John Setka, the former head of Victoria’s militant construction union, has broken his silence, claiming he has received “serious” threats against his life, amid accusations of standover tactics and criminal links to the CFMEU.
Speaking exclusively with 7NEWS Spotlight and reporter Sharnelle Vella, Mr Setka also revealed the Federal Government reneged on a secret deal which saw him stand down from the Union, on a promise the group would not be placed into administration.
Mr Setka said he had hoped he was under police surveillance because of “serious” death threats made against him.
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“I’ll take it pretty seriously. It’s a pretty hard industry, and we’ve had to fight for everything, and we’ve made a few enemies along the way,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have a clue where it’s coming from. I don’t know. Sometimes it comes from the last place you think it comes from.”
The bombshell claims come just days after the Government placed the entire CFMEU’s construction division into external management, as it reels from months of reports of standover tactics and criminal links, including bikies.
Vowing never to vote Labor again, Mr Setka also claimed he had last seen the Prime Minister during an “incident” in an elevator, where there was a “very brief conversation”.
“Nothing happened, but I haven’t got much time for Anthony Albanese, to be quite honest.
“I’d never said anything intimidating to him. He was scared. . . when someone starts trembling, you know they’re scared — I hadn’t even said a word.”
Mr Albanese declined to answer questions about the elevator incident.
Describing the Federal Government’s moves against the CFMEU as a “factional hit”, Mr Setka claimed the Federal Government had promised not to place the union into administration if he resigned as Victorian secretary.
In a deal allegedly brokered between the CFMEU, ACTU boss Sally McManus and former Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke, Mr Setka resigned last month.
Within weeks, the Federal Government had introduced laws to move the union into administrators.
“When you do a deal with the government, you would expect them to honour it, especially when the comments that come out of Burke’s mouth are and there’ll be no surprises,” Mr Setka said.
“They’ve lied through their teeth, they’ve been dishonourable, along with the ACTU, and it was all about stitching up the CFMEU, because that’s what it’s all about.”
Watch the interview on 7NEWS Spotlight via 7plus.