Crossbench senators to view union report

Independent senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus are likely to be allowed to view confidential Heydon royal commission documents on unions.

The Turnbull government will reportedly show a confidential volume of a royal commission report to crossbenchers in a bid to pass proposed laws to crack down on union misconduct.

Independent senator Glenn Lazarus has vowed to block proposed laws to create a Registered Organisations Commission and re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission unless he's allowed to see to the sixth confidential volume of the Heydon royal commission report.

The Weekend Australia reports that in a bid to break the deadlock the Turnbull government will allow Senator Lazarus and Senator Jacqui Lambie to view the volume.

However, they're unlikely to be given hard copies and the names of witnesses could also be redacted to protect identities.

"The government understands the importance of protecting the identity of those referred to in the confidential volumes," a government spokeswoman told the newspaper.

Laws that would create the Australian Building and Construction Commission are expected when parliament resumes next month.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has said such a watchdog would create a different set of rules for construction workers from everyone else.

But Labor would study the recommendations and the government's final response to Heydon's report when it was released, and its push to again set up a Registered Organisations Commission.

"We have got to fight corruption wherever we see it, not just in unions, not just in corporate Australia, but in every aspect," Mr Shorten said.


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Source: AAP



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