I have called in favours all over Melbourne and throughout the AWU trying to get a copy of this letter.

I've been unable to locate one.   If you can help I'd be in your debt.

I take it on good faith that the member for Glen Waverley Mr Smith had a copy of the letter in his hand as he read this into the Hansard.   So what you'll read is what the Hansard reporter wrote down as Mr Smith read out the letter, that's why it's a little disjointed.

I think this letter is one of the most  important pieces on the historical register about unions and unionism in Australia.  I'll post Cambridge's letter to the Industrial Relations Minister Laurie Brereton soon.  For now, here's the reaction to it in the form of this letter from the Victorian Branch Secretary Bob Smith to Steve Harrison, a Joint National Secretary.

Mr SMITH (Glen Waverley) -- I refer to a letter addressed to the joint national secretary of the AWU, Steve Harrison, which states:

Dear Steve,
Further to our telephone discussion this morning, I propose the following resolution to be put to national executive next month.
As we have discussed, you know as well as I do that if Cambridge is not stopped we are all history. I have spoken to Bill Kelty and Jennie George, and they are supportive of this course of action. Both you and I can work the phones before the national executive meeting to make sure we have the numbers before this motion is put. I have already spoken to a number of national executive and they are very nervous to say the least. Please ring when you have considered my proposal.
It goes on to a preamble:
1. That on 23 January 1996, joint national secretary Ian Cambridge wrote to the federal minister ... calling for the establishment of a royal commission or judicial inquiry ...
It further states that Cambridge wrote that letter without approval of senior officers, and the motion is that:
3. This national executive determines that the membership is entitled to have this matter dealt with expeditiously. Consequently, national executive requests the ACTU to appoint an independent person ...
(a) the ... allegations raised by I. Cambridge
(b) to investigate all allegations relating to any branch, activity ...
(c) to investigate any matters ...
By the way, there was neither a judicial inquiry nor a royal commission. Cambridge was appointed to the New South Wales Industrial Relations Court. I call for a full, open judicial inquiry. The other addressees on the letter were Bill Shorten, Terry Muscat, Graham Ray and Frank Leo.
The letter was written by Robert F. Smith, branch secretary.
The SPEAKER -- Order! The honourable member's time has expired.

A few points jump out at me beyond the obvious "we're all history" if a Royal Commission was appointed.   You have to wonder what else was then known of which would be uncovered by a commission of enquiry.

The member for Glen Waverley certainly drew a causative link between the cessation of agitation for an enquiry and Cambridge's appointment to the bench by the NSW Government (Carr).

The response to Cambridge's call from Bob Smith, and according to Bob Smith from Jennie George and Bill Kelty, was to have the ACTU appoint a person to enquire.   Haven't we seen enough of that in-house, cosy enquiry of late?