Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption

Announced by Prime Minister Tony Abbott on 10 February 2014 and appointed by Letters Patent issued by Governor-General Quentin Bryce on 13 March 2014, countersigned by the Attorney-General, naming the Hon Dyson Heydon AC QC as sole Commissioner. The terms of reference covered the governance and financial management of separate entities (slush funds, election funds and the like) set up by employee associations or their officers, whether they were used for unlawful purposes, and named the Australian Workers Union, the CFMEU, the CEPU, the Health Services Union and the Transport Workers Union; it could also examine any person or organisation credibly alleged to be involved, bribes and secret commissions, and the adequacy of regulation. The report was originally due by 31 December 2014.

Legislation: Royal Commissions Act 1902

1. 30 October 2014Letters Patent amended to add a term of reference and extend the reporting date from 31 December 2014 to 31 December 2015.
2. 15 December 2014Interim report handed to the Governor-General (tabled 19 December 2014), recommending that criminal charges be considered against several union officials.
3. 31 August 2015Heydon dismissed applications by the ACTU, AWU and CFMEU that he stand down for apprehended bias over an invitation to a Liberal Party fundraiser.

Heydon presented his final report (six volumes, one confidential, 79 recommendations) to the Governor-General on 28 December 2015; it was released on 30 December 2015. It found widespread and deep-seated misconduct by union officials and referred more than 40 people and organisations to police, prosecutors and regulators. It recommended a new regulator of registered organisations, which led to the Registered Organisations Commission (2017), and the government also re-established the Australian Building and Construction Commission in 2016.

• Inquiry into the governance and financial management of union-related funds and entities
• Case studies of particular unions and officials
• Referral of possible breaches of law to police, prosecutors and regulators

Last in the portfolio of Attorney-General's Department.

Loading lineage…