This is Michael O'Connor, the national secretary of the CFMEU.  

He was named several times in the Royal Commission today - firstly in covert recordings of conversations between former President of the CFMEU Dave Hanna and a current Assistant National Secretary Leo Skourdoumbis.

In the recordings Hanna apparently informs Leo Skourdoumbis that he (Hanna) told Mr O'Connor about the removal and disposal of up to 7 tonnes of CFMEU documents on or about the day the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption served a Notice to Produce documents and records on the CFMEU.

Knowingly removing and destroying evidentiary material that is the subject of a Royal Commission Notice to Produce is an indictable crime carrying 2 years gaol.  Covering that crime up is similarly  serious.

ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 - SECT 6K

Destroying documents or other things

             (1)  A person commits an offence if: 

                     (a)  the person acts or omits to act; and 

                     (b)  the act or omission results in a document or other thing being: 

                              (i)  concealed, mutilated or destroyed; or 

                             (ii)  rendered incapable of identification; or 

                            (iii)  in the case of a document, rendered illegible or indecipherable; and 

                     (c)  the person knows, or is reckless as to whether, the document or thing is one that: 

                              (i)  is or may be required in evidence before a Commission; or 

                             (ii)  a person has been, or is likely to be, required to produce pursuant to a summons, requirement or notice under section 2. 

             (2)  An offence under subsection (1) is an indictable offence and, subject to this section, is punishable on conviction by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 2 years or by a fine not exceeding $10,000. 

             (3)  Notwithstanding that an offence under subsection (1) is an indictable offence, a court of summary jurisdiction may hear and determine proceedings in respect of such an offence if the court is satisfied that it is proper to do so and the defendant and the prosecutor consent. 

             (4)  Where, in accordance with subsection (3), a court of summary jurisdiction convicts a person of an offence under subsection (1), the penalty that the court may impose is a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months.

The CFMEU sets itself up as holier than thou in judging the actions of our Federal Government on matters like the China Free Trade Agreement and the "political witch-hunt" royal commission.  This startling evidence today brings its deregistration one step closer.

And there's a message here for Malcolm Turnbull.   The Royal Commission is now starting to hit its straps.   The weight of evidence before it and the amount of matters it's yet to look into set out an irresistible case for the Commission's extension into next year.