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Yesterday's transcripts:

• Transcript of public hearing—27 April2015 [PDF 1MB]
• Transcript of public hearing—27 April 2015 [DOC 475KB]

First witness - Russell Wilson

The cross-exaination of Mr Wilson continues - Counsel for the ETU and several of its officers is questioning him about witness statements made by others and whether or not Mr Wilson has read each of those statements.   Mr Wilson states he's read some of them.

About ten minutes of the proceedings were consumed with paper shuffling and document examining.

Counsel for the ETU put to Mr Wilson that he is "out to get" Mr Riordan, Mr Butler and other ETU officials, that he is disgruntled and disillusioned.

Mr Wilson gave evidence that one person who spoke out against the union leadership was sent to a psychiatrist to test his sanity.   He passed.

Mr Wilson gave an emphatic and enthusiastic "yes" in answer to a question that asked whether he believed that people who speak out against the ETU's leaders become subject to intimidation, threats or other punishment.

Mr Wilson is being subjected to a very detailed cross examination on the issues of Wilson's evidence that the loan to the ALP was not approved and other matters - he has not been shaken from the positions he took in his evidence in chief.

This commentary on the hearing so far comes from reader St George - I thought you'd like it.

11:20 - finally Stoljar gets up of his arse and stands up for the witness and the line of questioning. Lets get serious here - Dastayri asks for $500K to support an election campaign. Riordan coffs up the money without approval from the state council, indeed he makes the transfer without a pink slip (approval from the state council), and asks his PA to make that transfer. After the event, Riordan then invents a state executive approval that did not exist. After he receives some queries from state councillors he askes the union lawyer (Rayburn) to do a sham audit that approves the loan process. Then they expect guys like Wilson to accept that load of cobblers. The TURC should chase the original loan document together with its schedules. They didn't exist before the payment was made. That would put an end to this bloody nonsense. Wilson's basic complaint is that approval for a $500K loan was not given. The TURC is allowing the badgering and personal corruption of an honest witness. Why would any potential whistle blower ever come before a Royal Commission. The old chestnut of legal professional opinion is now being raised. Bloody hell!!

Time rolls on very slowly during cross examinations!  At 11.51 Counsel for the ETU finished his examination of Mr Wilson - Counsel for other affected parties are now lining up to take a shot.

 At 12.45 Mr Wilson was excused .

The next witness is James MacFadyen.

Mr MacFadyen has been sworn and his witness statement has been adopted and tendered into evidence.

Mr MacFadyen is the national president of the ETU and the NSW branch ETU President.    He is also an office holder in the ALP, President of a branch of the party.

At 1.06 The Commission adjourned until 12pM.

At 2PM The Commission recommenced - Mr MacFadyen remains in the witness box.

Mr MacFadyen agrees with Mr Stoljar SC that his "recollection" of the seminal December 2011 Executive and Counsel meetings is faulty.   He agrees that the best record of those meetings is in fact the minutes recorded at the time.  Better red face than perjury.