Victorian Labor powerbroker David Asmar has avoided being questioned at the unions royal commission after flying to Lebanon.
Mr Asmar, the husband of Victorian Health Services Union secretary Diana Asmar, left Australia on September 18 after being served with a summons at Melbourne Airport, the trade unions royal commission has heard.
Counsel assisting the commission, Jeremy Stoljar SC, said Mr Asmar had been summoned to appear at the commission on October 21, then his date was rescheduled to Thursday, but Mr Asmar is still in Lebanon and has provided a medical certificate explaining why he can't attend.
Earlier on Thursday, former National Union of Workers boss Derrick Belan was temporarily excused from appearing before the trade unions royal commission after being summoned from a psychiatric hospital.
Mr Belan was escorted to the commission from a private psychiatric hospital in Sydney's northern beaches on Thursday morning, with doctors ordering that he not be allowed to travel alone.
Wearing sunglasses and a black hoodie, Mr Belan was seen leaving the commission building after a private hearing, with commissioner Dyson Heydon saying he would now appear on November 10.
Earlier, Mr Belan's brother, Nick Belan, who is an organiser with the NUW, was quizzed in the royal commission about flights, jewellery and lunches paid for on his union-issued credit card.
A day after Derrick Belan's niece, Danielle O'Brien, wept in the dock as she admitted to lavish personal spending using union funds, Nick Belan told the commission he couldn't say why his teenage daughter was booked on a $255 Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast in 2010 using his corporate credit card.
Nick Belan also couldn't explain the $1885 spent at a Good Guys outlet in April this year.
The commission heard lunches at prestige Sydney restaurant Machiavelli were put on the union's tab, as were purchases of flowers, jewellery and a hotel stay.
The commission is investigating financial governance of the NSW NUW, which was headed by Derrick Belan for 14 years.
Union credit cards in Derrick Belan's name were used to buy Tiffany jewellery, online dating services, a tattoo, holidays and $12,000 in iTunes purchases, the commission has heard.
Derrick Belan resigned as state secretary in the week after a summons to appear before the commission was received on October 16.
The hearing continues.
Share
