Brandis defends Heydon speech

Attorney-General George Brandis says royal commissioner Dyson Heydon would not have been aware that money from a dinner he was planning to address was going to the Liberal Party.

Mr Heydon, who is presiding over an inquiry into trade union corruption, has pulled out of the August 26 event which was raising money for the Liberal Party's NSW election campaign.

Senator Brandis said Mr Heydon was fiercely independent and "the most eminent lawyer in the country" and would not have been aware of the function's links to the Liberals.

Justice Heydon called two adjournments during the morning's hearings, which were examining CFMEU funds.

At 10.10am Commissioner Heydon took a first adjournment, saying: "I need to adjourn for an important problem that has just arisen."

Later in the morning at 10.52am he said: "Another problem has arisen that I must attend to", and took an 18 minute adjournment.