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Former CFMEU boss John Setka allegedly sent a string of expletive-laden text messages and emails in which he criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and branded the recipients dogs.
The two-month tirade of alleged abuse included a text on telling one person to “have a shit xmas, you no good sell out c—s” and repeatedly telling people to sleep with their mothers.
In charge sheets released by Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, Setka is accused of emailing a complainant, whose name was redacted, on October 27 last year, stating, “I’m not an ALP stooge like you two c—s”.
On the same day, he allegedly sent a further email stating, “go f— your mothers. And while you’re f—ing them get your noses out of albos (sic) ass”.
Setka appeared in court on Wednesday charged with multiple counts of using a communication device to menace, harass and offend.
When the former head of the Victorian branch of the CFMEU was first charged, it was revealed that at least some of the messages were allegedly sent to the union’s then-administrator Mark Irving.
In other emails, Setka is accused of branding the recipient as leaking dogs and telling them to “do everyone a favour and go and knock yourselves”.
The following day, police allege that he continued to menace and offend when he told a person to “go f— your whore mothers” and also wrote, “if you want the paperwork maybe go and have a colonoscopy, you might find them there, or maybe get albo a colonoscopy, but you would only find yourselves up there”.
Soon after he again allegedly emailed a complainant, this time to say: “have a great day and please don’t forget to f— your mothers”.
In another text message, Setka is accused of telling someone to get liposuction on their neck and lap band surgery on their stomach.
On Christmas Day last year Setka is charged with texting a complainant to say: “Hope you both have a shit xmas, you no good sell out c—s, go and have a sook to the hawk task force you weak woke f—ers.”
Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk was set up to probe allegations of criminal behaviour in the construction industry.
It was first formed in July 2024 before it later expanded into a specialist squad in June 2025, after this masthead exposed the infiltration of the CFMEU construction union by organised crime figures.
The final menacing text was allegedly sent while Setka was on bail.
When the magistrate then raised applications from the media to access documents, Setka’s lawyer told the court his client had been subjected to threats to kill.
The police were still investigating the threats, the lawyer said, as he sought for Setka’s address to be redacted from the released charge sheets.
Outside court, Setka was asked by reporters how he felt about the threats.
“Happy,” he answered before continuing to walk away.
Magistrate William Parker adjourned the case off to a special mention hearing in September, where there will be a contest over document production from police and the CFMEU.
Setka was head of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Energy Union in Victoria for 12 years but stepped down in 2024 following a Nine investigation into criminal links within the construction industry.
The reporting alleged major Victorian and NSW construction projects had been infiltrated by underworld figures and bikies acting as union delegates.
Setka said at the time that the allegations against the union were false but said he would step down to stop the barrage of stories.
He is separately facing legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman over allegations he tried to coerce the AFL into sacking its head of umpiring, who had previously headed the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
with AAP
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