The Source: New twist in battle for hearts and minds of Victoria’s public servants

A union election candidate who returned a $1000 donation from an online donor called “Mick Gatto” has called in the national privacy watchdog to investigate the spicy leak.

Jiselle Hanna and her team of Socialist sympathisers returned $1000 to an online donor called “Mick Gatto".

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers

There has been a new twist in the battle for the hearts and minds of Victoria’s public servants, with a union election candidate calling in the national privacy watchdog.

Readers may remember the recent drama surrounding a potential underworld donation to the team that is challenging long-term Community and Public Sector Union secretary Karen Batt.

For those who can’t recall – to borrow a well-worn phrase in the public sector – Jiselle Hanna and her team of Socialist sympathisers returned $1000 to an online donor called “Mick Gatto”, insisting that they had no connection to the infamous Carlton identity and mediator, if indeed he was the one who sent them the cash.

That spicy saga was revealed thanks to a leak from Victorian prison staff.

Now, Hanna and her team have turned their attention to how information has been allegedly disseminated to prison staff, by members of the CPSU establishment.

A donation from someone called “Mick Gatto” was made to Jiselle Hanna’s campaign. Picture: Andrew Henshaw.

According to a complaint sent to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by Hanna, and seen by the Herald Sun, a fake email account was allegedly established to send “defamatory material” about the rebel campaign to prison officer union members.

Online sleuths in the Hanna camp managed to track down the union member who created the account, using two-step verification tools, and outed him to the watchdog.

The letter to the privacy police says that aside from being defamatory, the use of the anonymous account has led to serious concerns about inappropriate access to personal information.

“It appears that the personal email addresses of members, which is information that was provided to the CPSU in the context of their union membership, were accessed and uploaded to this anonymous Gmail account for the purpose of sending this communication,” she says.

“The use of such email addresses in anonymous electioneering upon an unsecured non-CPSU email platform appears to contravene the CPSU’s obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.”

Community and Public Sector Union secretary Karen Batt and Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Luke Hilakari.

Hanna says she would ordinarily refer the matter to internal union processes but she has no confidence it would be treated impartially.

Surely not!

It’s understood this complaint isn’t the only one doing the rounds with regards to the use of internal email systems.

Sources say that the Department of Justice is considering whether the use of its servers for sending emails is appropriate, while there’s been allegations of inappropriate campaigning at the home address of some public servants.

None of them are exactly Underbelly-style scandals, but no doubt will be considered carefully by corrections “cardigans”.

Ballots open on Tuesday for CPSU members to cast their votes, so expect more accusations of inappropriateness ahead of that momentous day.