Michaelia Cash has questions to answer over AWU raids, Sally McManus says

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus says federal police would not have taken lightly the decision to refer an investigation into raids on the AWU.

Raids on the AWU drew scrutiny after a tip-off from jobs minister Michaelia Cash. Picture: AAP

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus says federal police would not have taken lightly the decision to refer an investigation into raids on the Australian Workers’ Union.

It is understood the Australian Federal Police has confirmed to the union it will have material with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in the next two weeks.

AFP officers raided AWU headquarters in Melbourne and Sydney last October as part of an investigation by the Registered Organisations Commission.

“They would only do that if they believed that laws might have been broken, and that it’s up to the DPP to now pursue those,” Ms McManus said today.

‘It has cost the taxpayer $614,000 to defend Michaelia Cash through the 279 days that the federal police have been pursuing this matter.

“The whole time Michaelia Cash has been in hiding. She hasn’t answered questions about this matter. This further undermines our faith in her government and faith in her judgement.

“This was a really big call to make to leak this to the media. We think she has very big questions to answer and that she should front the media.

“She should be the one here explaining what has happened. She should be the one explaining why the priorities of the Turnbull government are raiding unions over decades-old minutes from meetings and not focusing on the very bad behavior of the big end of town.”

The raids drew scrutiny because journalists arrived at the offices before police, thanks to a tip-off from the office of federal Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus. Picture: Glenn Hunt

AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said it was troubling but not surprising the AFP had moved to refer the investigation to the commonwealth prosecutor. “From the information in the public domain, it seems abundantly clear that Senator Cash and her office were abusing their power by using taxpayer-funded institutions to go after their political enemies,” Mr Walton said in a statement on Monday.

“Senator Cash and her government are obsessed with harming unions and their members.” Mr Walton said the developments were “more trouble” for Senator Cash and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

“Clearly the AFP have learned enough here to believe it warrants the attention of the prosecutor,” he said.

The case was in court on Monday, with the next administrative proceeding set down for August 21 ahead of September’s hearing.

With AAP