Anger over Premier Daniel Andrews’ ally Luke Hilakari over support for John Setka

Pressure is mounting on Premier Daniel Andrews to dump a key ally and union figure who chanted support for CFMEU secretary John Setka weeks after Mr Setka was convicted of using a carriage service to harass his wife.

Premier Daniel Andrews is under pressure over a key ally and union figure’s position on government boards after he chanted support for CFMEU secretary John Setka.

Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari was caught on video shouting “John Setka, here to stay” at a meeting of union members, weeks after Mr Setka was convicted of using a carriage service to harass his wife and breaching a court order.

Mr Setka has also been accused of telling union colleagues that domestic violence advocacy by Rosie Batty had eroded men’s rights — comments he said were an “outrageous lie” peddled for “political gain”.

John Setka denies claims he told union colleagues that domestic violence advocacy by Rosie Batty had eroded men’s rights. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Mr Hilakari, who once worked for Mr Andrews and is a strong supporter, is listed as an ongoing member of the government’s Family Violence Social Services Taskforce, as well as other government board positions in the building and transport sectors.

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the Premier must dump his “mate”.

“Nobody can claim that they stand against family violence while also backing John Setka, even if they are the Premier’s mate,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Daniel Andrews said when it comes to violence against women ‘there can be no more excuses or second chances’.
“Mr Hilakari had a choice to make, back John Setka or sit on government boards and he chose Setka. He must be sacked.”

Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari. Picture: David Geraghty

A spokesman for the government said a taskforce that currently lists Mr Hilakari as a member no longer meets because another committee has taken over the work.

This still includes Trades Hall Council.

Mr Hilakari said the Council sent a social worker trained in family violence to those meetings.

He declined to comment about the video in which he chanted support for Mr Setka at a closed-door Trades Hall meeting.

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“Victorian unions were the first place in the world that wrote a family and gendered violence clause for enterprise agreements,” he said.

“It means that workers that suffer such violence, mainly women, can get access to leave to see support services, see health professionals, (and) go to court.”

The Andrews Government said the Family Violence Social Services Taskforce no longer meets “because it’s been superseded by the implementation of the Government’s historic family violence reforms”.