The email, sent by a Gregory Burton, also said the speech was closed to the media, and questions about the unions royal commission – which is still in progress – would not be allowed.
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Justice Heydon says he was unaware it was a fund-raiser, and Attorney-General George Brandis has gone further, arguing it was not a not a party political event at all.
Mr Heydon was billed to deliver the 2015 Sir Garfield Barwick address later in August but pulled out last week after being told it was a Liberal Party-organised event.
Heydon had been listed as the keynote speaker as early as April.
“Why a barrister in the Liberal Party thought it was a good idea to invite him is beyond me, but Dyson Heydon’s doing a terrific job”, he said.
“Dyson Heydon behaved appropriately throughout the entire process”.
“This decision followed contact by the coordinator with the Hon Dyson Heydon yesterday”.
The revelations sparked uproar in federal parliament, with Labor seeking to suspend normal business to move a motion declaring Heydon could no longer conduct the royal commission.
Manager of Opposition business Tony Burke disagreed.
Mr Burnside made the observation on Thursday evening when stating that Mr Heydon, a retired High Court judge, would never have knowingly agreed to speak at a party fundraiser.
Kearney told Abbott in a letter on Friday that the prime minister must terminate the royal commissioner. “If what you’ve said is true, that is very serious, it is very significant”. He would certainly be well acquainted with the requirement for judges to disqualify themselves from cases in which there was actual bias or a perception of apprehended bias.
The government has previously defended the independence of the royal commission.
However, Justice Minister Michael Keenan described Labor’s attacks as “warped priorities”.
CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said the royal commission should be shut down.
During Shorten’s evidence on 9 July, Heydon chided the Labor leader for “non-responsive” answers to some questions.
The Opposition is also understood to be considering legal action over the issue.
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Labor workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor insists there is an apparent conflict of interest.
