Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

But it gets worse. Not only is there a pall over the motivations and political affinities of the royal commissioner himself, but today we have heard a very concerning report about the special treatment given to Prime Minister Abbott's star witness, Kathy Jackson. Let's not forget some of the comments of senior Liberal members about Ms Jackson—Prime Minister Tony Abbott himself said:

Kathy Jackson is speaking up for the right and she deserves a bit of support from the leader of our country.

Christopher Pyne said that Ms Jackson 'will be remembered as a transforming union leader'. Senator Abetz said: 'She did have the courage to blow the whistle and in those circumstances she is to be applauded'. Let's not forget that this is the same Kathy Jackson that the Federal Court has found to have defrauded HSU members of $1.4 billion.