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Luba Grigorovitch, a newly appointed Victorian Labor minister, defends her ties to John Setka, stating she has 'no regrets' about their past friendship despite criticism from the opposition. Her promotion follows the resignation of several cabinet ministers ahead of the November election.
Luba Grigorovitch, one of four Victorian Labor MPs promoted to cabinet, says she has “no regrets” about her past friendship with disgraced construction union leader John Setka, despite the opposition labelling her appointment “appalling”.
The Victorian Labor caucus met on Tuesday and voted to elevate Grigorovitch, the member for Kororoit, along with Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, Eureka MP Michaela Settle and Box Hill MP Paul Hamer, to cabinet.
It followed the announcement on Monday by ministers Mary-Anne Thomas, Danny Pearson and Gayle Tierney that they would not recontest at the November election and would immediately step down from cabinet. They joined Natalie Hutchins, who moved to the backbench in December.
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Before entering parliament at the 2022 election, Grigorovitch was the first woman and youngest-ever state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU). During her time there, she worked closely with Setka, who led the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) until his resignation amid scandal in 2024.
She thanked Setka personally in her maiden speech in 2023 and he attended her wedding that same year.
The shadow attorney general, Liberal MP James Newbury, said Grigorovitch’s ties to Setka meant she was “not fit to be a minister”.
“How could the premier, Jacinta Allan, possibly think that Luba Grigorovitch passes the character test of being a minister of this state?” he told reporters.
“It’s appalling that she’s chosen her for the cabinet. That’s not to say that the other promotions were meritorious.”
Grigorovitch said she had “no regrets whatsoever” when asked if she regretted her friendship with Setka after her promotion to cabinet on Tuesday.
“I was a union secretary for close to 10 years, and it was a very proud time during my career. I very proudly stood up for workers’ rights day in, day out,” she said.
Asked if she still considered Setka a friend, Grigorovitch said: “I’m not walking away. I don’t just ditch my mates when things get tough. But I have not spoken to John in a very long time.”
The premier defended her new ministers and said Newbury’s comments were “petty” and “childish”.
Setka resigned from the CFMEU in mid-2024, prior to the release of an investigation by Nine newspapers which alleged bikies and underworld figures had infiltrated state government projects.
Luba Grigorovitch is a newly appointed Victorian Labor minister representing Kororoit, promoted to cabinet as part of a recent reshuffle.
Critics, including the opposition, have labeled her appointment as 'appalling' due to her past friendship with disgraced union leader John Setka.
The reshuffle was prompted by the announcement that several ministers, including Mary-Anne Thomas and Danny Pearson, would not recontest in the upcoming November election and would step down from cabinet.
John Setka was the leader of the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) until his resignation amid scandal in 2024.

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A report commissioned by an administrator – appointed by the federal government following the allegations – claimed the union morphed into a “crime syndicate” under Setka’s leadership.
Setka has previously denied any wrongdoing.

From left to right: Paul Hamer, Luba Grigorovitch, Jacinta Allan, Ben Carroll, Michaela Settle and Paul Edbrooke. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
Edbrooke, meanwhile, has worked as a firefighter and teacher and made headlines in 2023 when he survived an emergency landing in a light plane and then, weeks later, helped resuscitate a man.
Settle owned and operated a family sheep farm in Ararat for a decade while Hamer was a civil engineer before winning what was once a safe Liberal seat in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
“If you asked me 10 years ago, did I see myself being in this position? 10 years ago, I would have told you probably to stop smoking whatever you were smoking,” Hamer told reporters.
“But I am very pleased to have been given the opportunity.”
Allan will on Wednesday announce the new ministers’ portfolios as part of a broader reshuffle of cabinet positions.