‘I have to kill my children’s father’: Read exactly what John Setka’s wife said on secret tape

Emma Walters, the estranged wife of union boss John Setka wanted to know where she should hide a gun in her home, a transcript of a secret recording reveals. Read it here.

Emma Walters, the estranged wife of union boss John Setka, not just said she needed a gun to potentially use against the union boss — and knew how to use one — she also wanted to know where she could hide it so her children weren’t later taken from her care, a transcript of a secret recording reveals.

Ms Walters, 47, has been charged with making a threat to kill and attempting to possess a firearm without a permit relating to allegations she asked private investigator Adrian Peeters to get her a “piece” so she could kill Mr Setka, the Victorian secretary of the CFMEU.

Mr Peeters secretly recorded the conversation and it was played at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, with Ms Walters heard discussing how she wanted to “lure” Mr Setka to her home and then make his death look like it was in self-defence.

When asked by Mr Peeters if he could come to her house at a later date to discuss what was needed, Ms Walters is heard saying: “That’s OK I can put them in their rooms. I’m not worried about that.”

Emma Walters arriving at the Melbourne Magistrates court. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

CFMEU boss John Setka. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Read what was said in the secret recording.

Emma Walters: I have to lure him in and I’m going to have to use it. I know how to use a gun, right. I just need a gun. And I’m willing to deal with the consequences of having to go through the court process of self-defence. I have that capacity.

Adrian Peeters: I didn’t know things were so bad. I knew they were bad but I didn’t know where this had got you into. I’m sorry to hear that — terrible.

EW: Well, I have to kill my children’s father to survive, and that is not a very good position to be in.

AP: No it’s horrible.

EW: Anyway, you’re going to help me work out how I do it.

AP: I understand the situation — I can see you’re in a really bad …

EW: No, no, no, hey, there’s a question of premeditation — so this conversation is never happening. You have no knowledge of it. And once it’s in a court you cannot say that you have any knowledge of it.

AP: I understand what you’re saying, I understand, I understand. Do you have anyone to support you here at the moment?

EW: They’re in another state. I have none. It’s me, myself and I. Me myself and I.

(Brief conversation about whether Ms Walters can get Mr Peeters anything, he says no)

EW: It’s me, myself and I.

AP: I need to go through a fair bit of stuff. I need to know if you’re here later if I can drop in because I know you’ve got children. Such as the time frames.

EW: That’s OK I can put them in their rooms. I’m not worried about that. Sit down. I need that piece of equipment. The question is where do I put it? Because I will also be questioned . . . . as to where it’s located. I have to set him up. Really. When I’m being deadset honest, right. So where do I put it in the house, where he comes in, that I can access it and use it my self defence?

AP: Accessibility. Anywhere you are at that point in time. Where are you at that point in time?

EW: And intent.

AP: Where are you at that point of time?

EW: No, no you’re not listening. So from a legal — sorry, I’m a lawyer by trade — from a legal perspective what will be asked about me is the question of intent. So I have to put him in a situation where I’ve accessed it and used it for the purpose of self-defence.

AP: Not premeditated.

EW: Not premeditated, not done with anything other than trying to survive.