CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Colourful Victorian CFMEU secretary John Setka said he will not resign from his position after claims he told a union meeting that men had fewer rights because of anti-domestic violence campaigning.
Despite high-ranking ALP figures and other union identities calling for his resignation from the his union role, and leader of the opposition Anthony Albanese calling for his expulsion from the Labor Party – Setka has called the allegations “completely false” and said there was no reason for him to resign.
“Everyone at that meeting knows that what has been reported is not what I said and the member who leaked these false allegations, for nothing more than political gain, should be the one who hangs their head in shame,” he said.
“I represent CFMEU members. They employ me. They’re my bosses. I’m elected to represent them. If people want to expel me out of the Labor Party over false accusations and over things that I’ve never said, well, then, so be it.”
Setka’s staunch position and unflinching refusal to admit fault has left his anti-Setka colleagues now in the bizarre position where they are being intimidated by a CFMEU official themselves.
“This is a weird feeling” said one anonymous CFMEU official.
“Like, now I know why they call us union thugs. John is terrifyingly stubborn”
“He keeps saying things like ‘you’ll learn the hard way’ and ‘don’t test me’ – I’d hate to be construction developer with this bloke on the other end of the blower”
While Labor re-enters it’s post-election loss rebuilding phase, that saw them bleeding union votes to the left and right, it seems the in-fighting is back.
Scott Morrison’s office has stated that the Prime Minister is reportedly enjoying his reprieve from being intimidated by union thugs, as they focus their attention on intimidating their own party – and other union thugs.
