Royal Commission to Inquire into Circumstances under Which Certain Public Monies Were Used and to Whom, and for What Purposes Such Moneys Were Paid

After the Labor frontbencher Eddie Ward raised allegations made by Joseph Winkler, a journalist briefly employed in the Prime Minister's office, Prime Minister Arthur Fadden announced on 1 October 1941 that New South Wales had made Justice Sir Percival Halse Rogers of its Supreme Court available as royal commissioner. He was to inquire into the use of public moneys for the Australian Democratic Front, payments of £300 to Winkler in March 1941, trunk-line telephone calls from the rooms of the Minister for Defence Co-ordination on 12 and 13 September 1941 and any disclosure of budget proposals, and the material behind related newspaper reports. W. W. Monahan KC and E. J. Hooke assisted.

1. 3 October 1941Preliminary hearing at the Supreme Court, Sydney; evidence was taken in Canberra from 8 October.
2. 25 November 1941Report tabled in both houses.

Rogers reported after the Fadden government's defeat in the House on 3 October 1941; Prime Minister John Curtin tabled the report on 25 November 1941. It found no evidence of illegal activity, although it noted concerns about evidence given by the Attorney-General, W. M. Hughes. The Parliamentary Handbook gives 25 November 1941 as the date the final report was presented.

• Use of secret funds for national security purposes
• Payments to the Australian Democratic Front and to J. Winkler
• Alleged disclosure of budget proposals

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