Factional allies of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten have won a thumping victory in elections at a controversy-plagued branch of the Health Services Union.
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Diana Asmar, the secretary of the union's No 1 branch in Victoria, was re-elected with 93 per cent of the vote, easily defeating two dozen opponents.
The win was despite controversy surrounding Ms Asmar and claims of a right-of-entry scam at the union that has centred on her alleged role and colleagues at the union.
Counsel assisting the Royal Commission into union corruption, Jeremy Stoljar, has recommended that Ms Asmar be considered for criminal prosecution along with six other past and present employees of the HSU.
But despite the allegations – which Ms Asmar and others strongly reject – her team has won strong endorsement from members. While the union is no longer affiliated to the Labor Party, it has for years been subject to battles to control it by the party's warring right-wing sub-factions.
Ms Asmar is close to Mr Shorten, while the branch was previously controlled by associates of Labor frontbencher David Feeney and his long-time political ally, the allegedly corrupt Kathy Jackson.
Ms Asmar's main challenger, who was previously aligned with Ms Jackson, was prevented from contesting the poll after the Federal Court ruled he was ineligible to stand.
The court heard Jamie Martorana, a former union assistant secretary, had not worked since October 2010 when he left the union and that he had received a $240,000 departure settlement from the HSU paid out during two years.
The union's No 1 branch this year received extensive scrutiny from the Royal Commission and heard Ms Asmar had told staff that branch general manager Kimberley Kitching would complete right-of-entry tests for them.
Successful completion of the tests give union staff the legal right to enter workplaces.
In his outline of submissions, Mr Stoljar, the counsel assisting, said Ms Asmar had made false and misleading statements in applications for right-of-entry permits. He recommended charges be considered against her and six others, including Ms Kitching for "aiding and abetting" the alleged offences.
Ms Asmar, a former mayor of Darebin Council, has said Mr Stoljar's recommendations were "entirely" sourced from her internal union opponents and the Royal Commission was "a $55 million witch-hunt".
An interim report by royal commissioner Dyson Heydon has been handed to the Abbott government this week but is yet to be released.
