Craig Thomson will defend Covid fraud allegations in Downing Centre Local Court
Former federal politician Craig Thomson has a new lawyer, a new venue and will be given a new date to fight allegations of Covid grant fraud when he next appears, a court has heard.
Central Coast
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Former federal Labor MP Craig Thomson will move his fight against allegations he defrauded small business Covid grants to Sydney after a court heard the matter required a “special fixture” listing in Downing Centre Local Court.
It comes as the 58-year-old has confirmed he will continue to defend allegations he breached personal apprehended violence orders against his ex wife when those charges return to court later in the year.
Thomson faced Gosford Local Court on Tuesday where he was represented by barrister Michael Valentin, of Eleventh Floor Garfield Barwick chambers, for the first time.
At previous court appearances the former Labor MP for Dobell has been represented by solicitors Jamie Clements, formerly of Conditsis Lawyers, and Kevin Vierboom, of Fourtree Lawyers.
Thomson has previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage, one count of publish false misleading material to obtain advantage and one count of make false document to obtain financial advantage.
The fraud charges were laid almost a year ago to the day in March 2022 with police alleging that Thomson fraudulently applied for and received a Small Business Covid-19 Support grant of $10,000 for a cafe he owned with the money used towards his personal mortgage and credit card.
He also allegedly received a Covid-19 Small Business Hardship grant for $15,000 for the cafe, with police alleging the money was used for school fees, lease of a vehicle and other personal uses.
Police will allege in court Thomson also submitted a fraudulent application for JobSaver payments of $3000 a fortnight, which was not approved or paid, and allegedly fraudulently signed and submitted a document for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in rent.
On Tuesday his Barrister Mr Valentin told the court the defended hearing would require a “special fixture” with an estimate of about five days and sought the matter be transferred to the Downing Centre Local Court.
Magistrate Pauline Wright adjourned those matters to the Downing Centre on March 29 to fix a hearing date.
The court heard Thomson is also facing 22 Commonwealth charges over alleged visa migration fraud.
Mr Valentin told the court Thomson was seeking a case conference with the Commonwealth prosecutor before confirming his pleas in relation to those charges and they were adjourned to Gosford on May 9.
Meanwhile the court heard Thomson had already been given a hearing date of August 15 to defend an allegation he breached a personal AVO put in place by police to protect his ex-wife Zoe Arnold after he allegedly turned up at a daycare centre.
Mr Valentin asked for a second alleged breach of the AVO to also be listed for hearing on the same date.
Thomson left politics and returned to a career as a lawyer after failing to win back his seat of Dobell at the 2013 federal election.
He had won the seat as a Labor candidate in 2007 and remained aligned with the party until 2012. He now runs a fruit and vegetable export business.
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