Two further invoices for $37,000 each are dated February 28, 2007 and March 18,2007. They both state that the payments are for "services per Cesar Melhem". The invoices do not specify what services, if any, were provided.

The four invoices total $134,500 which is the amount that the AWU declared as having received from Thiess John Holland to the Australian Electoral Commission in 2006-07.

AWU documents lodged with the commission described the $134,500 payment as a 'donation'. The return was amended in September, 2008 by Mr Melhem to describe the amount as an 'other receipt'.

As the payments were part of a return for the 2006-2007 financial year, the declaration period covers several weeks when Shorten was Victorian secretary. However, the invoices show the payments were sought after he had left the branch.

Former prime minister Bob Hawke and Bill Shorten at a trade hall rally in 2005. James Davies

A fifth invoice sent to Thiess John Holland on November 6, 2006, was for $36,250. The documents say it was for ``OHS training on EastLink per Cesar Melhem". A further invoice for $3,625 citing the same reason was sent on November 13, 2006.

AEC records show the union's Victorian branch declared a further payment of $20,917 from Thiess John Holland in 2007-2008. taking the total payments made to the branch after Mr Shorten moved on as state secretary to $195,292.

AEC records show a further payment of $16,500 by Thiess John Holland was declared by the union's national office in 2006-2007 when Mr Shorten was national secretary.


Thiess John Holland has declined to comment this week after the payments made to the AWU were linked to the joint venture builder's agreement with the union for the $2.5 billion EastLink project in 2005

It is not clear whether the OHS training at EastLink cited in the invoices proceeded

AFR Weekend has been told that payments made by two other companies under scrutiny - VIsy and Alcoa - could be explained. It is understood the AWU received payments from employers for a range of activities, including occupational health and safety training and seminars that the union conducted about WorkChoices and workplace bargaining. There were also payments for tickets to attend the state branch's annual AWU Ball.

Evidence also before the commission shows the AWU under Mr Shorten received $38,228 from builder Winslow Constructors in 2005 to pay the union dues of 105 employees.

Winslow told the commission that the practice started in the 1990s, before Mr Shorten was at the AWU. The company said the practice was driven by a desire to keep out the militant Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.