‘Integrity, credibility’: CFMEU praises Setka, rejects outside inquiry

Gus McCubbing, Hannah Wootton and Lucy Slade

Updated Jul 16, 2024 – 12.29pm, first published at 10.38am

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The new national boss of the militant CFMEU, Zach Smith, has dug in on its ability to investigate itself even and praised former Victorian branch boss John Setka, on whom many of the allegations centre, as a man of integrity and credibility.

It comes as Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says it is primarily up to the police, corruption watchdogs and federal government to investigate and clean up alleged criminality by the CFMEU at worksites she oversees.

Gus McCubbing is a markets reporter in the Melbourne newsroom. He was previously the Australian Financial Review’s Victorian political correspondent.

Hannah Wootton is a Rear Window columnist, based in Melbourne.

Lucy Slade covers real estate for The Australian Financial Review, based in the Sydney newsroom. She was previously the breaking news reporter.