Labor leader Bill Shorten has challenged Tony Abbott to take the fight against unions from the royal commission to parliament.
The opposition leader could face further grilling at the commission about his time as the Victorian and national secretary of the Australian Workers Union if he's recalled later this year.
Mr Shorten faced heat during two days of interrogation last week for declaring a $40,000 campaign donation made in 2007 only last Monday, and had his credibility as a witness questioned.
The Labor leader has declined to say whether he'll reappear and be cross-examined by his own lawyers, saying he's already answered 900 questions.
Instead, he threw the gauntlet down on the prime minister.
"If Mr Abbott has the courage of his convictions, he shouldn't be hiding behind a royal commission to do his political dirty work," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.
"Have a debate with me in parliament or in any town hall about workplace relations."
But the government has urged the public to stay tuned for further revelations.
"I think there's a lot more to be seen here," Employment Minister Eric Abetz told the Ten Network on Sunday.
Senator Abetz hit back at accusations the royal commission was a waste of money, pointing to its interim report which made substantial findings against trade unions and officials.
He said people have been forced to resign, unions have been forced into the Fair Work Commission to renegotiate - and Mr Shorten was required to declare the donation which inaccurately described a campaign manager as a research officer.
Senator Abetz also took umbrage at accusations his former Hobart law firm would receive a windfall in legal fees from the commission.
The comment, from Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon, was another example of the opposition's ugly smear campaign to besmirch the credibility of the inquiry, the minister said.
"Mr Shorten should demand that Mr Fitzgibbon immediately withdraw his comments and issue an unreserved apology," Senator Abetz said.
Mr Fitzgibbon later clarified that he meant Attorney-General George Brandis' former firm was "getting rich" on the process.
Share
