he was expelled. The NSW and WA branches also expressed their support. Numerous politicians, as well as the ACTU secretary Sally McManus called on John to step down. Additional pressure upon John arose after the Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie threatened political blackmail, making a demand that he step down or she would vote for a bill strongly opposed by the union movement. This threat wade made during an lunch invitation at her Tasmanian house. In the midst of these events, John pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to harass a person in the Melbourne magistrates court. The victim was identified as his wife at the time, Emma Walters. Following this, more than a dozen individual unions, including the three biggest in the country, renewed their calls for Setka to step aside. Some factional allies of Setka, like the then head of the RTBU Luba Grigorovitch, maintained their support. In July, John applied for an injunction at the Victorian Supreme Court to stop the expulsion decision. He argued at court that the ALP national executive didn't have the legal power to expel him, and that it was instead a matter for the Victorian State party branch. The court decided in August 2019 that the motion to expel Mr Setka was 'outside the court's jurisdiction', and that it 'could not interfere with internal decisions of voluntary unincorporated associations'. In October he commenced an appeal of this decision, before withdrawing. After its withdrawal, the ALP immediately expelled him. Personal life John Setka has three children. He is married, but separated, to Emma Walters, a former industrial lawyer at Slater and Gordon. The pair met while Emma was working as a staff member at the union prior to her legal career. Reportedly, Ms Walters was once considered for an ALP upper house seat. It was reported in 2019 by the Sydney Morning Herald that Setka maintains a friendship with Mick Gatto. Marriage to Emma Walters In 2017 Emma Walters joined the firm Gordon Legal as a union relationship manager. The following year the CFMMEU became a client. In January 2019, it was reported in the Herald Sun that Setka was charged after an argument with his wife on boxing day. Police had been called to intervene, and the case was investigated by the Victoria Police family violence investigation unit. In June 2019 John pleaded guilty to magistrates court charges that he had used