House debates Questions without Notice

Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption

Monday, 17 August 2015 House of Representatives

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

2:46 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to Dyson Heydon AC, QC agreeing to be the keynote speaker at a Liberal Party event. Will the Prime Minister direct his ministers and the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party to release all relevant correspondence and documents from this sorry affair? Doesn't this show that Mr Heydon and Mr Heydon's commission should now be withdrawn?

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

My understanding is that the royal commissioner himself has released all relevant documents—

Jill Hall

Jill Hall Shortland, Australian Labor Party

All documents?

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

My understanding is that all relevant documents are in the hands of counsel for the ACTU. My understanding is that it is likely that counsel for the ACTU will make an application to the commission later today. We are not talking about things that have happened before the commission; we are talking now about things that might happen before the commission. We are not talking about what happened in the past; we are talking about what might happen in the future. Speculating on what might happen in the future would be entirely inappropriate for any member of this House.