John Setka’s wife Emma Walters to face court over drink-drive drama

The union boss’s wife ­was allegedly caught more than five times the ­legal limit hours after an altercation with her husband.

Leader of the CFMEU in Victoria John Setka. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The wife of troubled Victorian CFMEU boss John Setka has ­allegedly been caught driving at more than five times the legal ­alcohol limit when she was pulled over for speeding hours after a Boxing Day altercation with her husband.

Lawyer Emma Walters allegedly blew a blood alcohol reading of .282 when highway patrol officers stopped the car she was ­driving, with two children aged five and seven as passengers, along the Western Highway, more than 300km from Melbourne.

“Horsham highway patrol officers intercepted a 43-year-old Footscray woman for allegedly speeding on Boxing Day along the Western Highway in Pimpinio about 8pm,” a Victoria Police statement said.

“Two children aged five years and seven years were in the car with her at the time.

“The woman returned an evidentiary breath test of .282 and will be charged on summons to appear at court at a later date.”

The incident occurred several hours after an argument between Ms Walters and Mr Setka resulted in police being called to their Footscray home in Melbourne’s inner west and charging the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union secretary.

Mr Setka, who is facing calls to step down over the incident, will appear in court next week, with the Westgate Family Violence Investigation Unit listed as the prosecuting agency.

The federal Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations, Kelly O’Dwyer, yesterday demanded Mr Setka resign and urged Bill Shorten to kick him out of the Labor Party. She ­described the ­allegations as “disturbing”.

Mr Setka, who heads the Victorian branch’s construction division, is to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Emma Walters, the wife of union chief John Setka. Picture: Andrew Tauber

While he has not ­directly spoken about allegations against him, he issued a statement late on Wednesday noting his “passion and bluntness” had ­attracted news headlines “and not always for the right reasons”.

“Over the last three years, my wife, Emma, and my children David, Kate and Johnny have ­suffered immensely from the ­ongoing political and ideological ­attacks on myself as a union ­leader,” the statement said. “This has been an ­enormous strain on our family and has taken its toll on each of us as ­individuals.”

The statement, published on CFMEU letterhead, asks that his family be given privacy to ­“recover from this tumultuous ­period”.

Attempts to contact the CFMEU for comment yesterday were unsuccessful. Victorian assistant secretary Shaun Reardon and national secretary Michael O’Connor did not return calls. A spokesman declined to comment.

The ACTU also declined to comment and Victorian Trades Hall did not return calls.

A spokeswoman for the Opposition Leader said Mr Shorten would not comment on a matter before the courts.

Speaking at the KPMG Couta boat races at Sorrento, Ms O’Dwyer said Mr Shorten, who relied upon the union and its leadership for votes and donations, should distance himself from Mr Setka. “John Setka can no longer be tolerated as the head of the CFMEU; nor can he be tolerated as the No 1 supporter of Bill Shorten. It’s time he resigned.”