Officials and organisers of the HSU's Victorian No 1 branch were issued right of entry permits after their online tests were completed by other employees of the union, the Heydon Royal Commission has been told.
TWU national secretary Tony Sheldon has told the Heydon Royal Commission that he has "no recollection" of asking his Victorian secretary Wayne Mader to contribute $20,000 from a state-based fighting fund to support the incumbent leader of the ETU in NSW.
The Heydon Royal Commission has heard that a campaign fund associated with the TWU's national office and NSW branch contributed up to $200,000 to a group who ousted the leadership of the Queensland branch in 2010, and a further $120,000 to HSU and Flight Attendants Association election candidates two years later.
TWU Vic/Tas branch secretary Wayne Mader has told the Heydon Royal Commission today that officials from his branch made donations to candidates in HSU and ETU elections out of their own re-election fund.
A former SDA Queensland branch secretary - now a federal Labor senator - has taken steps to repay tax deductions he claimed on contributions paid to an internal union "fighting fund", the Heydon Royal Commission has been told.
The Heydon Royal Commission has called former SDA Queensland state secretary and current Labor senator Chris Ketter, as it continues to examine unions' use of funds for political activities.
Royal Commissioner Dyson Heydon has warned CFMEU Queensland branch secretary Michael Ravbar that his view that money from a building industry redundancy trust fund belonged to workers regardless of the "corporate angle" was "reckless", and that trustee directors in his position needed to be careful.
A construction industry redundancy fund paid hardship payments to striking workers in 2012 despite objections from the scheme's employer directors that it was possibly illegal and morally wrong, the Heydon Royal Commission has heard.
Former HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson accused the Heydon Royal Commission of ambushing her and requested legal representation this morning after she was questioned over a $50,000 payment to her former husband and her previous evidence to the inquiry.
