Bill Shorten appears before the royal commission into trade union corruption: live

Bill Shorten will be back for more questioning and no doubt more sips of that crazy H20 tomorrow from 10am.

In the meantime, what have we learned today?

*The former union leader was about 8 years late updating the AEC about a campaign donation he received, in the form of a staff member for his 2007 tilt at parliament;

*Counsel Assisting Jeremy Stoljar is very suss that Shorten only did it this week because he knew it was going to come up at the royal commission;

*Shorten was not across the minutiae of the negotiations for a Cleanevent EBA, which appears to have dudded workers; and

*Greg Combet thinks Shorten's doing just fine.

Many thanks for tuning in.

Bill Shorten leaves the Royal Commission. Photo: Daniel Munoz

The Labor looks practically cheerful here as he leaves the TURC hearing.

Bill Shorten leaves the Royal Commission into Unions. Photo: Daniel MunozCredit: Daniel Munoz

Shorten has left the building, however, without addressing the fourth estate.

We can file this under understandable.

He has been talking all day. And will talk again tomorrow.

Those Dyson Heydon-allowed breaks don't last long.

Combet seems to be making a more spirited defence of Shorten than Shorten himself.

But it's always easier to do that outside the scary pressure of a royal commission hearing.

As Combet says delightedly, he's just a "normal" person now.

Former Labor minister and ACTU president Greg Combet has been in the room today, listening in and supporting Shorten.

He is holding a doorstop, telling reporters there is nothing to see here.

He says it is not unusual for MPs to be late in disclosing donations.

"It happens quite often."

He also says it is not unusual for companies to make donations to campaigns.

Combet is full of praise of Shorten.

"I think he's been very upfront about it all."

It being 4pm, Counsel Assisting Jeremy Stoljar promptly stops pummelling Bill Shorten about the no disadvantage test and stat decs and notes the time.

Commissioner Dyson Heydon announces the hearing will resume at 10am tomorrow.

Again with the Labor leader in the chair.

Before concluding the day, Heydon notes that things are running a bit over time and that if Shorten's lawyers want to "re-examine" questions, extra time can be made.

"Best negotiation possible"

**DRINK!**

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Image from Royal Commission video feed

Stoljar puts it to Shorten that the independent umpire was not in a position to properly consider whether it should have certified the Cleanevent agreement.

Questions had not been answered "fully and completely and properly".

The former union leader concedes, "I see your point, yes."

But he adds that he cannot go back in time and "second guess all the processes".

And again he stresses that his job was to "ensure the best negotiation possible".

We are properly down in the individual blades of weedy grass here. But it feels very pointy all the same.

Stoljar is taking Shorten through various volumnes with various pages and clauses.

A prime example:

So page four of the bundle says notwithstanding the provision of clause 8.3, the minimum hourly rate for level one casual rates shall be $26.28 per hour, $18.44 per hour for level three casual workers.

So that's what they're getting. And then not getting the penalty rates contemplated in the award.

Do you accept the ... proposition that a full and complete answer to 7.4 would have required reference at least to clause 8.4 in the EBA?

Shorten says he cannot answer for the person who completed the relevant stat dec, but "I see your point".

Workplace Editor Anna Patty has this assessment of proceedings: