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| Ralph Blewitt tells inquiry he didn't write statement he gave to police | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Australian Workers Union assistant secretary Ralph Blewitt told the royal commission into union governance and corruption he did not write a statement he provided to the Victorian police in relation to events at the AWU. | Former Australian Workers Union assistant secretary Ralph Blewitt told the royal commission into union governance and corruption he did not write a statement he provided to the Victorian police in relation to events at the AWU. |
| Blewitt was cross examined on Tuesday after giving evidence on Monday that he was instructed by the former AWU secretary Bruce Wilson to pay renovators working on a house owned by former prime minister Julia Gillard. | Blewitt was cross examined on Tuesday after giving evidence on Monday that he was instructed by the former AWU secretary Bruce Wilson to pay renovators working on a house owned by former prime minister Julia Gillard. |
| Blewitt spoke with Victoria police last week, and he was being cross examined on that evidence by Wilson’s counsel. | Blewitt spoke with Victoria police last week, and he was being cross examined on that evidence by Wilson’s counsel. |
| When questioned on the statement he gave last week, Blewitt told the commission his statement was provided to him by the retired lawyer Harry Nowicki. | When questioned on the statement he gave last week, Blewitt told the commission his statement was provided to him by the retired lawyer Harry Nowicki. |
| “I didn’t write this statement, I didn’t type it,” he said. “I glanced at it. | “I didn’t write this statement, I didn’t type it,” he said. “I glanced at it. |
| “I accepted it at face value from the person who provided it to me prior to attending the Victorian police. | “I accepted it at face value from the person who provided it to me prior to attending the Victorian police. |
| “If I have perjured myself in this matter by stating this is a true and correct statement then I apologise to the court.” | “If I have perjured myself in this matter by stating this is a true and correct statement then I apologise to the court.” |
| Nowicki is a retired personal injury lawyer from Melbourne who has been researching a book about the AWU. His connection with Blewitt appears to have begun when he interviewed him as part of his research for the book. | Nowicki is a retired personal injury lawyer from Melbourne who has been researching a book about the AWU. His connection with Blewitt appears to have begun when he interviewed him as part of his research for the book. |
| Blewitt earlier told the commission he and Nowicki “have gone through numerous documents that he has discovered in preparing his book”. | Blewitt earlier told the commission he and Nowicki “have gone through numerous documents that he has discovered in preparing his book”. |
| The commission heard on Monday from Blewitt that false invoices were sent to a construction company for services that were never intended to be provided. He claimed the money was channelled into the Australian Workplace Union Workplace Reform Association. | The commission heard on Monday from Blewitt that false invoices were sent to a construction company for services that were never intended to be provided. He claimed the money was channelled into the Australian Workplace Union Workplace Reform Association. |
| The hearings continue. | The hearings continue. |