John Setka, the head of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) in Victoria, resigned from his position following multiple allegations of misconduct.
He said he decided to step down immediately due to the relentless reporting about the allegations.
He was supposed to step down from his position at the end of this year.
However, on Friday evening, he decided to resign from his position to stop the malicious attacks on the union.
He said that the constant allegations about him have affected the work of the CFMEU.
He said that if he could step down and allow the union to continue fighting for its members, then he would be happy.
He also thanked the members of the union for their support over the years.
The members of the union were notified about Mr Setka’s resignation in a text message.
He said that he would immediately step down as the secretary of the CFMEU in Victoria.
He noted that the national office and the local executive would be in charge of the union.
Danny O’Brien, a Nationals member from Gippsland South, said that the people of Victoria would be happy to see the resignation of Mr Setka.
He noted that the multiple fines that the union has received over the years have affected the budget of the state.
In addition, he noted that the union is committed to establishing a code of conduct within the construction industry.
However, he didn’t provide any details about the reason for his resignation.
In 2019, Mr Setka lost his membership in the Labor Party after he made controversial comments about Rosie Batty, a domestic violence activist.
The following year, the federal government terminated the building and construction commission’s operations, which led to numerous legal actions against the union.
Mr Setka also demanded the sacking of Stephen McBurney as the head of the Australian Football League.
He stated that he would hinder projects if Mr McBurney wasn’t replaced.