AWU confirms Getup! donation

The Australian Workers Union confirms it donated a large sum to Getup! when Bill Shorten led the union.

Labor leader Bill Shorten surrounded by members of GetUp! during the 2016 election.

The Australian Workers Union has confirmed it donated a large sum to Getup! when Bill Shorten led the union and says the contribution was endorsed by its national executive at the time.

An AWU statement to The Australian, provided late last night, is part of attempts to head off potential further attacks on Mr Shorten in parliament by Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

Senator Cash told parliament yesterday it was “unconscionable” that the membership fees of AWU members could be spent on “boosting Mr Shorten’s political profile” rather that fighting for their best interests when he was in charge of the AWU.

Raising the case of former Labor MP and Health Services Union boss Craig Thomson, Senator Cash suggested Mr Shorten could face similar accusations if it was found Mr Shorten gave $100,000 of AWU funds to GetUp! without proper authorisation.

The Weekend Australian revealed that Mr Shorten gave about $100,000 of union money, and possibly more, to the left-leaning activist group GetUp! when it launched in 2005 as an “independent, grassroots, community activist organisation”.

In responses to questions for the paper’s report, Mr Shorten maintained his past position by refusing to answer questions about his recollection of donating AWU funds to GetUp! and whether any donation was approved under AWU rule 57 by the union’s national executive.

After Senator Cash and Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne raised the matter in parliament yesterday, a spokesman for Mr Shorten confirmed to The Australian that the AWU did support GetUp! when Mr Shorten was its national and Victorian secretary.

As reported in The Australian today, the Labor leader’s spokesman said the AWU was “proud to support the establishment of GetUp!” and “the support was endorsed by the national executive”.

Mr Shorten’s office also referred The Australian to the AWU “for further information on particulars.”

The Australian asked the AWU’s national secretary Dan Walton more than a week ago for information about AWU national executive resolutions and minutes related to the union’s GetUp! donation. Over that time, The Australian was told the AWU’s national office had had difficulties obtaining the information.

A spokesman for the AWU’s national office sent a statement last night, too late for print publication, that was similar to comments from Mr Shorten’s office in confirming that the AWU had donated to GetUp! and saying the funds were authorised by the national executive.

The AWU spokesman said the AWU had always provided support to different campaigning organisations, and it was proud to be an early supporter of GetUp’s foundation.

He said: “All donations are processed and disclosed as appropriate, and that’s certainly the case here.

“The support we gave to GetUp! was endorsed by the national executive at the time.”

The spokesman did not provide particulars of the donation and when the funds were approved.