The Trade Union Royal Commission has had three hearing days this week and has heard evidence that discussed murder, bashings, destruction of evidence and seen video of threats to a government employee etc. The Labor Party’s slogan of the RC being a “witch hunt” was dying as more and more evidence of corruption was produced by the RC. It is now dead given the last 3 days of evidence and the Labor Party/Unions better think of another slogan fast and it better be good as they are in a lot of trouble.
The evidence this week has been on the NSW and QLD branches of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and on Monday focused on weekly bribes paid by “Sydney crime figure” George Alex to the CFMEU.
Monday’s evidence – Highlights (NSW – CFMEU only) No witnesses on Monday supplied the Royal Commission with witness statements. I think they were all too scarred.
Jim Kendrovski who is currently in jail gave evidence at the RC. He was assaulted in jail after he was summoned to give evidence and refused to answer many questions. In October last year Douglas Westerway, who also gave evidence and who was a director of a company associated with George Alex, was assaulted by Joe Antoun when he failed to hand over the $2500 weekly bribe money for the CFMEU. Mr Antoun was murdered in December last year.
And this “Convicted terrorist Khaled Sharrouf helped his mother-in-law Karen Nettleton
get a job as a bookeeper for Mr Alex, an associate of Mr Sharrouf.” Ms Nettleton also gave evidence on Monday. (Click here to read more) This is the same Khaled Sharrouf who is currently fighting in Iraq with terrorist group ISIS and Tweeted the infamous picture a couple of weeks ago of his 7-year-old son in Iraq. These are the types of people associated with the CFMEU and one wonders what exactly the union management is doing. Running a union for its members or a mafia style organisation for the management?
Tuesday’s evidence – Highlights
Tuesday we find out that the NSW CFMEU has been deleting all its emails. Apparently they had an email server crash and decided to delete emails to solve the issue. This happened after they had been served with a summons from the Royal Commission for documents and emails. The NSW CFMEU sent the emails and documents required by the summons to the Royal Commission and then started a mass deletion of emails. This created 2 problems. Firstly the Royal Commission can never check to make sure that the CFMEU had complied with the first summons and secondly that the Royal Commission cannot summons follow-up emails that it might now want to. The reality is that the CFMEU knew exactly what they were doing and should not have been deleting material when the Royal Commission was in progress in a clear and blatant attempt to undermine the RC. (Click here to read more)
The video below that was played at RC on Tuesday the 2-9-14 of CFMEU official John Perkovic threatening violence against Fair Work Inspector Seamus Flynn was nothing more than light entertainment compared to most of the other allegations. Even so it shows Mr Perkovic acting like a grub and a coward and possibly committing a criminal offence.
CFMEU official John Perkovic threatening Seamus Flynn in the below video was
(Click anywhere on the above video to watch)
Mr Perkovic’s conduct is currently before the Federal Court in South Australia.
As far as the CFMEU is concerned it is their NSW State Secretary Brian Parker who has most to worry about based on the evidence currently before the Royal Commission a per above. Mr Parker should be called as a witness in the next few weeks as the Royal Commission stops taking evidence by the 26th of September and gives the government a report by the end of December.
Wednesday’s evidence
Wednesday was a slow day in comparison to Monday and Tuesday. The highlight was probably at the end of the day when Commissioner Dyson Heydon handed down written reasons for a number of applications made during the HSU hearings last week. Based on that, 2 witnesses from last week Diana Asmar and Kimberley Kitching for the HSU Victoria #1 Branch, are in a lot of trouble. Commissioner Heydon stated on page 5 of his judgment in relation to the Fair Work Commission: “On 26 March 2014, 15 Notices of Adverse or Potentially Adverse Findings were served on various officeholders or former officeholders of the Victoria No. 1 Branch (including the applicants).” The applicants Heydon refers to are Diana Asmar and Kimberley Kitching who were doing everything they could to make sure that the adverse finding by the FWC were not revealed at the Royal Commission. (Click here to read the judgment)
The Royal Commission only has a few weeks left to call the key players as witnesses. Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard is due next week and Bill Shorten has to be called in the next few weeks. The fireworks should start as some very serious allegations will be made against high profile witnesses with a lot to lose.
When the Royal Commission is finished and Commissioner Dyson Heydon hands his report to the government it will read more like an international crime novel. If the Labor Party keep using the slogan “witch hunt” to describe the Royal Commission it will come back to bite them badly as the voters won’t be too impressed. There are major problems in the unions, which run the Labor Party, that undermine Australia’s federal, state and local governments that should have been fixed long ago.
Admin: The AWU/Julia Gillard hearings are meant to be in Melbourne next week and I will be trying to attend if possible. The RC has not confirmed dates yet so I will have to wait and see.
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Categories: Royal Commission
The Labor Party is absolutely frightening.
And they have chosen an ordinary little man as their LEADER.
The painted on smile of his missus was painful to watch.
There must be something in for Chloe, (wife of PM maybe)
Just hope she does not serve up a cold pie.
On the other hand, he needs her by his side, he cannot afford another divorce.
You can do whatever you like Mrs Shorten, and there is not a thing he can do about it.
He needs you to stick by him.
