During cross-examination of Mr Byrnes, Mr Alex's solicitor, John Hajje, accused him of lying about Mr Alex and other witnesses to avoid paying money he owed as part of a commercial dispute with Mr Alex and the estate of his former associate Joe Antoun, who was murdered late last year.

"This is in fact is a soapbox for you to attempt to destroy Mr Alex so that you get off scot-free without having to pay your obligations in the millions, is that correct?" Mr Hajje said.

"I put to you [that] you are prepared to rely on deceit when it suits your purposes; it that correct?"

Mr Byrnes said: "No. But I will for the purpose of this commission say that I'm not perfect. I have committed offences. I have been properly dealt with by the courts in my life. I have been incarcerated. I have suffered bonds, penalties, fines. I'm far from perfect."

Speaking outside the commission before the Friday hearings began, Mr Alex said he looked forward to appearing before the commission next Thursday after his absence earlier this month due to illness.

"There are other witnesses that have lied to the commission that have used ABC and Fairfax Media to discredit the CFMEU and myself," Mr Alex said.

"All I can say is that I have the same opportunities, but I have chosen not to do that out of respect for the commission."

Mr Alex said the federal  government's decision to extend the royal commission by a year was "a political witch-hunt for the Liberal Party to damage the Labor Party".

"I do believe the royal commission are doing their job independently, so I look forward to next week," he said. "Lies run sprints, and the truth runs marathons."

During the hearing, the commission heard Mr Byrnes turned up to a solicitor's office wielding a baseball bat after money was allegedly stolen from a trust account.

It had been previously said Mr Byrnes had a "brain snap", but Mr Hajje suggested it was premeditated.

"Do you go to solicitors with a baseball bats very often?" Mr Hajje said.

Mr Hajje later accused Mr Byrnes of fabricating evidence that he saw Mr Alex throw an envelope containing $3000 to union official Darren Greenfield. When accusing him of lying and deception, Mr Byrnes responded that the only lies he has told are "about my weight".

CFMEU barrister John Agius also questioned Mr Byrnes about his falling out with Mr Alex in April to May of 2012. Mr Byrnes said it related to a $1.8 million tax bill.

"The ultimate falling out was when they put three bullets in my house," Mr Byrnes said. "But prior to that I was regularly in unpleasant discussion with them with respect to financial obligations they had, that they failed to meet."

Mr Agius asked Mr Byrnes if he made the allegation about the $3000 payment after he learned Mr Greenfield would not deal with him and with a "view to harming Mr Alex".

Mr Byrnes denied this.

Mr Agius said Mr Greenfield hadn't even met Mr Alex until the end of 2011 or early 2012, suggesting Mr Byrnes had fabricated his story about the $3000 payment.

The hearings continue next week.