A SENIOR union official who is suing Opposition leader Tony Abbott for allegedly implying he is a union thug deliberately drove his car at a building site manager following a violent protest in Melbourne this morning, a court has heard.

How funny is that.

CFMEU assistant secretary John Setka also allegedly hurled abuse at Grocon employees during a protest in Melbourne where construction workers trampled on police officers.

Grocon has asked the Victorian Supreme Court to extend injunction orders against the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union after hearing evidence about the violent clash outside Grocon's Myer Emporium building site on Lonsdale St this morning.

The company's Victorian operations manager Brian McAdam told judge Anthony Cavonough he had recognised Mr Setka at the CBD protest and saw him directly confront a group of about 90 Grocon employees who were trying to enter their worksite.

"Mr Setka has then verbally abused our people," Mr McAdam told the court.

Trampled police spray worker blockade

"It's not language I like to use, but he yelled out 'f..king dog."'

Mr McAdam said Mr Setka had also called the workers "scabs", to which some of them replied "We just want to work".

A police officer then advised the Grocon employees to go back inside their office building.

The protest has now broken up, but Mr McAdam said he had heard one of the union organisers on a loudspeaker saying "Back here tomorrow boys for more fun."

Mr McAdam said Mr Setka had arrived at one of Grocon's Footscray developments around 9.30 and told a security guard he wanted to speak to management.

Grocon's executive project manager Frank Bortoletto went outside and told Mr Setka he was in contravention of court orders which were posted on the building site fences.

"He then said that we don't care about such things and then began to verbally abuse Mr Bortoletto," Mr McAdam told the court.

"'Dog' and 'rat', and the usual sort of stuff."

Mr McAdam said Mr Bortoletto turned to leave before Mr Setka accelerated the vehicle, striking the project manager on the leg.

Mr Setka is suing Tony Abbott for defamation over comments the Opposition leader made at a Master Builders Association conference earlier this year.

Mr Setka claims he has been "gravely injured" by his public portrayal as a construction site thug.

A magistrate threw out assault and obstruction charges against Mr Setka and a former union official two days after Mr Abbott's speech to the Master Builders.

The Myer Emporium protest briefly escalated at around 7.00am when the crowd pushed back against mounted police, with reports of some police horses being punched.

Victoria Police commander Rick Nugent said one group of officers on foot fell on to the ground as the workers surged forward.

"They were under the feet of a number of union people but they don't appear to be injured," he said.

"Capsicum spray was used, I understand, by our members on the front line, and it was used at the time the members were being trampled by union members and in fear of their safety.

"I understand that the use of the capsicum spray enabled members to get back onto their feet and get back with their members."

Lonsdale Street has now reopened to traffic and the workers have dispersed.

Commander Nugent said no workers had been arrested at this morning's protest, but arrests could follow if instances of violence were seen on video footage.

"It wasn't a violent confrontation per se which we're pleased about," he said.

"I haven't reviewed all of the footage but at this stage we're comfortable that they behaved reasonably appropriately.

"If they have punched horses, then that's not appropriate."

Justice Cavanough has agreed to extend the existing injunction against the CFMEU. The union did not attend the hearing.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/unionist-d...

Wow, those Union thugs sure know how to utilise their (limited) vocabulary! Scab, dog, rat. I wonder if they know any five-letter words?

progressiveslol wrote on Aug 29^th, 2012 at 9:36pm:

My advice to the Nobility is you better mind yourself because there is an avalanche of law suits heading your way for constitutional & economic crimes...

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Aug 30^th, 2012 at 5:25am:



Your ignorant reply always make my day.      

The defence for slander is if it is the truth.

Unless you accept that trying to run down another human being is not thuggish behaviour then your post is valid.

But as per usual it is wrong. 

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Aug 30^th, 2012 at 7:11am:

So,SOB, are you saying that this thug hadnt indulged in thuggish behaviour before?
Perhaps he did so this time to validate Abbott; politics makes strange bedfellows indeed...

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 30^th, 2012 at 7:46am:

The allegation on this and gillard have come from labor members, ex-police, lawyers. It is the nutjobs that are trying to cover for gillard because they love labor corruption. It is the internet that is helping to keep alive an issue of integrity of our PM.

There is no place for Australia to have a PM with such poor judgment if that is at worst that gillard is guilty of.

Its not slander if they are SOB.

He was arrested, charged and before the courts for assult and obstruction.

At the time Abbott made his speech he had a reasonable belief that they guy was in fact a thug.

Its not slander if its true, and the actions of this guy now further prove the point.

Abbott has no case to answer, but nice try.

Not a thug hey SOB

A leaked Victoria Police list of Mr Setka’s criminal record up to 1991 shows he was convicted five times of assaulting police. There were multiple counts of assault by kicking and resisting arrest.


In a separate case in 2010, Mr Setka was fined $6000 for ­threatening two Bovis Lend Lease managers.

And look who his best mate is.
Last night Mr Setka’s ally, underworld figure Mick Gatto, appeared to threaten the company with retaliation in the future if chief executive, Daniel Grollo didn’t compromise.

“The union have got long memories, and unless he plans on not building any more, I think there is going to be a problem there,” Mr Gatto told Channel 7 news. Grocon’s Myer construction site in Melbourne is still blockaded by union supporters despite a court ordering free access to the site.

Mr Setka received strong support from Mr Gatto, who told ABC Radio he been a mate of Mr Setka’s since he become involved with the building industry 20 years ago.

“He has been primed up for the top position and I think he is the ideal man for the job, someone like him should be running the country, to be honest,” Mr Gatto said.