Costigan Commission

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The Costigan Commission (officially titled the Royal Commission on the Activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union) was a controversial Australian royal commission.

Headed by Frank Costigan QC, the Commission was established by the Australian government in 1980 to investigate criminal activities associated with the Painters and Dockers Union.

The union had a militant history, and the commission was seen as politically motivated; however, its enquiries led away from union activities towards investigation of so-called "bottom of the harbour" tax evasion schemes. This involved the asset-stripping of companies to avoid tax liabilities and was facilitated by criminals among the Painters and Dockers but benefited wealthy individuals.

[edit] The Goanna Controversy

In 1984 the now defunct Fairfax newspaper The National Times published leaked extracts of the Commission's draft report which implicated a prominent Australian businessman codenamed the "Goanna" in tax evasion and organised crime, including drug trafficking, pornography, and murder. Australia's richest man, media magnate Kerry Packer revealed himself to be the subject of these allegations which he strenuously denied.

Ironically it was Packer's own Bulletin magazine that had been instrumental in the calls for a Royal Commission into the union. Packer's counterattack was led by his counsel Malcolm Turnbull (later a prominent politician) and accused the Commission of a misuse of power. No charges were laid against Packer, and in 1987 Australia's Attorney-General Lionel Bowen formally dismissed the allegations. Mystery still surrounds, however, his receipt of a supposed "loan" of A$225,000 in cash from a bankrupt Queensland businessman. When questioned by the Commission, Packer testified, "I wanted it in cash because I like cash. I have a squirrel-like mentality."[1] Packer was therefore codenamed the "Squirrel" in the Commission's case studies, but the National Times changed this to "Goanna" to preserve anonymity.

The Commission concluded in 1984 and the revelations of organised crime led to the establishment of the National Crime Authority.

At Kerry Packer's state funeral in February 2006, his son James stated that the Packers had never forgiven Costigan for what they took to be a smear. Costigan publicly responded that as Royal Commissioner he simply investigated, and did not make allegations or prosecute.