‘I don’t just ditch my mates’: new Victorian Labor minister defends John Setka ties amid criticism

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.