prime Minister of Australia, was a salaried partner at law firm Slater & Gordon who provided pro-bono legal services to Wilson, with whom she was romantically involved, for the establishment of the Association and for the purchase of the Fitzroy property. Gillard's conduct was the subject of an internal investigation by Slater and Gordon. After stating that she had no intention of leaving Slater & Gordon, Gillard left the firm prior to the conclusion of the investigation, and pursued a career in politics.[1]
The alleged misappropriation of funds and related activities have been the subject of police and media investigation. The AWU has not brought charges against Wilson or Blewitt. Ian Cambridge, the former AWU national secretary and current Fair Work Australia commissioner, who detected the alleged misuse of funds in the 1990s, called for a judicial inquiry into the affair.[2]
Although Blewitt has admitted his role in the matter, Wilson, and Gillard have denied any wrongdoing.[3] The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption investigated the matter and recommended that fraud charges be considered against Wilson and Blewitt, but that there were no grounds for prosecuting Gillard, though her conduct as a solicitor had been "questionable".[4]
^"Timeline: How the AWU affair unfolded". (24 November 2012). The Australian. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
^Freebairn, Pip; Skulley Mark. (29 November 2012)."Coalition says PM broke the law". Financial Review. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
^"Ex-union boss to fight fraud link". (24 November 2012). The Australian. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
^Royal commission takes aim at CFMEU, recommends charges against senior officials; The Age; 19 Dec 2014
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