By Peta Carlyon
Photo: The court was told financial records at the Health Services Union went missing during Craig Thomson's tenure. (AAP: Lukas Coch)
A credit card statement containing details of a $660 session at a Sydney brothel has been tendered as evidence on the first day of Craig Thomson's trial in Melbourne.
Thomson, a former national secretary of the Health Services Union (HSU), has pleaded not guilty to 145 offences of obtaining financial advantage and property by deception.
It is alleged he misused his union credit card to pay for prostitutes, pornography and other personal expenses between 2002 and 2007.
A large number of prosecution witnesses were called to give evidence at Thomson's trial at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, including senior HSU officials.
Peter Lazarus, the owner of Sydney brothel A Touch Of Class, also appeared.
He did not link Thomson to his brothel but the prosecution tendered a credit card statement containing details of a $660 session at the brothel from August 2006.
Mr Lazarus told the court an hour at his brothel would set clients back $330, including GST.
He said the $660 quoted in the credit card statement matched the brothel's fee for two hours of service.
Mr Lazarus also told the court any clients of the brothel were required to provide ID.
Thomson's half-brother and fellow former union official Struan Robertson also appeared as a prosecution witness.
In giving evidence against Thomson, he detailed union functions they had attended together with their spouses.
Mr Robertson said he had never used his own union credit card for personal expenses.
Union official 'flabbergasted' by cash withdrawals
Other high-ranking union officials to give evidence included Rosemary Kelly and Lloyd Williams.
They told the court Thomson had the power to authorise spending of union funds of up to $50,000.
The court also heard Thomson provided little detail of expenses under his watch, and the union's financial records relating to his years in office later went missing.
Mr Williams said Thomson's practice of using his credit card to withdraw cash was unheard of at the union, and when he found out he was "flabbergasted", he told the court.
Mr Williams said union officials were able to use their union credit cards for some personal expenses while on official business, but were expected to pay the money back as soon as possible.
But when questioned on Thomson's alleged choice of adult entertainment while staying in hotels on work trips, Mr Williams said he would not think it was appropriate.
He told the court it would come down to "a reasonable person test".
The secretary of the union's Victorian branch, Ms Kelly, told the court she left it to others to investigate the missing records.
She said the union's auditors were not aware of Thomson's credit card and that there should have been no need for cash withdrawals.
Ms Kelly said information provided about finances under Thomson's tenure was often very general and lacked detail.
Thomson, also the former federal Labor member for the New South Wales seat of Dobell, resigned from the union in 2007.
The trial continues.
