Former construction union boss John Setka has been barred from making obsecne posts about the union's administrators after he was bailed over a social media post.
The 61-year-old union heavyweight was arrested on Friday morning in Footscray, in inner Melbourne, and appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court that evening for a bail application.
He is accused of making harassing and offensive comments online on Monday and has been charged with using a telecommunication device to menace and offend and two charges of commit indictable offence while on bail.
Setka used his personal Instagram account to publicly post content containing nine images and memes of members of the administration, Detective Senior Constable Damien Peterson alleged.
Among the photos of those allegedly posted were former CFMEU administrator Mark Irving, general secretary Matthew McGowan, Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong and two senior union organisers.
Det Sen Const Peterson told the court Setka wrote they were "a rogue's gallery of shit bags from the administration".
Memes featuring medication boxes for "anti-c*** pills" were also included in the post.
"There's some pills ... that should be taken by (the union organisers) and the administration now that (they) have been caught trying to sell out," the detective alleged Setka wrote.
"They should have the whole box of them pills daily, remember snitches get stitches."
Det Sen Const Peterson told the court Setka had "made admissions to posting it on social media and it was his account".
Prosecutor Alex Turner opposed bail, citing an unacceptable risk and referred to evidence that Setka had allegedly pledged to continue "posting similar offensive posts once he leaves".
The defence said Setka's alleged offending was at the lower end and argued whether a reasonable person would find the posts menacing or offensive.
She also said Setka "would not be likely to receive a term of imprisonment" if he were to be found guilty.
But Mr Turner said the posts were a "targeted, calculated attack".
Setka appeared via video link from custody.
Magistrate Nicole Spicer decided to grant bail, accepting Setka's likely remand period might exceed any term of imprisonment arising from a guilty verdict.
She ordered that he not threaten or harass any representative of the CFMEU administrator or those named in the criminal charges and not to make threatening, intimidating or obscene posts on social media against those individuals.
Setka will return before the court on September 3.
The former union boss was arrested in November and charged with seven counts of using a telecommunications device to menace harass and offend after he allegedly sent Mr Irving a series of offensive and abusive emails.
He was again charged in February with using a carriage service to harass and commit indictable offence while on bail.
Setka quit as head of the Victorian CFMEU in 2024 following a Nine investigation that alleged major Victorian and NSW construction projects had been infiltrated by underworld figures and bikies - allegations he denied.
The construction and general division of the union were placed into administration in mid-2024 in response to the allegations.
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