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TWU demands apology from Royal Commission

The Transport Workers’ Union has demanded a formal apology from the Royal Commission after a two-year investigation failed to find any new information into the trade union.

Almost 1 million dollars’ worth of members’ money was spent in answering questions from the Commission, as the TWU cooperated fully with the investigation into official misconduct within the Western Australia branch.

According to TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon, the union represents transport employees working in jobs that have the highest rate of workplace fatalities in Australia.

“We are happy to discuss with the Government changes which would strengthen governance in trade unions. But we will not support ideologically motivated, hastily-drafted legislation which imparts unfairly on union members,” Sheldon said.

In criticising the Commission’s findings, Sheldon believed that major Australian and foreign companies were continuing to evade tax with little government reprimand.

While Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made statements about seriously strengthening trade unions, Sheldon said that support should be given to the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to defend drivers and transport companies against reduced safety conditions through low cost contracts.

Contentious laws cracking down on union misconduct will be reintroduced next year following a damning royal commission report.

Commissioner Dyson Heydon released his final report on Wednesday, with 79 recommendations and 93 referrals to authorities for further investigation.

He has referred the Australian Workers' Union and the former head of the union's Victorian branch, Victorian Labor MP Cesar Melhem, to prosecutors for possible corruption and false accounting charges.

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