The AWU raids: the lead-up and the fallout

The lead-up and the fallout engulfing Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

Minister for Employment Senator Michaelia Cash. Picture Kym Smith

The Turnbull government set up the Registered Organisations Commission to act as a watchdog over the activities of trade unions and other registered organisations.

It has been investigating 10 claims against the Victorian branch of the Australian Workers Union.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash referred to the commission the legitimacy of a $100,000 donation the AWU made to advocacy group GetUp! in 2006, when federal Labor leader Bill Shorten was the union’s national secretary.

The ROC, acting on information it received from “a caller” and fearing documents were being destroyed, asked federal police to conduct raids on the Sydney and Melbourne offices of the AWU on Tuesday.

The AWU and Labor reacted with fury when the media were tipped off about the raids.

Cash tells a Senate estimates committee on Wednesday, she had no prior knowledge of the raids. Insists neither she nor any of her staff alerted journalists about the raid.

Hours later, Cash was forced to admit to the same committee her senior media adviser David de Garis did alert journalists after he heard about the raid through another media source.

Cash tells senators de Garis has resigned. She continues to insist she knew nothing about the raids before they occurred.

Labor says the Cash explanation defies belief, noting she misled the Senate committee five times.

Cabinet colleagues argue there is no case for the minister to resign.