HSU boss Michael Williamson to take leave

(AAP) - Health Services Union national president Michael Williamson will stand down while the union reviews its operations following allegations he improperly used credit cards and received secret commissions.
The union will conduct an independent review after the accusations against Mr Williamson quickly followed claims that federal Labor MP Craig Thomson used HSU-issued credit cards to pay for prostitutes when he was its national secretary.
Both men deny any wrongdoing.
HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson welcomed Mr Williamson's decision to stand down, which was announced after a meeting of the union's executive council on Thursday afternoon.
She applauded the move for an independent review but said the decision should have been reached earlier.
"Very serious allegations hang over this union, allegations which, if proven, would show a fundamental breach of trust between the union, its members, the broader Labor movement, and the public," she told reporters in Melbourne.
"I hope that council members are getting over the initial shock and grief of the allegations themselves and are starting to focus on what their obligations are.
"It would have been better if the union had reached this spot earlier but we're here now.
"It's another example of the members being miles ahead of the officials.
"Some people just don't get it. The members aren't stupid, they know what needs to be done and they get suspicious as hell when the union drags its chain.
"The members were just never going to let these issues drop."
Mr Williamson said he was looking forward to clearing his name.
"I recognise the intense difficulties the union, its officials and staff have been facing in recent times to operate on behalf of its members," he said in a statement.
"I believe the continued media coverage has been a distraction from the tireless work the union carries out.
"On a personal level, my wife Julie is going through a transition in medication for her multiple sclerosis and stress is exacerbating her condition.
"They are the reasons for my decision to take leave.
"I look forward to clearing my name and also the completion of the investigation by NSW Police and the independent panel of experts."
Mr Williamson resigned as the Labor Party's national vice-president and NSW ALP senior vice-president last week.
Meantime, the HSUeast deputy general secretary Peter Mylan will act as general secretary.
An independent panel of experts will undertake the review, with members appointed by NSW Bar Association president Bernie Coles.
The panel will examine the union's policy relating to corporate credit cards and its tender, recruitment and expenditure processes.
It will also examine union policies regarding potential conflicts of interest for officers or staff holding directorships or owning shares/stakes in companies, particularly those that supply goods and services to the union.
Contractual arrangements with suppliers and how they compete with market prices will also be examined.
The panel will review the level of transparency in allowing members access to the union's financial and business information and any other matters deemed appropriate by the Law Society.
NSW and Victorian police are investigating allegations of corruption within the HSU.