Setka Refuses to Give Up Control of $1 Million Slush Fund Amid Misuse Allegations

Former CFMEU chief John Setka is refusing to give up control of more than $1 million in cash held in a private slush fund, despite allegations that he and his associates have misused millions of dollars earned from building site vending machine deals.

Crosby's ongoing forensic inquiries have revealed that over $400,000 has been received from Coca-Cola Amatil by the Setka-Edwards slush fund as it earned more than $3 million from building site vending machine deals and the sale of CFMEU merchandise.

Setka claims he was not involved in the arrangement with Coca-Cola, which had been struck long before his time as secretary of the union. However, Crosby's inquiry has identified '100,000s withdrawn in cash from the [slush fund] bank account by John Setka and Ralph Edwards' in circumstances where 'how the cash was spent is unclear.'

The slush fund, Building Industry 2000, has been at the center of allegations that Setka and his associates have misused union funds to entrench their power in Victoria's trade union and Labor circles.