Thursday, 10 October 2025

Under intensive questioning in Senate Estimates it has been revealed that Victorian CFMEU head and ALP National Executive member, Zach Smith, is still meeting with disgraced CFMEU boss John Setka under the watchful eye of Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Amanda Rishworth, exposing claims of a “clean up” by Labor’s of Australia’s most notorious union as farcical.

“Minister for Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth has ducked scrutiny while she’s been responsible for the CFMEU and Zach Smith has facilitated meetings with organised crime figures, and is still meeting with John Setka, but the gig is now up and she’s been outed,” said Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Employment, Tim Wilson.

“Minister Rishworth doesn’t want to fix CFMEU corruption because it involves members of the ALP National Executive; Rishworth serves the Party, not the people.”

“The Prime Minister says he wants to clean up CFMEU corruption so he has a choice: get Minister Rishworth to sack Zach Smith, or sack Minister Rishworth.

“If the CFMEU remains under the same toxic influence of the people it claims to have purged, then nothing has changed. The culture of intimidation, thuggery and cartel-like control remains intact.

“If you can still meet with John Setka and keep your position in the CFMEU, then the Government’s clean-up is a sham.

“The Minister keeps sitting on her hands while construction sites, jobs and small businesses are held hostage”.

“Australians expect their Government to stand up to corruption, not excuse it. The Minister can no longer look the other way on cartel kickbacks and corruption”.

Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic said "the revelations from Senate Estimates strike at the heart of this government’s credibility, and at that of Minister Rishworth."

“The CFMEU’s administration was meant to restore integrity and keep out criminals like John Setka. What we learned yesterday makes clear that absolutely nothing has changed. It’s business as usual for the CFMEU.”

“Instead of confronting this misconduct head on, Minister Rishworth has tied herself in knots trying to cover up ongoing misconduct.”

“When the government says it is tackling corrupt and criminal union behaviour, the reality is it is simply looking the other way.”

ENDS