Andrew Bolt: Problem with Setka’s ’’superspreader event’ theory

John Setka claims the protest that occurred outside CMFEU’s head office was a “superspreader event”, but where’s his evidence?

‘Dr” John Setka has finally found a protest that’s a “superspreader event”. What a clever union boss.

But how gullible are journalists who swallowed his story on just the say-so of this CFMEU secretary?

Nine newspapers’ Peter FitzSimons loved having his Leftist prejudices reinforced: “So much for the claim that the Plague doesn’t spread in protests.”

But like many claims in this pandemic, this must be taken with a bit of salt. Maybe the whole salt mine.

On September 20, angry unionists protested outside Setka’s office, accusing him of not fighting hard enough for them against mandatory vaccines. The rally got violent when Setka and a few officials stepped outside to talk to them. Bottles were thrown, and they retreated inside.

This protest by his own members mortified Setka, who minimised the embarrassment by claiming most were instead anti-vax “morons”, “neo-Nazis” and far-Right “professional protesters”.

John Setka attempts to talk to construction workers outside the CFMEU office. Picture: David Crosling

This seems to be mostly false, and police, who arrested 62 protesters, said they had no evidence for Setka’s claim. Journalists failed to identify these “professional protesters” and other CFMEU officials privately admitted most protesters they saw were union men.

Now Setka claims “these reckless and selfish protesters” also spread the infection to staff in his building, who then passed it on to dozens more.

“We got a case of a four-month-old toddler, young children, grandparents, it is just absolutely terrible,” Setka said. “This is the damage they have caused.”

As propaganda, this is perfect.
It further demonises Setka critics, and for many journalists backs their horrified claims that protesters against the cruel Melbourne lockdown are selfish and put everyone else at risk.

But here’s the problem with the Setka theory.

Health officials and Premier Daniel Andrews – who’d love it to be true – have admitted they don’t have evidence that protesters infected anyone else at the rally. Nor is there evidence of other protests in Melbourne or Sydney spreading the virus.

That’s not surprising. Covid-19 is almost invariably spread indoors.

Sure, it’s still remotely possible that one of the protesters standing very close to Setka’s supporters outside his office was sick and infected one of Setka’s men. But who? Where’s the evidence?

Isn’t it more likely that Setka’s staff got infected just like so many Melbourne workers – by an infected person, maybe even one of Setka’s officials, coming inside the office and hanging around in an enclosed space? But “Dr” Setka knows best. Best for him, I’d guess.