I have been following the Royal Commission with interest this week.
Indeed some of it is breathtaking.
I am glad you are following it Shane, Yes I would love to know what you think about the decisions about Diane and Kimberley.
Could be bad I think. Hope so.
This is worse than the Mafia ever was!
Nottwistedyet, the Labor Party IS the Mafia. In fact worse, as Mafia never held the reins of power in any country.
The activities of various Unions, and the way they control the Labor Party, is nothing short of (highly) organised crime. It is frightening that they are occasionally elected to govern. It is also frightening how far and wide their influence reaches in the police force and judiciary etc.
I agree with you BillK that the Labor party is the mafia of this country. The Labor party has tentacles reaching out far & wide in criminal corruption. This Royal Commission has achieved plenty in a short space of time. It will only get bigger next week with Julia Gillard taking the stand & maybe Bill Shorten as well. Fasten your seatbelts for a wild week next week, and for a wild month this month.
I have to admit that sounds pretty bad Shane.I’m passionate about the good things trade unions have done in the past but disappointed at the scumbags who have trashed the union movement to resemble an army grease trap. All the garbage rises to the top. Regards, Warren Olsen
Warren – you are being a bit unfair on army grease traps I think.
…. the good things trade unions have done in the past ….
Rubbish!
No union, EVER, “did good things.”
Many, however took and for that matter still take credit for good things that happened only as the consequence of the freeing of Capital in the pseudo-Capitalistic system (the best it has ever been in Australia) and that Capital’s causing competition among job creators for a consequentially-inadequate supply of labor.
If “unions” – in Australia more accurately called and/or described as mobbed-up organized-criminal gangs – could and/or can “do good,” show me some evidence of their ever having done and/or let them do some of their “good” around the world and rid those cultures where no industrial “good” exists of their every evil.
Including, say, of child labor, of murderously unsafe working conditions, of (particularly in the middle east) of slavery and/or of effective slavery — and of indentured servitude.
Brian Richard Allen
This report from Shane is like a bloody soap opera and makes the “godfather ” movie look like a parish chapel bingo session. How that bloody grub Shorten can sound of in the parliament like a rabid Arthur Scargill is beyond me.I see they haven’t found any witches in the hunt yet, I would prefer a few of them rather than this bunch of ignorant pigs that are running the unions. A new slogan for the Labor party “Scumbag hide and seek” the RC will be interesting to watch when Shorten tries to lie his way out of jail and the not so young and naïve Gillard waffles through her excuses for robbing the union members who have no sympathy from me. My father always told me, never waste money on union funds spend it on cigarettes and beer you will get better value for money that way. Allan from Myalup WA.
Well said, Allan! And a hat tip to your Dad, too! — B A
Let’s hope the Commission screws Shorten. Creatures like him shouldn’t be elected as leaders. The likes of Shorten, Gillard and the “faceless men” should be exterminated and so should some certain leaders and ex leaders of ALP affiliated unions. The whole ALP election process is a sham – factional deals, too much power given to union warlords, the lies, corruption and rorts. They have left a trail of destruction behind them, including destroying some people’s lives! They should be made accountable for their actions and duly punished!
I agree with you, It’s actually quite frightening.
The Unions have got away with the corruption and standover tactics for so long it has become an inbuilt part of their daily lives and overall culture. You only have to witness those in the Labor Party with their Spin. Lies, Innuendo, and bully boy attitudes to see that they are all infected with the disease. Gillard getting 2 journalists sacked because they dared to ask questions. I have no doubt that the woman who made the rape allegations against Shorten has been severely warned what will happen if she were to go public with her accusations. Why spend money when they can make threats and at the top calling all the shots…guess who?? Wee Willie Power Tripper.
Australia is in need of a “Bobby Kennedy”, a Govt official with the intestinal fortitude and willpower to take on the corrupt individuals within them. The unions have been infiltrated by the organised criminals who now control them and the people like Sheldon, Kearney, Ludwig et al have become their puppets. The unions will the easier of the two to clean out, the organised criminals are a different matter.
Newman is doing his bit to rid QLD of the organised criminals even though sections of the Judiciary and the media (C M) in QLD have not been willing partners. He has to be supported by his Federal friends.
Such an individual would probably be dealt with by them in much the same way too.
I hope you can make it to cover the Gillard appearance. I wonder if she will flee the country before September 9? Wouldn’t put it past her for her to suddenly find she has pressing business in Majorca. I hear the old Skase mansion is still available.
Seems the RC is finding more criminal activities and scumbags than witches. I wonder why that is?
The press interview of Kathy Jackson outside the doors of the Royal Com the other day, showed up the cheats for what they are.
This lady has a huge amount of guts to take these people on and show what their true colours are.
Given that Shorten ultimately knifed Miss Ogyny, it will be interesting to see next week whether he still says: “I don’t know what Juliar said, but WHATEVER she said, that’s my opinion, too!”
The good Professor, Doctor, has the opportunity before the Royal Commission, to stick her own knife into the back of the bloke who knifed her and now occupies her former office.
Things could soon be getting crowded in these exclusive A.L.P. “gated communities” such as the one occupied by former A.L.P. Federal President, Mike Williamson.