Jury out in Qld union docs dumping case

A Queensland jury is deciding if an ex-union boss' alleged disposal of documents was an innocent office clean-up or the deliberate destruction of possible royal commission evidence.

David Arthur Hanna allegedly dumped seven tonnes of documents in April 2014 ahead of the trade union royal commission while he was a Queensland president of the CFMEU.

The Brisbane District Court jury retired on Friday to consider their verdict after hearing allegations Hanna had the documents disposed of after becoming aware the royal commission would focus on the CFMEU.

He instructed colleagues to take dozens of boxes of documents from the union's Brisbane office to his home, the trial has heard.

One witness testified Hanna had asked him to cover up CCTV cameras at the union's office while he loaded the boxes into a horse float.

Another told the court Hanna asked her to then get rid of what she believed was a receipt for the cost of "burying" documents with an excavator.

Prosecutors believe those measures were an attempt by Hanna, charged with destroying, concealing or mutilating documents, to keep the disposal secret.

Hanna's defence lawyer has claimed the Crown's case was speculative, with the disposal of the documents "completely unremarkable".