Key Points:
It is actually difficult as a matter of law to establish
an appearance of bias - it is highly dependent on degree and
context.
Following a turbulent period of public scrutiny in the second
half of August, former High Court justice Dyson Heydon has
dismissed applications made by several unions seeking his recusal
(or removal) from the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance
and Corruption. The applications centred on revelations that he was
to be the keynote speaker at a Liberal party event, before
withdrawing the same morning those revelations were publicised.
Heydon's connection to the event
In April last year Heydon agreed to speak at this year's Sir
Garfield Barwick lecture, conditioning his acceptance on the
Commission having concluded its work by that time. Although the
Commission's terms were subsequently extended to December 2015,
at Heydon's request, a NSW Bar Association alert this April
promoting the lecture listed him as the keynote
