Interesting experience today regarding John Setka's commentary (i.e. threats et al) to AFL concerning the employment of Steve McBurney as Head of Officiating. If you are not across it, search it and prepare to be flabbergasted by the unacceptable behaviour. Australia used to have the ABCC, established after several Royal Commissions into the building industry, which did its job too effectively for a Government Department (especially when you compare it the incompetency of the Department of Education) and was abolished by the ALP as demanded by one of its major funders the CFMEU and ACTU. So, I decided to contact the offices of three (3) independent members of parliament, Sen Jacquie Lambie, Sen David Pocock and Kate Chaney MP. No point calling ALP, Greens (due to their reliance on funding from CFMEU) and no point calling LP ... self interest determine their response. I was hoping for 'Australian standards' of acceptable to be recognised by independents elected on a platform of integrity. The gatekeepers of these three champions of transparency and doing politics differently all fell back on the chestnut of firstly concerning themselves with issues of the electorate ...... despite speaking out on broader issues at a National level, when they choose. Curious that all three politicians championed integrity, backed an ICAC, yet none have spoken out about the Secretary of a Union (a major funder of the ALP). making threats to the AFL. Maybe Steve McBurney's demographic and links to the AFL umpiring profession have deemed it unimportant. Maybe if it was Rugby Union we would hear from David Pocock. A woman, we would hear from Kate Chaney. A veteran, we would hear from Jacqui Lambie. I would hope that something so lacking in integrity highlighting conflicts of interest so strongly and being so unAustralian would attract something from one of them. Step up independent politicians and be who you claim to be. Seeing sweet FA at the moment.
Th AFLUA has released a statement regarding the comments made by the Victorian Secretary of the CFMEU, John Setka, on the AFL's Head of Officiating and AFLUA life member, Stephen McBurney. The full statement can be viewed on the AFLUA website: aflua.com.au
Colin Bettles
2mo
Rest assured mate this sort of behaviour has its own price too - the ALP reps I’ve seen asked about it including Albo couldn’t distance themselves any faster from this bloke in fact the PM looked pleased to declare he’d expelled this bloke from the party. Great to see democracy in action with you getting on the phone to express your views to elected members of parliament.
David Buley
2mo
Thanks Sam Kronja for calling out how much of a dick Setka is, how gutless our politicians are, and how appallingly timid a Labor Government is when it’s in power against the REAL powerbrokers. Bring on the election so we can get rid of The Dark Ages Party.
Sole Proprietor at Mianfi Enterprises
2moGreat comment Sam, but I am surprised that you really expected any more. I have written to the Curtin MP several times and have yet to have a response. We can only fix this by ensuring we demand more of our elected representatives by making our vote count.