The brother of former National Union of Workers NSW boss Derrick Belan has been unable to explain why a flight to the Gold Coast for his teenage daughter was charged to his union-issued credit card.
Nick Belan, an organiser with the NUW, told the trade unions royal commission he did not know why the ticket amount of $255 appeared on his card in 2010.
Nor could he explain a $1885 charge to the card from a Good Guys whitegoods store in April this year.
"Do you know whether or not you made that purchase?" counsel assisting the commission Sarah McNaughton SC asked.
"I don't think so," he said.
Mr Belan was quizzed about other spending on his card, including jewellery, lunches and a hotel stay he said were work-related.
He took the stand after his brother Derrick was excused from testifying, at least temporarily, after he was summoned to the commission from a psychiatric hospital on Sydney's northern beaches.
Derrick Belan arrived at the Sydney hearing room unshaven, in dark glasses and with a black hoodie pulled over his head.
His barrister told the court her client's doctors would not allow him to leave the hospital unless he was driven by an escort.
After a short private hearing, Mr Belan was released to appear before the commission on November 10.
Mr Belan ran the NUW NSW branch for 14 years after taking over from his late father, Frank Belan in 2001.
He resigned in October, the commission has heard, a week after receiving a summons to appear before it and answer questions about spending on his corporate credit cards that included $39,000 on gifts including Tiffany jewellery, toys and homewares, $12,000 on iTunes, dating sites, lunches and a $432 tattoo.
The commission also heard that the NUW, a union that represents supermarket workers and forklift drivers, paid former NSW Labor MP Paul Gibson more than $270,000 to bring "harmony" to its relationship with the Labor Party.
The NUW also paid tens of thousands of dollars in rent and sponsorships to a gym at St Mary's in Sydney's west, the commission heard.
Gym director Lincoln Hudson was asked why Mr Belan sent $1650 to him via his PayPal account, which the commission has heard was linked to his union credit card,.
Mr Hudson said he could not recall and pointed out that he suffered from a cognitive impairment.
"There's things I remember and things I don't," he said.
The hearing continues on Friday.
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