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
Congrats!