Cross-agencies to consider union referrals

A cross-agency group will soon meet to work through referrals from the royal commission into trade union corruption.

Commissioner Dyson Heydon made more than 40 referrals following his investigation into governance and corruption.

"Last time under the Cole royal commission there wasn't sort of a co-ordinated cross-agency response and things did fall through the cracks, so we think this will be much more effective," employment department deputy secretary Sandra Parker told a Senate estimates hearing on Friday.