Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's defence of Dyson Heydon AC, QC by repeatedly referring to comments by Julian Burnside QC. Is the Prime Minister aware that Mr Burnside has said of Mr Heydon, 'I think an honourable person caught in that position would step aside'? Will the Prime Minister do the honourable thing and withdraw the commission of Dyson Heydon?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My understanding is that there is likely to be an application from the ACTU—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

before the royal commission this afternoon. The appropriate place for the issues that the member opposite raises to be discussed and dealt with is before the royal commissioner. But I do want to say again in this House that the government does support the professionalism and the impartiality of the Hon. Justice Dyson Heydon. We do support his impartiality and his professionalism. Again I remind members opposite and, indeed, I remind everyone that this is a person who served with distinction and integrity as a judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal for more than three years; he served with distinction and integrity as a judge of the High Court of Australia for almost a decade. Let me further remind members opposite that the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption is necessary. It is necessary; it was called for, amongst others, by a former national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, Ian Cambridge, now a Fair Work Commissioner. It was called for, amongst others, by a serving Labor member of the Victorian parliament. It is important that we get to the bottom of incident after incident which we have seen before this royal commission of union officials who have been looking after themselves at the expense of the workers.

I know there is a bit of embarrassment on the part of members opposite because many of them have benefited from this. What we need now is a situation where unions—

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have concluded my answer.