Commission hears doctored email claim

A union has suggested an email chain relating to bias claims against royal commissioner Dyson Heydon might have been doctored.

Royal commissioner Dyson Heydon

Unions are arguing perceived bias will damage the final report of the trade union royal commission. (AAP) Source: ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNIO

A union has suggested an email chain relating to bias claims against royal commissioner Dyson Heydon might have been doctored.

Unions are addressing the commission into union corruption, arguing Mr Heydon should recuse himself and resign over perceived political bias after he accepted an invitation to speak at a Liberal Party fund-raiser, from which he eventually withdrew.

CFMEU lawyer John Agius has questioned why an original email, from the event organiser to Mr Heydon, referred to state donation compliance rules and yet the line was missing from copies released by the commission on Monday.

Mr Heydon has admitted he "overlooked" a connection between the Sir Garfield Barwick address and the Liberal party.

"My understanding at all times has been that the dinner was not to be a fundraiser," the commissioner said earlier this week.

But the unions, in their bid to push him out the commissioner's role, have focused heavily on email evidence from the event's organiser to Mr Heydon.

Mr Agius later told the commission he'd since been advised that the missing line relating to the state donation compliance had dropped off as a result of a computer systems function.

ACTU counsel Robert Newlinds later told the commission he did not support any claim that any document had been doctored.

But he raised concerns that he'd not received all relevant documents, despite being assured by the commissioner that he had everything, in full.

The hearing has been adjourned for a short while.

"I think we will adjourn for a short time to consider the progress in relation to this application (to stand aside from the commission)," Mr Heydon said.


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Source: AAP


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