Dear Bazz,

I feel that this is about political scoring on both sides
of politics. Which is a shame as good people often get
hurt in the process. However I think that the Justice
is an intelligent man and he won't fall into the trap
being set for him. He will not throw away the good
reputation he spent a lifetime acquiring. Justice must not
only be done. It must be seen to be done.

Bazz,

"....if we have a LNP inclined Royal Commissioner it might be a good thing.
Or would you prefer a ALP inclined Royal Commissioner ?

Surely this whole operation is all about saving some union backsides !"

Well, you'd better take that up with the likes of Heydon.

He dilly-dallied around Jackson when she was up before TURC - and barely mentioned her shenanigans when he filed his interim report.

So much for an LNP-inclined commissioner "saving some union backsides".

Baz It has been made clear another commissioner can be made available he is not the only retired judge. More than half the nation says it is the Labor party on trial. Another Abbott set up to smear Labor, but things have not gone Abbotts way have they.

Abbott came to power on the back of a fraud, to satify his agenda, and a royal commission into union corruption was just part of Abbott’s agenda. And now it has turned into one of them steaming hot piles.

Is this another pile in the making.

Liberal candidate for Canning and former SAS commander Andrew Hastie has defended his actions in Afghanistan, saying an inquiry found they were appropriate.

Fairfax Media has reported Captain Hastie was in the same troop as soldiers who cut off the hands of Taliban fighters killed in combat in Afghanistan two years ago.

Speaking at a Liberal Party event in Western Australia ahead of the Canning by-election, Captain Hastie said he was not at the scene of the incident when it happened.

"When I became aware, I did what I was required to do and promptly reported the incident up the chain of command," he said

Doog, I do not think it will matter if another judge is appointed, he
will be attacked if he brings down an adverse finding.
All this would have gone anyway if he did not receive an invitation.

Face it, the real problem is the strong & legal connection between
the unions and the ALP. Even the vague connection between the unions
and the bikies has led to government in QLD leaning over backwards
to make thing easier for the bikies.

Methinks you & others protest too much !

It is difficult to understand how any citizen could be so stupid as to wish that the RC is derailed.

It is always a pleasure to see political "blood on the carpet." And it is always a pleasure to see the mainstream engulfed in conflict as to me this gives an opportunity for the smaller parties and independents to make a positive impression on the electorate.

Personally, I couldn't care less if this parasitic little pencil fiddler spends his private hours banging up drugs and enjoying a cigar and scotch after porking young women for money.

What matters to me (on a personal level) is the quality of his work. Are his judgements impartial and well reasoned pursuant to the law or not? That is what matters, not the fact that he is personally politically inclined this way or that.

However, as to what the currently in force law says is another matter. And if it is true that even the "apprehension" of bias is grounds for dismissal, then I suspect that he will have little choice other than to stand down - which is a shame.

Neither is it clear to me whether or not he can just be replaced or whether in fact the entire commission would have to be reconstituted in order for it to proceed if he were to have to stand down.

As for the Unions, whilst I believe that essentially these kinds of movements grow out of necessity to ensure fairness in the labour market, the political monster which they have grown into is an entirely different matter, and one that needs to be pruned back real hard.

As previously said, I am in favor of strategies that make the Unions less relevant e.g. by tweaking the Fair Work Ombudsman in conjunction with better education.