Tony still can't remember much at all.   Poor luv.

But he did say this outside the Commission

TONY Sheldon, the national secretary of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), spoke on Thursday outside a hearing of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, where he was about to give evidence.

The commission is looking at the operation of the McLean Forum Ltd, an election fighting fund set up by TWU officials.During the past three days, it has been revealed the fund was used to support an internal union campaign to unseat Queensland branch secretary Hughie Williams in 2010 and back candidates in the Health Services Union and Flight Attendants Association of Australia elections.Before entering the hearing, Mr Sheldon said the commission was looking at "trivial" matters when its funds and the resources of 100 federal police could be used to "deal with corruption, pedophilia and terrorism".He called on Mr Abbott and Employment Minister Eric Abetz "to come down to this court and explain why $52 million is being spent on this royal commission rather than setting up a national ICAC - an inquiry into corruption in the political sphere across this country".

Stoljar is asking Sheldon why the TWU needed the McLean Forum when it already had the TEC.

He is giving a McLean Oration, paying homage to the eponymous McLean.   But not answering the question.

Mr Sheldon states that there were job contracts that required payments into a TWU slush fund by employees of the TWU.

Mr Stoljar has taken Mr Sheldon through various fund-raising functions from which money was raised for the McLean Forum.

He is now taking Mr Sheldon through the way the Forum spent its money.

He asked Mr Sheldon about Hughie Williams.   Mr Sheldon said, " You can't use union money to deal with what was a dysfunctional branch that was collapsing around our ears".

He has given us a list of all the powerful forces arrayed against his union.   it was literally a matter of life and death.   Really.

Now he's telling us why the McLean Forum supported Jo Ann Davidson's campaign in the Flight Attendant's Association election.

Now it's John Howard's fault because John Howard used AEC money in an alignment of hte Liberal Party and Trotskyites.

We are now hearing about the Gerard Hayes campaign in the HSU election in 2012.

the McLean Forum supported the Hayes/Lillicrap ticket against Katrina Hart and Mr Hull.

Mr Sheldon states that he believes that the Royal Commission should be congratulating him for getting rid of the corrupt Michael Williamson.

TONY SHELDON JUST ASKED THE COMMISSION IF HE WAS GOING TO GET HIS CONGRATULATIONS.   Some in the Gallery obliged, the Commissioner not among them.

Mr Stoljar asked Mr Sheldon the location of a meeting about the McLean Forum support for the Hayes team at the 2012 HSU election.

Mr Sheldon can't remember where the meeting took place - he said there was concern among the members of the McLean Forum about what was taking place at the HSU.

Mr Sheldon can remember clealry that action had to be taken about the HSU, he just can't remember who was at the meeting on the 4th of April.  "did you make the decision on the

4th of April because you knew the ACTU was going to suspend the HSU on the next day:?"

"The ACTU makes its decisions, the McLean Forum makes its decisions..."

"Were you involved in those discussions yourself?"   "Yes"   Who with?  " Probably half the trade union movement, United Voice, the AWU, probably half the union movement, Sam Dastyari".

Tony Sheldon, "We clearly were of the view that Bob Hulls was supported by Williamson".

"Our concern about the other ticket was that kathy Jackson was supporting a group that was being supported by the NSW Premier, the HR Nicholls Society, they were stridently anti union - the thoughts of those people gaining control, a bit like John Howard gaining control......."

Tony is all about decisions that are made for the purpose of cleaning up unions and getting rid of corruption.

The Commissioner, "it's a dinosaur, your Memorandum of the Articles of the McLean Forum, it goes on about Bills of Exchange and the like....."

Mr Sheldon has just assumed the role of Counsel Assisting the examination of Counsel Assisting by asking questions of Mr Stoljar.   He asked Mr Stoljar "What is the personal advantage you think I would have received from being elected as President of the Labor Party?"   The Commissioner interjected by saying, "Well it's a great honour is it not to be President of the ALP?"

The Commission is now being shown documents from the Folder TWU Membership Numbers.

Page 23 - 39,212 audited members as at 30 June 2007, signed off by Tony Sheldon.

Page 24 - Audit Opinion - we report that in our opinion as disclosed in the relevant form the NSW union had 39,212 members eligible to vote...

Page 40 - "I've skipped a couple of year..."  Mr Forno signed off

Page 44 - 2013 year - with numbers staying fairly consistent

Stoljar, "As you know, there's been some media articles about this, and this year the number has come down to 17,000 odd.   Now you've dealt with this in your statement at 58 - at least I should say, i'm cutting to the chase, 'there was no error in membership numbers, under the TWU Rules members have financial and non financial members....'"

SHELDON is now being shown the union's rules where it describes that fact that only financial members of the union can participate in the affairs of the union.

Stoljar, "The position is, persons who are qualified for members can either be financial or unfinancial, but if they're unfinancial they are not entitled to participate in the affairs of the union?"

Sheldon agrees that unfinancial members of the union have no ability to vote.  That is the key point.

Sheldon just made a joke about the Commission's hours of sitting.   The Commissioner was not impressed.

Mr Stoljar is asking a series of questions about the nature of membership of the TWU - which is clearly set out as being the number of members eligible to vote.   Non financial members are not eligible to vote.   Mr Sheldon agrees that his interpretation of the nature of membership was wrong and has now been changed.

It's just that heaps of people signed Stat Decs about it and that.   oh and got the benefit of the advantage of the extra numbers.    And that.

Mr Stoljar just set out in chapter and verse how the NSW TWU Branch submitted false numbers about its membership rolls.  He made it clear that it was Mr Sheldon's job at the time and that he was responsible for the numbers.   Mr Glissan QC jumped in and said,"No it's not".  It was very kind of the Commissioner to gently lull Mr Glissan back into wakefulness by saying Stoljar was referring to Sheldon's time heading up the NSW Branch.

Now Sheldon says it's an oversight.

Stoljar, "I take it you are agreeing that the statement the Union had 39,000 members eligible to vote in an election as at ......date was a false statement?"

Sheldon, "Technicality blah technical you won't catch me technical the bus was late, my suit didn't come back frrom the cleaners there was an earthquake a terrible flood it just wasn't me."

KEEP IN MIND THAT THE TWU HAS FAILED TO PRODUCE ITS MEMBERSHIP ROLLS AS DIRECTED IN THE COMMISSION'S NOTICE TO PRODUCE

The TWU will no doubt comply tomorrow.   After Mr Sheldon has left the box.   I hope the Commission gets him back - 50% of members not financial?   Forever?

Mr Stoljar has nothing further for Mr Sheldon.

The Commissioner, "thank you for attending Mr Sheldon, you are excused, your evidence has been very interesting."

THE COMMISSION IS ADJOURNED UNTIL 10AM MONDAY