The Law Council Australia has come out in support of John Dyson Heydon AC QC, trade union royal commissioner, who has come under fire recently for alleged ties to the Liberal Party.
While the Labour Party has increase pressure on Heydon to stand aside as head of the royal commission amidst the controversy, he remains resistant.
The Law Council has slammed the controversy around Heydon’s role in the commission, saying Commissioners should be treated with a higher level of respect.
“The public attacks on the Commissioner being played out through the media are unacceptable and damage the basis on which tribunals and Courts operate,” said Duncan McConnel, president of the
Law Council of Australia.
“The proper way for dealing with any question of bias, including apprehended bias, is to make an application for the Commissioner to recuse himself, and for the Commissioner to consider and rule on the application.
The person who sits as a Royal Commissioner is entitled to the same respect, inside and outside of the Inquiry, as a Judge in a Court.”
Controversy arose after it was revealed that Heydon was to give an address at a Liberal Party fundraiser, the fact that the event was a fundraiser for the party he said was accidently overlooked.
