This was published 9 years ago
Shorten ally and alleged branch stacker hurriedly left Australia
By Ben Schneiders and Royce Millar
Alleged branch stacker David Asmar, a close political ally of Bill Shorten, hurriedly left Australia a few days after being told he would have to appear before the royal commission into union corruption.
Counsel assisting the royal commission, Jeremy Stoljar, said on Thursday there had been attempts for more than a year to have Mr Asmar appear as a witness before the inquiry.
Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Stoljar said after Mr Asmar's lawyer had been told on September 15 this year that Mr Asmar would have to appear as a witness Mr Asmar brought forward flight dates to Lebanon to leave just three days later.
Mr Asmar was then confronted at Melbourne Airport by Federal Police and served with a summons. But Mr Asmar now says he is sick - and has a medical certificate - so could not return to Australia for the royal commission hearing on Thursday.
Mr Stoljar said the commission's inquiries were continuing. Mr Asmar is the husband of Diana Asmar, secretary of the troubled Health Services Union No.1 branch in Victoria.
Embattled state MP Cesar Melhem has said he gave Mr Asmar tens of thousands of dollars from his union slush fund, Industry 2020. Fairfax Media first revealed the existence of that slush fund and links to the HSU in 2012.
Mr Melhem said the money was used to fund Ms Asmar's HSU election campaigns. Mr Asmar has denied the claims.
Mr Asmar is also a central figure in a massive branch stacking scandal engulfing the Victorian Labor Party. He is renowned in the party for his Lebanese "stacks", and for being a close ally to the plumbers union.
Together they appear to be behind the purchase of more than 600 Labor memberships using anonymous gift cards
The cards were used to pay for the party memberships of Mr Asmar and head of the plumbers union, Earl Setches. Under party rules, not paying for your own membership should lead to suspension or expulsion from Labor.
Both Mr Asmar and the plumbers union are important factional players in Mr Shorten's political machine.
Mr Asmar has been working in the electoral office of Senator Stephen Conroy, who with Mr Shorten runs the dominant "ShortCon" faction of Victorian Labor.