Commissioner Dyson Heydon’s decision not to recuse himself today from the Trade Unions Royal Commission proves only further discredits the Commission and its ongoing witch-hunt.
Commission Heydon has decided not to disqualify himself on the claim of apprehended bias, after his intention to speak at a Liberal Party fundraiser this month came to the public eye.
This comes amid speculation that the Commission has not released all documents or other communications in relation to this case for unions, individuals and the ACTU to examine.
“From the second a Royal Commission into unions was announced, we knew that it was a ruse for Tony Abbott to go after those that stand against him, and against everything his Government stands for,” said AMWU National Secretary Paul Bastian.
“Now, the decision of the Commissioner to continue – claiming there is no potential for apprehended bias despite evidence to the contrary – only further discredits the operation of the Commission.
“Indeed this decision not to step down is even more extraordinary given the questions that came to light last week through an article in The Australian, which suggests that there has been inadequate disclosure of relevant documents made by the Commission.
“This information – combined with the decision of the Commissioner not to step down – only adds further weight to the problems with the Royal Commission.
“How the Commissioner can excuse in himself and in Commission staff and Counsel the same carelessness he has not excused in those he has called to give evidence is, quite simply, extraordinary,” said Mr Bastian
“We’ve seen witness after witness – including Mr Shorten – told it was unacceptable that they couldn’t remember events, or that administrative errors were serious affairs of misconduct.
“Yet here is the Royal Commissioner accepting such behaviour in himself.”
Since it began the AMWU has said that the Commission was an unnecessary, taxpayer-funded hunt into the PM’s enemies.
Union members and the general public have had enough - $80 million in taxpayers money has already been wasted – it’s time to end the farce.
The Royal Commission has uncovered no great secrets, no great illuminations of wrongdoing. It has been shown to be exactly what we knew it always was – an attempt to control and intimidate the men and women who everyday work against what the Liberal Party stands for.
“If the Prime Minister now fails to terminate the Commission it will be yet another instance where he has defied the community’s expectation of the leadership a Prime Minister is expected to show,” said Mr Bastian.
“The Royal Commission must be immediately shut down.”
ENDS.