The CFMEU Victorian branch will be placed into administration, with the national office to assume all senior executive powers, following an emergency meeting this morning.
CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith said the union had a “zero tolerance for criminality”.
He said he would use the new powers to immediately establish an independent process, overseen by a leading legal figure, to investigate any credible allegations of wrongdoing.
“Anyone found to have engaged in criminal conduct while representing the CFMEU will be identified and removed,” Smith said.
“The CFMEU has one purpose and one purpose only and that is to defend and advance the safety and conditions of workers.
“The Victorian Branch has been hugely successful in pursuing this purpose, but the national executive also recognises that a number of recent allegations are serious and demand an unprecedented response.”
The investigation by Nine’s newspapers and 60 Minutes claim of misconduct including details that senior bikie figures and criminals were being parachuted into lucrative union roles.
It comes as security vision published online shows Setka visiting the home of a fellow senior union official, before dumping a suitcase with the words “dog”.
Setka said the claims were “more false allegations”, adding “once again youse have put sauce on everything”.
Smith said although serious allegations of wrongdoing demanded a serious response, general smearing of officials and delegates because of their histories or personal relationships was “completely unwarranted”.
“Cancel culture will never be our culture,” he said.
“The National Office will be uncompromising in cleaning up whatever wrongdoing we find because we know that blue collar workers depend on our union being strong and effective.”
