Union official Michael Williamson at his Maroubra home. Credit:Ben Rushton Outside Parramatta police station, Ms Jackson, who recently had a shovel left outside her Melbourne home, said she owed it to her members to get to the bottom of allegations involving systemic corruption within her union. ''I am seeking the assistance of the NSW police to do that,'' she said. Yesterday police said they had formed Strike Force Carnarvon to investigate the allegations. A union official previously told the Herald complaints had been made that Mr Williamson had ''run amok'' on a credit card given to him by the printing contractors John and Carron Gilleland. Nicknamed ''the million-dollar man'', Mr Williamson, 58, not only receives his union salary but is a director of an IT company, United Edge, which collects hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from the union. His directorship is not declared in the union's financial accounts. The Herald has learnt that for more than a year union members were paying twice for software systems. A Victorian IT company, which had the contract to provide software to maintain a membership management system, was being paid $15,000 a month to supply the Victorian branch of the HSU. But United Edge was also submitting bills for the same service.

Labor MP Craig Thomson. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Williamson is on the ALP's national executive and is a member of the powerful right wing of the NSW party. Mr Williamson's daughter Alexandra is a media officer for the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. The HSU employs a number of Mr Williamson's family and friends. His brother Darren is its recruitment and marketing manager, his son Chris is in the media unit, and sister-in-law Monique Irvine is the lead organiser. A close friend, Cheryl McMillan, is the procurement manager, and her daughter and niece also work at the union. Mr Williamson and his wife Julie enjoy an affluent lifestyle. They are often seen in their black Mercedes convertible or their four-wheel drive. Their five children have been educated at private schools.

The HSU employs a number of Mr Williamson's family and friends. His brother Darren is its recruitment and marketing manager, his son Chris is in the media unit, and sister-in-law Monique Irvine is the lead organiser. A close friend, Cheryl McMillan, is the procurement manager, and her daughter and niece also work at the union. Mr Williamson and his wife Julie enjoy an affluent lifestyle. They are often seen in their black Mercedes convertible or their four-wheel drive. Their five children have been educated at private schools. During the past few years they have spent $972,000 consolidating two blocks of land at Brightwaters, on the shores of Lake Macquarie. They recently spent $700,000 building a beach house on the combined block and last year submitted a development application for an $80,000 pool. Mah-Chut Architects, which several years ago transformed the union's headquarters in Pitt Street, Sydney, to a gleaming, cutting-edge workplace, were also employed by the Williamsons on their beach house and on the renovation of their Maroubra home in 2001. Much to the anger of their Maroubra neighbours, who objected to the size of the second-storey addition, the development was approved by mayoral delegation, despite Randwick Council's development officers having previously rejected it. More recently Mah-Chut Architects have overseen the construction of the Williamsons' beach house.

This year Mah-Chut billed the HSU $280,000. The Herald understands the invoice was for a feasibility study for possible renovations to the union's Victorian offices and for installing partitions in the Sydney office. The principal Ron Mah-Chut declined yesterday to answer any questions about the firm's union work or its private dealings with Mr Williamson. There is no suggestion that Mah-Chut has acted improperly in relation to its work for the union or Mr Williamson. Mr Williamson also declined to comment about the use of Mah-Chut Architects and other matters because of the police investigation. ''If approached, the union will co-operate with the police investigation,'' the HSU said in a media release yesterday. ''The union is unaware of the allegations that have been made. However, given that the matter is now subject of a police investigation, it would be inappropriate for the union or its officials to comment.'' Meanwhile, Ms Jackson yesterday addressed the issue of her recent stay in hospital. Ms Jackson, who has been under enormous pressure from some members for co-operating with the NSW Police inquiry into Mr Thomson's alleged misuse of his union credit card, said in a statement yesterday: "I can confirm that last week I was admitted for several days to the acute psychiatric unit of the Austin Hospital in Melbourne following a breakdown. I'd like to say that I'm not ashamed about this. Mental health problems afflict many Australian families. I have received excellent treatment and I have made a speedy recovery.''

Ms Jackson said that, despite her recent health problem, she was committed to uncovering allegations of corruption in the union. She said she was looking forward to Mr Thomson's explanation about the use of his union credit card. Last week, NSW Police said they had decided not to investigate those allegations further but referred them to Victoria Police. After the police announcement that the investigation would not be proceeding, Mr Thomson promised to provide an explanation about how his union credit card came to be used to withdraw more than $100,000 in cash and for the hiring of prostitutes. "Craig Thomson owes it to union members to give a full explanation at the earliest possible opportunity," Ms Jackson said in her statement yesterday. The shadow attorney-general, George Brandis, said he too looked ''forward with interest to the promised 'detailed statement' of Mr Thomson". Loading

Senator Brandis welcomed the news of a fresh police investigation into allegations of inappropriate practices in the HSU. kmcclymont@smh.com.au