SM
Have I got anything to back this up? You must be kidding - have you been living in a cave. Corporate fraud is at an all-time high.
Here are just a few examples:

- price fixing:

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/863067
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-10-16/pratt-apologises-over-price-fixing-cartel/700444

-OneTel
- Enron
- Madoff
- Outsourcing the war in Iraq: the fraud is estimated to be in the billions of dollars including the famous repainting and badging of Iraqi airport equipment passed off as new purchase costs paid for by US taxpayers. Much still to be answered about tendering processes including transparency, failing to publicise widely to invite opposing offers.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_31/b3995075.htm

- the numerous cases of environmental damage from mining and energy companies including the latest debate on fraccing and coal seam gas; in particular the lack of rights for landowners all approved and supported by governments. This sort of influence is out of balance compared to ordinary people ie. the voters.

- Wollongong Council and others in regard to bribes for property development applications.

The list is endless - make google your friend - there are numerous examples of corporate fraud mate. If you stick your head in the sand over corporate fraud because you are too busy demonising unions and anything with an ALP association you miss other equally as important wrongdoings.

I am not surprised you are not interested in a bipartisan approach on tese matters.

Pelican,

Your statement wasn't about corporate fraud directly but:

"However, corruption and the imbalance of influence on governments from the corporate sector makes union fraud pale by comparison"

None of your links support this.

While there is bribery and corruption, there seems to be an overwhelming preponderance of elected labor officials involved. The corruption in Wollongong was with a few crooked Labor councillors selling approvals.

SM
The Wollongong example was a Labor Council. I am not playing favourites that is your game.

What is the lack of transparent tendering processes in the outsourcing of war in Iraq/Afghanistan not to do with influence on governments.

I am talking about corporate fraud, much of it overlooked by governments either overtly or by failure in a suitable regulatory regime. I should have made this clearer. My point being that unions are not the only organisations capable of gross corruption and mismangement.

Pelican,

That might be what you meant, but not what you said.

The unions are the foundation of the Labor party and from what I can see, are disproportionately corrupt compared to the corporate world. Businesses are required to be audited, and if they are corrupt, they get caught out. The proportion of business that are corrupt is very small, and very few as corrupt as the HSU.

The issue is that both of the most corrupt individuals from the HSU hold senior rank in the Labor party. If they were in business they would both now be in jail, and even Juliar Gillard has been associated with a corrupt union official.

SM
You don't even like it when someone agrees with you about union accountability.

This is exactly what I said.

"However, corruption and the imbalance of influence on governments from the corporate sector makes union fraud pale by comparison"

What is not clear about arguing that corruption is not systemic in the corporate world. Not all corporations just as not all unions. Corporations have done far more damage overall especially in the developing world where there is little or no governance.

And as to the second part are you seriously suggesting that ordinary folk have as much influence on governments as large corps? My whole premise is that instead of political representatives concentrating on their constituents they are too busy being career politicians.

Your flaw is only seeing what you want and pushing a biased agenda. Bias is fine, we are all biased but when you become blind to faults in your own side then then what is it you want from your governments?

You will just get more of the same just a different government who doesn't listen to the electorate. This is not the same as selecting football teams - there is much more at stake.

I am yet to see the LNP or the ALP offering up referendums at national elections to ensure legitimate mandates rather than living vicariously off Clayton's mandates assumed just by the general election process.

Fraud is fraud and it is no different be it stemming from corporations or from unions particularly if aided and abeted by governments lack of willingness (fear) to implement better auditing requirements.

Pelican,

Due to the lack of accountability, corruption in unions is far more prevalent than in businesses. The construction industry is a prime example.