Former Health Services Union supremo Michael Williamson used a foul-mouthed tirade to accuse another official of treachery as he sought to retain control of the union he defrauded of millions of dollars.
A tapped phone call between Mr Williamson - who was jailed in March for five years - and current HSU secretary Gerard Hayes was played on Tuesday to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.
In an expletive-laden blast, Mr Williamson accused Mr Hayes of "f***ing treachery" for not warning him the federal government was about to appoint administrators to the scandal-ridden union.
"Well mate, you've just f***ing blown the whole f***ing house up mate," Mr Williamson said in the April 4, 2012, phone call.
"The whole f***ing house up because of your f***ing paranoia about stuff that's not there."
Mr Williamson had stepped aside as national president at the time, pending an investigation into his systemic defrauding of HSU finances.
Mr Hayes told the commission on Tuesday that Mr Williamson controlled the organisation even after he had left the top position.
"He was still in the vicinity and he was still directing things," Mr Hayes said.
"Was I happy about that? No."
In the phone call, Mr Williamson told Mr Hayes it was impossible for the government to appoint administrators to the union and expressed outrage that he and acting general secretary Peter Mylan had not been consulted when the warning about possible administration came the day before.
An administrator was appointed to the HSU East branch the following June.
"I thought we were mates. And you went around and you tried to f*** around Peter and f*** around me," Mr Williamson said.
Mr Williamson claimed he had senior barrister Ian Temby QC, who was investigating him on behalf of the union "on the f***ing rack".
Three months later Mr Temby's devastating report was leaked and revealed $20 million in questionable payments from the HSU East branch controlled by Mr Williamson, including $5 million paid to companies linked to the union boss.
Two other intercepted calls were played at the commission.
In one call, Mr Williamson called Mr Hayes on January 27, 2012, and criticises the then-HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson, who helped expose his corruption and is now facing questions about her own use of union finances before the commission.
"She's gone f***ing troppo," Mr Williamson said about a media release issued by Ms Jackson defying a ban on her speaking about a Fair Work investigation into the union.
Outside the commission, Mr Hayes said Mr Williamson had continued to influence the union beyond April 2012.
"Elvis never left the building," he said.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
