Unions 'industrial peace' claim rejected

A dredging company has rejected a claim from the unions royal commission it paid the maritime union to buy "industrial peace".

Counsel assisting the union royal commission, Jeremy Stoljar SC, said in his published submissions that Dredging International Australia was one of four companies that paid more than $3.2 million in total to the Maritime Union of Australia "for the purpose of achieving industrial peace".

Dredging International Australia issued the first written response to Mr Stoljar's 19-chapter report on the royal commission's investigations on Tuesday.

The company said the commission had no evidence to support such a finding and called Mr Stoljar's submission "purely speculation".

Mr Stoljar said Dredging International paid nearly $970,000 into MUA training funds under a 2012 agreement and spent a further $200,000 sponsoring the union's WA state conference for four years.

Dredging International executive Joris De Meulenaere told the commission the payments helped create a trained workforce, which benefited the company.

Mr Stoljar said while Mr De Meulenaere rejected the assertion that the payments were really to minimise industrial disruptions, the executive had not explained why payments were made or how they specifically advanced the company's interests.

Dredging International said on Tuesday that Mr De Meulenaere had specifically denied payments were made to minimise disruptions.

"The credibility of this denial cannot be rejected in circumstances where there is no alternative evidence," the company said in its response, which is published online.

The commission is receiving submissions from interested parties until November 14.

Commissioner Dyson Heydon will deliver his interim report on December 15.