Craig Thomson must talk: Coalition

THE opposition has demanded Craig Thomson co-operate with a NSW police probe on corruption in the Health Services Union.

THE opposition has demanded Craig Thomson co-operate with the NSW police investigation into alleged corruption in the Health Services Union after the federal Labor MP said he had refused to talk to officers.

Mr Thomson said he had not agreed to talk to NSW police because he had not been involved with the HSU East branch since 2002. "I declined on legal advice."

The former national secretary of the HSU said he would be interviewed by Strike Force Carnarvon if his lawyers reached agreement with NSW police.

Mr Thomson is co-operating with a separate Victoria Police investigation into the HSU.

Opposition frontbencher Scott Morrison labelled Mr Thomson's position a disgrace.

"Julia Gillard must demand that he co-operate with NSW police immediately," Mr Morrison told the Ten Network.

"He's a member of parliament. There should be no less a standard applied to him just simply because Julia Gillard's relying on his tainted vote for a tainted government."

Strike Force Carnarvon was set up last September to investigate allegations of corruption in HSU East, which includes the union's NSW and Victoria branches.

It has been alleged Mr Thomson and suspended HSU boss Michael Williamson received secret commissions from a supplier to the union.

It has separately been alleged Mr Thomson misused a union credit card for prostitutes, meals and cash withdrawals when he was the HSU's national secretary between 2002 and 2007.

Mr Williamson and Mr Thomson deny the accusations.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon has called for an independent review of Fair Work Australia's operations following the investigation into the HSU.

Fair Work Australia has spent more than three years looking into allegations of corruption in the union, and the federal government has flagged a review of the way FWA investigates corruption allegations.

FWA has sent a report to the commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, but it says it cannot consider the information unless it gets a brief of evidence.

Senator Xenophon said any probe into FWA should not compromise its independence, but the tribunal should be subject to some scrutiny.

"I think they've stuffed it up and there are many questions about the way they operate and do their work," he told the ABC. "In this critical key investigation, there are many questions."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AAP