Source : Perth Now news
Former construction union boss John Setka has lamented being gagged from speaking his mind as he launched into a tirade against the union’s administrators outside court.
The 61-year-old appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday over several matters relating to his alleged use of carriage services to menace, harass and offend.
The matters were adjourned to November 10 while his legal team attempts to seek additional evidence from police and the union, which prosecutors have said they will oppose.
Outside court, the controversial figure slammed the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union’s administrators, after he was charged over allegedly harassing and offensive social media posts.
Setka said he stood by everything he posted and continued to post.
“You can’t say anything. Oh, gee, someone’s feelings might get hurt,” he told reporters.
“Is this what Australia’s become? Talk about woke.”
He had allegedly posted photos and comments about former CMFEU administrator Mark Irving, general secretary Matthew McGowan, Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong and two senior union organisers among others.
The Instagram post allegedly described them as a “a rogue’s gallery of shit bags” and included memes featuring medication boxes for “anti-c*** pills”.
“They should have the whole box of them pills daily, remember snitches get stitches,” he allegedly wrote.
Police charged him in August with using a telecommunications device to menace and offend and two charges of committing an offence while on bail over the post.
Asked what he thought of the administrators on Thursday, he replied: “My mum told me once: the more you touch shit, the more it smells so I’d rather not say nothing, but they’re just driving the union into the ground”.
Setka was initially charged in November with seven counts of using a telecommunications device to menace, harass and offend for allegedly sending Mr Irving offensive and abusive emails after receiving a production notice and a follow-up letter.
Among the alleged emails included one that said: “If you want the paperwork maybe go and have a colonoscopy, you might find them there”, and another on sent on Christmas day wishing them a “shit Xmas, you no good sell out c***s”.
“People want to send me emails. You’re going to get a reply back,” Setka said outside court on Wednesday.
“I told them what I thought.”
Setka also contested other charges against him, which he said related to him taking his car.
He quit as head of the Victorian CFMEU in 2024 after a Nine investigation alleged major Victorian and NSW construction projects had been infiltrated by underworld figures and bikies – allegations he denied.
The construction and general division of the union was placed into administration in mid-2024 in response to the allegations.
