CFMEU members protest outside Melbourne court over John Setka blackmail charges

Thousands of unionists descend on a Melbourne court where CFMEU boss John Setka has appeared.

Thousands of unionists have descended on Melbourne Magistates Court where CFMEU boss John Setka and his deputy Shaun Reardon appeared on blackmail charges.

Chanting “Johnny Setka here to stay. Shaun Reardon here to stay”, the members blocked off the centre of Melbourne during peak hour at its busy court district.

A large contingent of police, including those on horseback and dozens of Protective Services Officers, ringed the angry protest and blocked entry to the Magistrates Court to protesters.

Mr Setka and Mr Reardon were charged with one count each of blackmail on Sunday following an investigation by a joint Victorian and federal police unit that takes on cases referred to them by the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

Police keep CFMEU workers away from the Melbourne Magistrates Court ahead of the court hearing for the CFMEU bosses. Picture: Ian Currie

In July last year, the head of major concrete supplier Boral told the royal commission into unions the CFMEU was allegedly blackmailing the company in a bid to control Melbourne’s construction sites. A Boral executive told the inquiry it was part of the union’s “war” with developer Grocon.

The protesters, who vastly outnumbered police, caused traffic chaos, blocking William Street between Lonsdale and LaTrobe Street.

John Setka before his appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates court this morning.

The men’s lawyer Ken Oldis told the court the charges would be “strenuously defended”.

Mr Setka and Mr Reardon sat next to each other wearing black shirts emblazoned with the CFMEU logo. Their matter was adjourned to March next year.

The men, who are on bail, walked out of the court to cheers of support from the large contingent of fluorescent yellow and orange clad protesters waiting outside.

National secretary of the union’s construction and general division, Dave Noonan, said the charges were political. He said the men would not be found guilty.

“These charges are extraordinary,” he told reporters outside court.

He said Mr Setka and Mr Reardon would not be stood down.

ACTU President Ged Kearney and Mr Noonan, accompanied Mr Setka and Mr Reardon into the court. Mr Setka thanked the crowd for their support on his way into court. “This will never be forgotten,” he said.

The gathered group booed as he described being arrested in front of his kids on Sunday.

Mr Setka also called the royal commission into trade union corruption a “disgrace”.

“It’s just the beginning,” he said of the court process. Asked whether he had anything to say to Boral, he said: “Stop killing people at work”.

Mr Noonan told the gathering that Mr Setka and Mr Reardon were voted by their peers to represent them and should not be punished for that.

“The fact they have been singled out in this way is an absolute disgrace,” Mr Noonan told the crowd. “We’re not going to stand by and allow it to happen.”

A CFMEU member told 3AW that workers had received a text message this morning telling them to leave building sites and make their way to the court.

Mr Setka has engaged one of Australia’s highest-priced criminal barristers to defend him as the CFMEU leadership comes under pressure to justify the amount of members’ money being spent on legal costs.

Robert Richter QC, a barrister renowned for successfully defending prominent clients in politically charged cases and who charges $10,000 a day, will appear for Mr Setka today.

Pressure is mounting on Premier Daniel Andrews to boot the CFMEU pair from the ALP.

Victorian opposition’s industrial relations spokesman Robert Clark says Mr Andrews must act.

“Daniel Andrews needs to face up to this and cut ties between John Setka and the CFMEU and the Labor Party. He can’t keep running away from this,” Mr Clark told reporters.

But the premier says it’s not up to him to judge because the matter is before the courts.

With AAP

CFMEU workers protest outside Melbourne Magistrates Court ahead of court hearing for CFMEU bosses. Picture: Ian Currie