Defiant John Setka says he has no reason to step down, defends swear words
Embattled union boss John Setka has smacked down accusations of being a “bully” and “wife basher”, saying he would continue to campaign for workers’s rights and saw no reason to step down.
National
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Controversial union boss John Setka has refused to quit his position with the Victorian construction union, saying: “I have got no reason to step down.”
Mr Setka has also denied he is a “bully” and “wife basher”, in his first and frank in-depth interview since being engulfed in a series of public dramas.
Speaking to ABC Radio National, the union boss said he should not be expelled from the Labor Party after being convicted of harassing his wife Emma Walters with text messages.
“I am not proud of what’s happened,” Mr Setka said.
“We have had a lot of dramas, me and my wife. We have resolved it.”
“Me and my wife were having an argument and we sent some texts to each other using some bad language … and we are not that proud of it. We never physically harmed each other. We have moved on from it and are in a very good place.”
When asked about his position with the CFMMEU, Mr Setka said he would continue to campaign for workers’ rights.
“I think we have done a pretty good job,” he said. “Our union is the only union that has grown, so we must be doing something right”.
Controversially, Mr Setka said he would ignore workplace entry laws if he believed workers’ safety was at risk.
He also defended his use of strong language, saying he was known for swearing and it was common practice in the construction industry.
“I do swear a lot. I run a construction union. I don’t lead a choir,” he said.
Mr Setka said swearing occurs in many Australian workplaces, especially the construction meeting and did not immediately imply bullying or harassment.
However, Mr Setka conceded he would try and control his language in the future.
Last month, a recording surfaced of Mr Setka addressing hundreds of people at a shop stewards’ meeting where he repeatedly swore and talked about an upcoming industrial bill in the federal parliament.
“If you had a swear box at that meeting you would have $100,000 in there and not necessarily all from me,” he said.
The interview comes as federal crossbench senator Rex Patrick referred Mr Setka to the Australian Federal Police and to a parliamentary committee over alleged threats to himself and Senator Jacqui Lambie over their vote on proposed industrial relations laws.
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Senator Patrick moved to refer Mr Setka to the powerful Senate Privileges Committee this morning after it was revealed Mr Setka told a meeting of construction workers that if the“f---ing crossbenchers” voted with the government on a bill to increase penalties for breaches by unions they would “wear the consequences”.
The Upper House pair says the speech constitutes a threat and are considering referring the matter to police as well as the privileges committee.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed the matter had been referred on September 17 and would be assessed in accordance with standard AFP protocols.
The latest drama comes as Mr Setka continues to fight his expulsion from the Labor Party.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese vowed earlier this year to ban Mr Setka following his harassment conviction in a Melbourne court.
Mr Setka plead guilty to the charge and it was later revealed the woman he sent text messages to was his wife Emma Walters.
He has been successfully suspended from the Labor Party.
However, a legal battle is currently being waged to stop his expulsion.
When asked whether he should step out of the public arena, Mr Setka remained defiant and said he doesn’t see why he should do so.
Originally published as Defiant John Setka says he has no reason to step down, defends swear words