Thomson says he can't pay Fair Work fine

Craig Thomson says the Health Services Union could have saved time and money when investigating allegations he misused funds if it had just asked for his side of the story.

Of the 1000 hours HSU staff and officials dedicated to the matter, the former national secretary said not one was devoted to listening to his side of the story.

"I could have responded to this if I had been asked," Mr Thomson said.

The comments were made in an affidavit sworn by the former federal MP and read in the Federal Court on Monday by his lawyer Chris McArdle, ahead of a costs and penalties hearing.

In September, the court found Mr Thomson used more than $300,000 of HSU members' funds to pay for prostitutes and his campaign to be elected to the federal seat of Dobell, in breach of the Fair Work Act.

Mr Thomson has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

Justice Christopher Jessup on Monday said he would allow only a few sentences of Mr Thomson's affidavit to form part of his submission to the court, including Mr Thomson's statement that he cannot afford to pay a fine.

"I do not have the money," Mr Thomson said.

Mr Thomson is relying on family and friends to help him pay a $25,000 penalty imposed by the Victorian County Court after he was found guilty of 13 counts of theft.

The hearing continues.