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It raises pertinent questions about the manner in which
‘relievers’ are chosen within any Branch. Proper
character assessments have always been difficult in this
Branch in its appointments and rules are interpreted or
viewed to suit an outcome, hopefully without challenge.

So there’s no confusion, the Branch and National
Officials were made aware of the conviction within
hours. How much did entities know about Mikey
O’Shane’s past history of domestic violence.

Newspaper and Gladstone Court records indicated he
The R&F newsletter focused on MUA policy and had a “prolific domestic violence (DV) record which
direction. included charges committed against three different
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Edition #20, October 5 , 2021 victims” and “you have had 23 court appearances in
your time which commenced with a DV order when you
Qld Branch Dishonesty and Spin were 24”
The Gladstone Observer article will be added as an
attachment, lest we are accused of misinformation or
Harsh words? Not to those who have tried through spin. It is our view members have a right to know and
ongoing Branch Monthly meetings (BMM) and these truthfully understand the reason O’Shane “no longer
R&F Newsletters to seek honest accountability by those works for the MUA”
we elect current officials. Such consistent spin by some
of them, have been described correctly as There is a total lapse of scrutiny and transparency over
‘obscurantist’ i.e. “characteristically the practice of this appointment. His incarceration follows not much
presenting imprecise information and deliberately more than a week after the AFR report on CFMMEU
restricting accurate and honest knowledge” of enquiries official John Setka on a DV issue, and still being
by the membership. investigated by the Victorian Police. It is ironic that other
than support for John Setka by our own maritime
At the September BMM a query was raised about 10- division, no references were made about the Union
month relieving official Mikey O’Shane. For the Acting movements abhorrence and opposition to sexual and
Branch Secretary to reply as reported, “that he no longer workplace harassment in both organisations workplace
works for the MUA” is a prime example of the newsletter policies.
headline.
Excuses that it is of a private marital affair, should not
It was a report in the Gladstone Observer of September protect perpetrators from accountability. The charges
8 that revealed the real reason O’Shane ‘no longer outlined by Setka’s wife led to many FB page
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works for the MUA’. It is not for us to sit in judgement on differences, from “it’s a private marital matter” to “an
the circumstances of O’Shane’s 18 month suspended attack by the right-wing forces and Murdoch/Fairfax
sentence, with 6 months minimum jail time be served, press against a strong left-wing union” Most expressed
but it is expected that honesty be forthcoming when disgust of the nature of the harassment and believed an
seeking the truth. official should not be held less accountable than any
ordinary citizen, charged with a similar range of DV
Of course truth should not be an expendable commodity issues.
or spun in the many ways it does. How can we forget
many examples of deceit and spin since the 2019 Rushed Edition Qld Branch News
election? The CCTV issue, the Final Warning letter, the
sacking of Carol Conlon, The Bug affair with all the Retiree Jeff Langdon spoke at the September BMM and
associated costs and lies about whether the Branch or asked about the ongoing lack of news/correspondence
National Office pays/paid for it all. by the Qld Branch to members. It is obvious by the
amateurish publication of Branch News #10 Friday last
Then there’s the secrecy around the settlement costs to week. It bears no quality of production of the Branch
the Union from MUA V Carol Conon case. There is the News provided weekly under Bob Carnegie’s leadership
ongoing and constant shuffle of positions for ‘acting’ and was rushed to print under mounting pressure to do
officials and relievers. All brought about by the so with obvious repetitive self-grandiose contributions.
continuing absence of the elected Branch Secretary,
Steve Cumberlidge of almost 12 months. Topped off Initially we thought the ‘political’ introduction was a
now with the ongoing absence by the ITF rep Sarah contribution from a different official’s viewpoint. It
Maguire, (over 200 odd days) and a temporary mentions the attack upon MUA members/all workers in
replacement by Brian Gallagher. areas of the ‘supply chain’ during the pandemic but fails
to include ‘seafarers! This from an organisation that
The legitimate questions that need to be asked contains members from all those sectors. The seafarers
particularly about Mikey O’shane are numerous. How ARE the most affected, with pandemic borders, a lack
much of a process do national office and the branch’s of movement, despite responsibility to do so, to increase
concerned, engage in, when scrutinising potential blue water or other shipping opportunities.
relieving positions? Page 1