Worlds of power, union and crime converge at funeral of Bob Setka, West Gate Bridge survivor

The service for John Setka's father drew unionists, a state minister, and a condolence message from underworld figure Mick Gatto

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources3 outlets

On a cold, drizzly August day in 2023, the funeral of Bob Setka, a survivor of the 1970 West Gate Bridge collapse, brought together an unusual convergence of union leaders, state politics and organised crime. Held at St Leopold's Church in Sunshine, the service drew the then-CFMEU leader John Setka, Victorian minister Jacinta Allan, and a published condolence from underworld figure Mick Gatto, revealing the overlapping circles that have defined John Setka's career.

Bob Setka, a Croatian migrant who arrived in Australia in the 1960s, was one of 18 survivors of the West Gate Bridge disaster that killed 35 workers on October 15, 1970. Working as an ironworker high on the bridge, he was catapulted into the air as the span collapsed and landed in the mud of Stony Creek. He later recalled thinking, "Oh, my god, I'm still alive."

His son, John Setka, often cited his father's survival as the reason he became a union man, telling associates his lucky number was 18, the number of survivors. As a young man, John Setka followed his father into the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF), a union then led by the militant John Cummins. The BLF was deregistered under Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who described it as run by the principle, "If you get in their road, you get bashed in the head with an iron bar."

Setka himself was convicted of dozens of trespass offences and some assaults during picket lines in the 1980s and 1990s. One witness described him taking on eight police officers who struggled to remove him from a site. When a fellow unionist was dragged off by police, a 19-year-old Setka said, "I'm going to stick to the bitter end."

At Bob Setka's funeral, the younger Setka's world was on display. Jacinta Allan, then the state Labor minister responsible for Victoria's Big Build program, sat among the pale-orange pews. Her presence reflected the CFMEU's powerful role in Melbourne's infrastructure boom and Allan's need for Setka's support. Mick Gatto published a message in The Age offering his "deepest and sincerest condolences." Politician Luba Grigorovitch later paid tribute to Bob in the Victorian Parliament.

The service also honoured Bob Setka's modest character. Described as a quiet, humble man who lacked his son's gregariousness, he gave aid to the fallen workers and never forgot the union he believed cared about worker safety. John Setka, who rose to become the towering and feared face of the CFMEU, ensured his father's funeral became a testament to the ties binding power, politics and organised crime in Melbourne's construction industry.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The funeral illustrates the deep, intersecting relationships between the CFMEU, the Victorian Labor government, and organised crime figures that have shaped Melbourne's construction sector.
John Setka's career, rooted in his father's survival of a disaster that spurred safety activism, reflects the union's militancy and its influence on major infrastructure projects.
The story provides a window into the culture of the BLF and its successor union, which has faced allegations of coercion and corruption.

Background

Bob Setka came from a Croatian migrant background and found work in Melbourne's industrial west. His survival of the West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970 became a foundational story for his son John, who entered the construction industry at age 19. John Setka was mentored by BLF leader John Cummins and later became the face of the CFMEU, known for a combative approach. The union was deregistered in the 1980s but continued as a rebel organisation before being absorbed into the CFMEU. Bob Hawke described the BLF as willing to use violence to enforce its demands.

Key Perspectives

Union supporters: The Setka family's story is one of worker solidarity and safety advocacy. Bob Setka's survival and his son's career demonstrate the union's role in protecting workers on dangerous sites. Critics: Bob Hawke's description of the BLF and John Setka's numerous trespass and assault convictions highlight a union culture that uses intimidation and force. The presence of a minister at the funeral of a controversial union figure's father raises questions about political coziness. Observers: The funeral itself, with its mix of unionists, a Labor minister, and a tribute from an underworld figure, underscores the tangled relationships that have long been alleged in Melbourne's building industry.

What to Watch

Any further investigations or reforms targeting CFMEU links to organised crime and political donations.
The trajectory of John Setka's influence following his departure from the union leadership, as hinted by the article's reference to him as "then-leader."
Future revelations from ongoing reporting by Nick McKenzie and Ben Schneiders into the building industry.

Sources

The funeral where the worlds of power, politics and organised crime came together · WA Today - Latest News
The funeral where the worlds of power, politics and organised crime came together · Brisbane Times - Latest News
The funeral where the worlds of power, politics and organised crime came together · Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe funeral brought together union, political and organised-crime circles.WA Today - Latest News: “The worlds of his famous son – of power, politics and organised crime – had come together for Bob Setka’s funeral.”
SupportedThe service was for Bob Setka, a survivor of the West Gate Bridge collapse.WA Today - Latest News: “John Setka’s father Bob, a worker on the bridge at the time, was one of 18 survivors.”
SupportedThe funeral drew CFMEU leader John Setka and state minister Jacinta Allan.WA Today - Latest News: “Sitting among the pale-orange pews at St Leopold’s that day was Jacinta Allan, the state Labor minister responsible for Victoria’s enormous Big Build program.”
SupportedMick Gatto published a condolence message in The Age.WA Today - Latest News: “Underworld figure Mick Gatto had published a message in The Age offering his “deepest and sincerest condolences to John and all the Setka family””
Partly supportedAllan needed Setka’s support.WA Today - Latest News: “The senior minister would likely need Setka’s support if she ever wanted to become the premier of Victoria”
SupportedBob Setka was one of 18 survivors of the collapse, which killed 35 people on October 15, 1970.WA Today - Latest News: “On October 15 of that year, Bob, an ironworker and rigger”
SupportedBob thought, “Oh, my god, I'm still alive.”WA Today - Latest News: “He looked around and thought, Oh, my god, I’m still alive.”
SupportedHawke described the BLF as run by the principle, “If you get in their road, you get bashed in the head with an iron bar.”WA Today - Latest News: “Then-prime minister Bob Hawke described the union as run by the principle, “If you get in their road, you get bashed in the head with an iron bar.””
Partly supportedSetka was convicted of dozens of trespass offences and some assaults during picket lines in the 1980s and 1990s.WA Today - Latest News: “he was convicted of dozens of trespass-related offences – and some for assault – for entering building sites once the BLF had been deregistered by Hawke”
Not in the sourcesSetka ensured his father’s funeral became a testament to ties between power, politics and organised crime.WA Today - Latest News: “The worlds of his famous son – of power, politics and organised crime – had come together for Bob Setka’s funeral.”
Partly supportedSetka rose to become the “towering and feared face” of the CFMEU.WA Today - Latest News: “Setka became a prominent organiser, rising through the ranks to look after the crucial CBD building sites where many of the union’s members worked.”