John Setka referred to police after defiant visit to Metro Tunnel build ...
John Setka referred to police after defiant visit to Metro Tunnel build site
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Former CFMEU boss John Setka has been referred to police after making a defiant appearance at a second government Big Build site in just 24 hours.
Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed Setka had accessed the taxpayer-funded Metro Tunnel project on Thursday morning.
Premier Jacinta Allan’s government wants an explanation for Setka’s rally appearance.Credit: Simon Schluter
He had already given an expletive-laden address to a rally at Footscray Hospital on Wednesday.
Allan said on Thursday she had been told his presence on the sites was unlawful and the director-general of the Transport Department, Kevin Devlin, had referred the matter to police for investigation. She said Devlin had also reminded Big Build contractors of the government’s expectations.
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“There is no place on Victorian Big Build worksites for John Setka,” Allan said.
“He was stood down from the union as he should have, and there is no place for him on our work sites.
“In terms of who attends work sites, there are well-established processes here, and it is the government’s expectation that those building industry companies manage this process appropriately, which is clearly not what happened in these incidents over the last 24 hours.”
Setka visited the State Library station for the Metro Tunnel project on Thursday, a union source unable to speak publicly said.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the force was yet to receive a formal referral but would assess the matter once details were provided.
“Victoria Police has received a verbal briefing from the police minister’s office about a pending referral regarding a former union official,” she said.
The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.
Setka used his appearance at the $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital project to launch a tirade against the Albanese government and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, in a clear challenge to efforts from state and federal governments, as well as the trade union leadership, to reform the CFMEU following allegations of intimidation and corruption.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said Setka’s appearance at the Metro Tunnel worksite on Thursday showed that the premier wasn’t capable of managing the state’s taxpayer-funded projects.
“He has no reason to be there. He had to resign from the CFMEU in disgrace, with the CFMEU facing very serious allegations of misconduct,” he said. “John Setka is making a mockery of the Allan Labor government, and he is laughing at Premier Allan, who seems powerless and unwilling to do anything about this.”
Wednesday’s rally prompted a please-explain from the state government to building giant Multiplex about how the disgraced former CFMEU boss was allowed access to the site.
The Fair Work Ombudsman is also investigating whether there were any breaches of the Fair Work Act, which contains strict rules around site access.
Setka resigned ahead of the publication of a months-long investigation by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes into unethical and illegal behaviour on Big Build sites earlier this year.
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