Earlier today I wrote to the Royal Commission's media director about what the Commission heard was a "statement of evidence" from an unidentified witness known as "one other person".

I am grateful to the Commission for the speed of its response and unsatisfied by its substance.  I've sent a further email and I'll let you know what comes of it.  

UNCLASSIFIED

Michael

Thank you for your email.  I have referred the details to Counsel Assisting who has asked me to respond.

The Commission’s practice is to publish witness statements on the Commission’s website only once the statement has been adopted as true and correct and admitted into evidence. 

You may be assured that in the event that the person referred to in the opening statement on 14 June 2014 gives evidence, and a statement of that person is adopted and admitted into evidence, it will be made public, as will the identity of the person.  

In the ordinary course, any person who may be substantially and directly interested in the evidence will have been notified in advance and will be afforded an opportunity to respond.

As appears from the above, the material of the witness referred to in the opening on 10 June 2014 is being treated in the same way as other witness statements provided to the Commission – i.e., it is not being made public unless and until it is admitted into evidence.   

I trust that this responds to paragraphs 1 – 4 in your email.

Regards

Adrian Kerr|Director, Media and Communications

Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption

http://www.tradeunionroyalcommission.gov.au