Eric Abetz has criticised former Fair Work Commission vice-president Michael Lawler, urging him to drop legal action against Employment Minister Michaelia Cash. Senator Abetz, a former employment minister, said taxpayers would be unimpressed by the legal action given Mr Lawler’s long periods of sick leave while on a $435,000 salary. Mr Lawler’s application for judicial review was lodged in the Federal Court as his partner, Kathy Jackson, prepared to face court on fraud and theft charges stemming from her time as a Health Services Union branch secretary. Mr Lawler, who has previously helped Ms Jackson during court proceedings, resigned the day before a report by Peter Heerey QC into his activities was due to be handed to Senator Cash. “I am sure the long-suffering Australian taxpayer will not be impressed by this court action, which will tie up public money for the court process, but also the attempt to get even more money in circumstances where the Australian taxpayer has been extremely forbearing given the circumstances,’’ Senator Abetz said. “I think the Australian taxpayer would welcome Mr Lawler not proceeding with this case. “Speaking on behalf of the Australian taxpayer, if I can be so presumptuous, they would be pleased if he were not to pursue a case of this nature given that, for the last two years of his life on the bench, the productivity levels were relatively low.’’ Senator Abetz said for Mr Lawler “to be on that salary and then pursue court action, most people would say ‘what on earth is going on?’.” A spokesman for Senator Cash said Mr Lawler’s legal action was “misconceived’’ and would be contested by the commonwealth. The government has refused to respond to opposition calls to disclose the benefits payable to Mr Lawler on his retirement, including whether he had applied for a pension payment. Mr Heerey’s report found misbehaviour by Mr Lawler constituted grounds for his dismissal, pointing to his failure to disclose his relationship with Ms Jackson while presiding over two industrial conferences in which she was appearing for the HSU. The exact nature of Mr Lawler’s bid for judicial review is still to be revealed.
