AFP drops investigation into allegation CFMMEU boss John Setka threatened senators
The AFP won’t pursue an investigation into claims controversial union heavyweight John Setka threatened senators if they supported a bill that could quash unruly unions.
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The Australian Federal Police has dropped its investigation into controversial union boss John Setka over allegations he threatened senators.
Crossbench senators Jacqui Lambie, Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff referred leaked comments made by Mr Setka to the police after he warned they would “wear the consequences” for supporting a bill cracking down on unions. An AFP spokesman said the referral was assessed in accordance with standard protocols.
“During this process, the AFP was unable to obtain sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation,” the spokesman said.
“The AFP considers this matter finalised.”
In the leaked recording, the Victorian secretary of the construction union also said the crossbench senators could be expected to be abused on the street in 20 years if they supported the “ensuring integrity” bill.
“Someone is going to point the finger and say, ‘There’s them f***ers that voted for that bill that f***ed up not just construction workers but all workers in Australia’,” Mr Setka said during a shop stewards meeting.
Mr Setka denied threatening the senators, saying MPs needed to “toughen up” and accept the comments as part of regular campaigning.
The comments were also referred to the Senate’s powerful privileges committee to see if Mr Setka was in contempt of parliament by blocking the politicians from doing their job.
The bill at the centre of the dispute makes it easier to deregister unions, ban officials and puts a public interest test on mergers.
Senator Lambie, who holds a key vote in the upper house, has signalled she will support the bill unless Mr Setka quits his job at the CFMMEU. A report on the draft bill is due to be released on Friday.
SETKA COULD STILL CAUSE ISSUES FOR LABOR
Labor leader Anthony Albanese can’t guarantee Mr Setka won’t cause problems for the Labor Party.
It follows the besieged union boss' resignation from the party on Wednesday after he withdrew his appeal in the Victorian Supreme Court against attempts to expel him.
Appearing on the Today Show on Thursday morning, Mr Albanese was quizzed by host Deb Knight over whether the CFMMEU’s Victorian secretary “is still a problem”.
The Opposition leader hit back: “Well, he’s out of the Labor Party and that was what I sought to achieve That is what I have control over.”
“His values aren’t the same as Labor’s values. We respect women.”
Mr Albanese also defended donations to the party from the union despite saying Mr Setka was not fit to be a member.
“Let’s be very clear here Deb, you can’t hold every single construction worker around Australia responsible for the actions of an individual.”
On Wednesday night, Mr Albanese told ABC’s 7.30 Labor would continue to support the construction union despite the controversy, arguing the sector would be worse without it.
“What you would have is far greater accidents on sites, you’d have real issues with occupational health and safety but also with wages and conditions, with underpayment, with exploitation,” Mr Albanese told 7.30.
“The trade union movement plays a vital role in our democracy and in civil society. I’m a supporter of trade unions.”
‘A GOOD OUTCOME FOR LABOR’: SETKA RESIGNS
Mr Albanese said on Wednesday: “As people would be aware, John Setka contested that action in the courts and lost.”
“Today John Setka has withdrawn his appeal to that decision and John Setka has now been removed as a member of the Australian Labor Party.
“This is something that I think is important. It’s important that we demonstrate that Labor’s values as a party are greater than any one individual, and that we are prepared to stand up for those values.
“I think this is a good outcome for the Australian Labor Party, it allows us to draw the line under these issues.”
Mr Setka’s decision came ahead of a scheduled meeting of Labor’s national executive on Friday, which was set to decide his fate.
It is understood members of the national executive would have voted overwhelmingly to expel the union boss from the party.
Mr Albanese said Mr Setka demonstrated “values that were not consistent” with the Labor Party “over a long period of time”.
“One of those values is respect for women, the fact that he has been convicted of breaching a family violence order, and the fact that he was also convicted and pleaded guilty to harassment, indicates that is the case,” the Labor leader said.
“Mr Setka’s removal as a member of the Australian Labor Party removes that opportunity for the government in seeking to attack workers. It allows us to ensure we conduct ourselves on the merits.”
Mr Setka said his decision to quit the Labor Party after 15 years had “everything” to do with Mr Albanese.
“The reason is simple: I cannot continue to be a member of the Labor Party while Anthony Albanese is its leader,” he said.
“The Opposition Leader has waged a very public campaign to have me expelled from the party, based on false allegations motivated by old-fashioned political payback.
“While they have taken a personal toll on me and my family, the dirty tricks directed at me are not the reason I have decided to hand in my party membership card.
“Mr Albanese is selling out Australian workers and turning his back on the values that underpin both the party and the Union Movement.
“Under his leadership, the Labor Party has lost its spine. Worse still, it is in danger of losing its soul.”
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One of Mr Albanese’s first decisions as leader was to push for Mr Setka’s expulsion for bringing the party into disrepute after he sent a string of abusive text messages to his wife and breached a court order.