[6] On the other hand, the Courts have upheld the description of him as a thug, while Setka's political opponents have derided him as a bully, and criticized his purported stance that it can be necessary to break the law to pursue union interests.
[7] He has also faced strong criticism for alleged public remarks on the topic of domestic violence, and a guilty plea for harassing his ex-wife via text, issues that contributed to his formal expulsion from the Australian Labor Party in 2019.
His father was a labourer named Bob Setka, who survived the West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970, one of the worst industrial accidents in Victoria's history.
During a speech, he said: 'he's one of the worst fucking Labor PMs we've ever had ... (because) ... he kept the ABCC and coercive powers and he wants to talk about workers and the trade union movement.
In 2017, he publicly threatened to target the home addresses of building watchdog inspectors and lobby local footy clubs so their "kids will be ashamed of who their parents are".
[19] It was reported in 2019 by The Sydney Morning Herald that Setka maintained a friendship with underworld figure[20] Mick Gatto.
[7] The Age reported that in a speech to the Union's national executive in June 2019 he demanded rhetorically to know what the problem was with being friends with Gatto.
[22] When asked about this resignation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded "good" and "John Setka has no legitimate place in the Labor movement".
[25] He later sued a group of executives from the company Boral, successfully obtaining a settlement after alleging they conspired in the tort of malicious prosecution.
It was reported by The Age that during that meeting, he made comments to the effect that the work of Rosie Batty had left men with fewer rights.
[33] Additional pressure upon Setka arose after the Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie threatened political blackmail, making a demand that he step down or she would vote for a bill strongly opposed by the union movement.
[34] In the midst of these events, Setka pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to harass a person in the Melbourne magistrates court.
He argued at court that the ALP national executive did not have the legal power to expel him, and that it was instead a matter for the Victorian State party branch.
[11] In June 2019, Setka pleaded guilty to magistrates court charges that he had used a carriage service to harass a person.
[28][10] In August 2021, The Age reported that Walters had made a statement to police alleging that after an argument a week earlier, Setka had hit her head against a table and left her with a bruised forehead.
[42] In September 2022, the Herald Sun reported that an anonymous note had been delivered to her home containing profanity, abuse, and threats.
[44] In a quote to the paper, Emma stated that she is seeking a divorce, wants custody of the children, restraints on John, and for him to undertake therapy.
[43] In October 2022, The Age reported that Setka had been accused of using Richmond footballer Dustin Martin to pressure his estranged wife.