Former CFMEU boss John Setka charged with threatening and harassing union administrator

Former construction union boss John Setka has been arrested and charged by Victoria police after allegedly sending threatening and harassing emails to a union administrator. The 61-year-old was arrested at a home in Footscray about 6.40am on Wednesday. Police searched the property and seized a mobile phone and an iPad. Setka was subsequently charged with seven counts of “using a telecom communications device to menace, harass and offend”. The police operation was led by Taskforce Hawk, which was established in July 2024 to target allegations of criminal behaviour linked to the construction industry. According to police, Setka sent “a number of allegedly threatening, offensive and abusive emails to a CFMEU administrator following a notice to produce sent on 27 October and a follow-up letter sent on 28 October”. Sign up: AU Breaking News email He has been bailed and will appear before Melbourne’s magistrates court on 30 January. Victoria police’s assistant commissioner, Martin O’Brien, has encouraged anyone with “information on concerning behaviour witnessed in any construction industry workplace to come forward and speak to police”. “As always, it can be done anonymously and reports will be treated with the strictest of confidence,” O’Brien said. “We will not tolerate behaviour that aims to intimidate and harass people who simply want to be able to go to work and perform their job to the best of their ability.” Setka quit after 12 years as head of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Energy Union in Victoria in 2024 after a Nine investigation into alleged criminal links within the construction industry. Nine’s reporting alleged major Victorian and New South Wales construction projects had been infiltrated by underworld figures and bikies acting as union delegates. Setka said the allegations against the union were false but said he would step down to stop the barrage of stories. The construction and general division of the union, including all its state branches, were placed into administration in mid-2024 in response to allegations of serious misconduct, corruption and violence. Setka rejected the allegations and fought his expulsion from the party in court but was cast out months after being convicted of harassing his now estranged wife. He is also facing legal action by the Fair Work ombudsman over allegations he tried to coerce the AFL into sacking its chief umpire. The ombudsman alleged Setka intended to coerce the AFL into dismissing Stephen McBurney, the former head of the now defunct Australian Building and Construction Commission. Setka was referred to the police in September 2024 for appearing at government building sites to verbally attack the Victorian and federal governments, but he did not face charges over the visits.