Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I can; and, given the public outpouring of disgust at the threats made to mums, dads and their kids by the CFMEU's John Setka at the rally held in Melbourne on Tuesday, is very interesting that Mr Setka is now trying to pretend that he did not make any threats against the ABCC inspectors. It is unfortunate for Mr Setka, though, that he has a long history of criminal violence and making vile threats against anyone who does not agree with him or who does not do as he wishes, as do, unfortunately, many other officials in the CFMEU. Hence, senators will not be surprised that the CFMEU itself has dismissed the threats made by Mr Setka, suggesting that, colleagues, they were just off-hand comments or maybe just hyperbole. It is a very strange type of hyperbole given Mr Setka's track record. Let's go through it. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka was convicted of assaulting a police officer? I would not have thought so. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka—this is actually disgusting—told an employer that he hoped he would die of his cancer? Yes, that is the type of person Mr Setka is. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka was arrested and charged with blackmailing Boral? Was it hyperbole when a CFMEU official menacingly told workers on a Gold Coast site: 'I know your phone number. I know where you live.' Was it hyperbole when a CFMEU member called an ABCC inspector and threatened her with gang rape? That's a funny type of hyperbole!