Union royal commission: Derrick Belan secured $328,000 termination payout

Documents reveal details of union boss Derrick Belan’s union credit card misuse, including a tattoo of his parents.

Former NSW secretary of the National Union of Workers (NUW) Derrick Belan (right) arrives the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption in Sydney.

Derrick Belan has stridently denied any misuse of union money while he was NSW boss of the National Union of Workers despite admitting he used the branch credit card while on holidays and to pay for a tattoo of his mother and late father and predecessor, Frank.

Taking the stand at the trade union royal commission this afternoon amid revelations the union agreed to give Mr Belan a $328,000 termination payment, the former union boss said he used union funds when he “ran out of money” but asked his book keeper niece, Danielle O’Brien to repay the money from his wages.

The tattoo on Mr Belan’s leg.

Mr Belan said he was “embarrassed” and “humiliated” by “what’s come out” but stated “I am not a thief”.

He spent $432 at the Buen-Arte tattoo parlour on a depiction of his parents on his calf, evidence released by the Commission reveals.

He was happy with the end result.

In a written statement to the commission, tattooist William Buenen said Mr Belan returned a day or so later and told him: “My mother cried when I showed her my tattoo. She said to tell you ‘thankyou for making me look so young and beautiful’.”

The $432 cost was put on Mr Belan’s NUW-issued credit card.

Mr Belan told the commission he had to put it on his union card because the ATM next to the Emu Plains parlour was out of cash and his private credit card was back at the office.

He said he asked his niece to take the money back. “I never stole from the union,” he said.

The inquiry also heard Mr Belan was awarded a $328,000 termination payment. Mr Belan received a payrise to $244,769 in 2014-2015 from $185,837 in 2013-2014, tax records tendered at the trade union royal commission today revealed.

Details of Mr Belan’s $327,703 termination package, which has not yet been paid, were also tendered to the commission, alongside a deed releasing Mr Belan of any liability to the Branch.

The royal commission has heard evidence Mr Belan’s branch credit card bill topped $500,000 over the past six years, with more than $50,000 in spending on personal items so far identified including on jewellery, holidays, entertainment, dating websites and the tattoo parlour.

Mr Belan, who gave evidence to the Commission today, also allegedly sent union funds to his niece Ms O’Brien to “pay his bills”. Ms O’Brien has admitted to spending thousands of dollars in union funds on herself, and to sometimes using Mr Belan’s credit card.

Mr Belan told the inquiry: “I resigned after it was found one of my administrative staff was committing fraud.

“I have never committed theft or ask anyone on my behalf.’’

After 15 minutes on the stand, Mr Belan asked for a break saying “I’m getting a bit light headed”.

The termination payout and the deed releasing Mr Belan from liability were signed by his former assistant Wayne Meaney, who has succeeded him as state secretary.

Mr Meaney told the trade union royal commission he agreed to the payment and his former boss’s immunity after he was assured Ms O’Brien was solely responsible for “stealing” branch money.

“(Mr Belan said) I am not involved at all. It was all Danielle”, Mr Meaney told the inquiry. “I just took his word for it”.

The NUW’s national office told Mr Meaney to disregard the deed releasing Mr Belan from liability, the inquiry heard.

Mr Meaney said he knew about $8000 a month payment to former Labor MP Paul Gibson from the branch, arranged by Mr Belan, but did not see it as his role to “question” the secretary.

“Derrick is a good mate. You know he’s a goof friend. We were secretary and assistant secretary for … 15 years together and I think we were a good team for all of that time... Well, up until the end when Derrick was having problems.”

The inquiry has heard the payments to Mr Gibson were to foster good relations with the ALP, particularly Senator Sam Dastyari.

With AAP