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| Union boss makes qualified apology for threat to construction inspectors | Union boss makes qualified apology for threat to construction inspectors |
| (7 months later) | |
| CFMEU secretary John Setka says he was quoted out of context and would never go to people’s homes or involve their children | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Fri 23 Jun 2017 08.31 BST | |
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| Union boss John Setka has made a qualified apology for threatening to “expose” Australian Building and Construction Commission inspectors and make their children ashamed. | Union boss John Setka has made a qualified apology for threatening to “expose” Australian Building and Construction Commission inspectors and make their children ashamed. |
| On Friday the Victorian state secretary of the CFMEU said his speech at a Melbourne rally on Tuesday had been taken out of context and he would never go to people’s homes or involve their families. | On Friday the Victorian state secretary of the CFMEU said his speech at a Melbourne rally on Tuesday had been taken out of context and he would never go to people’s homes or involve their families. |
| “The speech was made in the heat of the moment and reflects what’s really going on across the country under this anti-worker government,” he said in the statement. “But as a family man and father of three beautiful children, if my comments were taken out of context or if they came across in a manner that was threatening, then I truly apologise.” | “The speech was made in the heat of the moment and reflects what’s really going on across the country under this anti-worker government,” he said in the statement. “But as a family man and father of three beautiful children, if my comments were taken out of context or if they came across in a manner that was threatening, then I truly apologise.” |
| Setka told the rally the union was going to expose ABCC inspectors and make their children “ashamed of who their parents are”. | Setka told the rally the union was going to expose ABCC inspectors and make their children “ashamed of who their parents are”. |
| “Let me give a dire warning to them ABCC inspectors, be careful what you do. You’re out there to destroy our lives,” he told a crowd of thousands on Tuesday. | “Let me give a dire warning to them ABCC inspectors, be careful what you do. You’re out there to destroy our lives,” he told a crowd of thousands on Tuesday. |
| “We will lobby their neighbourhoods, we will tell them who lives in that house and what he does for a living, or she, and we will go to their local footy club, we will go to their local shopping centre, they will not be able to show their faces anywhere.” | “We will lobby their neighbourhoods, we will tell them who lives in that house and what he does for a living, or she, and we will go to their local footy club, we will go to their local shopping centre, they will not be able to show their faces anywhere.” |
| On Friday he said his speech reflected the depth of anger construction workers felt about the ABCC. | On Friday he said his speech reflected the depth of anger construction workers felt about the ABCC. |
| “We’ve never gone to people’s homes or involved their families and we never would. The thought of anyone going to someone’s home is reprehensible,” Setka said. | “We’ve never gone to people’s homes or involved their families and we never would. The thought of anyone going to someone’s home is reprehensible,” Setka said. |
| Federal employment minister Michaelia Cash told the Senate on Wednesday she had referred the “intimidating behaviour” to the Australian federal police and Victoria police. | Federal employment minister Michaelia Cash told the Senate on Wednesday she had referred the “intimidating behaviour” to the Australian federal police and Victoria police. |
| Labor leader Bill Shorten distanced the party from Setka’s comments, while former trade union boss Martin Ferguson reportedly urged Labor to cut ties with the CFMEU’s construction division in Victoria and expel Setka. | Labor leader Bill Shorten distanced the party from Setka’s comments, while former trade union boss Martin Ferguson reportedly urged Labor to cut ties with the CFMEU’s construction division in Victoria and expel Setka. |
| The ABCC was established by the Howard government in 2005 to tackle illegal behaviour on construction sites. The Gillard Labor government scrapped it in 2012, replacing it with Fair Work Building and Construction, before the Coalition reinstated it in 2016. | The ABCC was established by the Howard government in 2005 to tackle illegal behaviour on construction sites. The Gillard Labor government scrapped it in 2012, replacing it with Fair Work Building and Construction, before the Coalition reinstated it in 2016. |
| Australian trade unions | |
| Melbourne | |
| news | |
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