A witness has been caught in an "absolute lie" to the unions royal commission, admitting she concocted an elaborate story to protect people including construction union boss Brian Parker.
Lisa Zanatta was forced to admit lying about ferrying sensitive superannuation files from Melbourne to Mr Parker's Sydney office, her story blown by the production of a trace on her credit card and the GPS records of her taxi.
The senior member relations adviser with industry fund Cbus initially told the inquiry on Friday she knew nothing of the leaking of confidential member contact details to the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.
Her story was in response to union whistleblower Brian Fitzpatrick's testimony that Mr Parker obtained the information from Cbus to wage an industrial war against the building company that employed them, Lis-Co.
Mr Parker and the CFMEU have denied the claim, instead blaming Mr Fitzpatrick.
Mz Zanatta testified that she had flown to Sydney on July 29, 2013, for a meeting at Cbus's George St office.
She was lost, she told the hearing, but her mobile was out of battery and her cab driver would not lend her his phone.
She called the office from a kerbside payphone, only to be told the meeting had been cancelled.
Counsel assisting the commission Jeremy Stoljar SC then presented records of Ms Zanatta's $126 credit card charge from the airport and GPS records from the cab.
The records showed the cab went not to the CBD but to the CFMEU's Lidcombe office.
Mr Stoljar then asked: "The evidence that you gave to this commission on your oath a few minutes ago about coming into George St and ringing from a phone booth at York St was an absolute lie, wasn't it?".
Stony faced, Ms Zanatta replied: "Correct".
She agreed she lied to protect the role Mr Parker and others had played in obtaining the Lis-Con documents.
Earlier on Friday Mr Parker had taken the stand and denied asking for the documents.
He was also quizzed on his relationship with underworld figure George Alex.
The CFMEU has endorsed workplace agreements with labour hire and scaffolding companies linked to Mr Alex despite many failing or leaving workers unpaid.
The commission has heard claims the CFMEU received kickbacks of $2500 a week from the firms.
In another extraordinary development on Friday, controversial businessman Jim Byrnes appeared unscheduled at the commission to give evidence he had seen Mr Alex hand money to another CFMEU official at his house.
Mr Parker denied ever receiving payment from Mr Alex and said agreements were endorsed to protect employees' entitlements.
Phone recordings played at the hearing then revealed Mr Parker calling fellow CFMEU official Mario Barrios a "f***ing dog".
Mr Barrios testified he had received a threatening phone call from Mr Alex in August, after he complained to Mr Parker about the union's support of companies linked to him.
In one call, recorded August 28, Mr Parker told another CFMEU official he had to restrain himself from "f***ing bashing" Mr Barrios.
"The problem is if I end up doing it ... he'll end up doing a stint in hospital," Mr Parker said.
In a call to his daughter recorded on September 7, Mr Parker called Mr Barrios "a f***ing dog".
Mr Stoljar asked Mr Parker if he was angry because Mr Barrios had gone to the police and co-operated with the commission.
"No, no, no, I say things in the heat of rage," Mr Parker said.
The commission will sit again on October 23 to hear from Mr Alex and one other witness.
Share
