Dyson Heydon refuses to stand down as royal commissioner

Former High Court judge Dyson Heydon has ruled he will stay on as royal commissioner examining trade union corruption.

The Royal Commissioner said he would not step aside from the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption moments ago.

Regardless of whether Mr Heydon disqualifies himself, Mr Oliver wants the whole commission to end immediately.

But this afternoon, only minutes into his appearance before the commission, Justice Heydon announced his dismissal of the submissions.

‘In my opinion, the applications must be dismissed’.

Mr Heydon was forced to consider his position after Fairfax Media revealed he was listed as a guest speaker at the Sir Garfield Barwick Address, a Liberal Party fundraiser.

Justice Heydon also said in the report that he did not possess a computer and only read emails “after they have been printed out for me” by his personal assistant.

Then, the documents show on August 13, Mr Stoljar noted in his diary he spoke to Mr Heydon about the event ahead of his decision to withdraw.

New documents were released on Thursday after a fresh request by unions, with an email showing Mr Stoljar was asked on August 12 by Chris Winslow, the publications manager for the NSW Bar Association, if Mr Heydon was aware the Sir Garfield Barwick Address was a Liberal Party fundraiser.

“Jeremy Stoljar sat in the room on Monday when we first made the application and asked for all information”.

This is not the first time Mr Stoljar has come under attack, with Labor member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell lashing out when Opposition Leader Bill Shorten appeared before the commission in July, with claims dismissed by others in the legal fraternity.

Mr Heydon said there was no “rational basis” for concluding apprehended bias.

The royal commission has cost $61 million.

ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said the royal commission should still be shut down and he would seek further legal advice.

Mr Abbott had insisted the inquiry would continue, with or without Justice Heydon, who he had strongly backed.