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THE SAME WORDS, PRINTED DIFFERENTLYFriday 14 August 2026

3 outlets quote this line 2 different ways.

brisbanetimes.com.au: “anti-c--- tablets”; theage.com.au: “anti-c--- tablets”; theage.com.au: “Images posted depicted the following: an image of Murray Furlong, the general manager of the Federal Commission, two memes…

As published

8 pages captured at the time, in each outlet's own typography. Open one to read the copy held outside the publisher's control.

7news.com.au as published: Former CFMEU boss John Setka charged again over alleged threats to union administrators7news.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04abc.net.au as published: Further charges laid against former CFMEU boss John Setka - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporationabc.net.au2026-08-14 11:15:04brisbanetimes.com.au as published: John Setka charged for a third time over alleged threats to CFMEU administratorsbrisbanetimes.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04heraldsun.com.au as published: Former CFMEU boss John Setka arrested and charged for third timeheraldsun.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04news24.com.au as published: Former CFMEU boss John Setka charged for third time over alleged threatsnews24.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04nine.com.au as published: Former CFMEU boss John Setka arrestednine.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04smh.com.au as published: Former CFMEU boss John Setka arrestedsmh.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04theage.com.au as published: John Setka charged for a third time over alleged threats to CFMEU administratorstheage.com.au2026-08-14 11:15:04

What this entry found

  • CONFIRMED

    Setka was initially arrested in November 2025 and charged with seven counts of using a telecommunications…

    Checked against The New Daily.the document

  • CONFIRMED

    The General Manager has issued a statement regarding the resignation of Mark Irving KC as Administrator of…

    Checked against Fair Work Commission.the document

  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    The date of Setka's first arrest: whether it was 12 November 2024 or 12 November 2025

    • 7news.com.au (states 'November 12 last year')
    • news24.com.au (states 'initially arrested in November 2025')
  • ONE SOURCE, MANY MASTHEADS

    8 outlets carried this. They resolve to 6 independent sources.

    A reader sampling these outlets received 6 accounts, not 8.

2 further findings below ↓

8outlets→6independent
What happened, for context

Former CFMEU boss John Setka was arrested on Friday 8 August 2025 and charged with using a telecommunications device to menace, using a telecommunications device to offend, and two counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail. The charges relate to alleged menacing posts on social media made Monday 4 August 2025 directed at CFMEU administrators. This is his third arrest in less than a year.

5 of 8 articles were readable. Headline only, no body text retrieved, for: heraldsun.com.au, nine.com.au, smh.com.au. Nothing below is drawn from those outlets beyond their headline.

Who reported it

  • 7news.com.auUNCLASSIFIED
  • abc.net.auPUBLIC
    • brisbanetimes.com.auUNCLASSIFIED
    • theage.com.auINDEP
    identical copy
  • heraldsun.com.auUNCLASSIFIED
  • news24.com.auUNCLASSIFIED
    • nine.com.auUNCLASSIFIED
    • smh.com.auINDEP
    identical copy

References

Carried by multiple outlets

  • John Setka is a 61-year-old former CFMEU boss7news.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, theage.com.au, news24.com.au
  • Setka was arrested on Friday morning (8 August 2025)7news.com.au, abc.net.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, news24.com.au, theage.com.au
  • He was arrested at his home in Footscray, Melbourne's inner west7news.com.au, news24.com.au
  • Setka was charged with using a telecommunications device to menace7news.com.au, abc.net.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, news24.com.au, theage.com.au
  • Setka was charged with using a telecommunications device to offend7news.com.au, abc.net.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, news24.com.au, theage.com.au
  • Setka was charged with two counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail7news.com.au, abc.net.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, theage.com.au
  • and 9 more, not shown

Reported by one outlet only

  • Setka was due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday (same day as arrest)only 7news.com.au
  • Setka will return to court on 3 September 2025only abc.net.au
  • The alleged Instagram post was approximately 300 wordsonly abc.net.au
  • The post began with the phrase 'This a rouge's gallery of shit bags from the administration'only abc.net.au
  • Setka is alleged to have sent an email stating 'Go and f**k your mum and leave me alone you f**king fat ugly c***'only news24.com.au
  • The email allegation was made public when Setka faced court in June (2025)only news24.com.au

Reported unevenly

  • The date of Setka's first arrest: whether it was 12 November 2024 or 12 November 2025stated by 7news.com.au (states 'November 12 last year'), news24.com.au (states 'initially arrested in November 2025')
  • Whether Setka faced court in June 2025 regarding earlier email allegationsstated by news24.com.au · absent from abc.net.au, 7news.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, theage.com.au

Not yet confirmed against a primary source

  • Clarify whether Setka's first arrest was November 2024 (as 7news and news24 could be read to indicate) or November 2025 (as news24 explicitly states). The 7news phrasing 'November 12 last year' resolves against its publication date (August 2025) to November 2024, but news24 explicitly says 'November 2025'. This discrepancy affects the timeline of all three arrests.
  • Confirm whether Mark Irving is identified as 'KC' (King's Counsel) as news24.com.au states, or simply as 'former administrator' as other outlets state, to verify accuracy of his title.
  • Verify the count and content of images in the alleged Instagram post: sources state nine images total (brisbanetimes/theage say 'nine images'), but the detailed description lists more specific items (Murray Furlong image, two memes, medication image, two Irving images, McGowan image, Elizabeth Lukin image, McGowan's wife image, 'other union figures'). Reconcile whether 'nine' is the accurate count of discrete posts or whether outlets miscounted.

What was checked, and against what

2 of 2 confirmed against a primary source. Every document is linked so you can read the same record we did. Anything not confirmed is listed as such rather than left out.

  • checkedClarify whether Setka's first arrest was November 2024 (as 7news and news24 could be read to indicate) or November 2025 (as news24 explicitly states). The 7news phrasing 'November 12 last year' resolves against its publication date (August 2025) to November 2024, but news24 explicitly says 'November 2025'. This discrepancy affects the timeline of all three arrests.The New Daily · establishes the underlying fact · Setka was initially arrested in November 2025 and charged with seven counts of using a telecommunications device to menace, harass and offend. · 2026-08-14
  • checkedConfirm whether Mark Irving is identified as 'KC' (King's Counsel) as news24.com.au states, or simply as 'former administrator' as other outlets state, to verify accuracy of his title.Fair Work Commission · establishes the underlying fact · The General Manager has issued a statement regarding the resignation of Mark Irving KC as Administrator of the Construction and General Division (C&G Division) of the CFMEU, effective 1 June 2026. · 2026-08-14