CFMEU secretary John Setka outside court in May after the charges against him and deputy Shaun Reardon were dropped. Credit:Justin McManus

The Australian newspaper has been fined $155,000 for contempt of court after publishing the criminal history of construction union boss John Setka.

Mr Setka was facing court on a blackmail charge when the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper published an article in April this year that opened with: "Bill Shorten is a man of conviction according to union boss John Setka. Setka on the other hand is a man with convictions, at least 40 of them at last count."

Mr Setka, the Victorian secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Energy Union, was charged in 2015 with blackmail, but the case against him collapsed in May this year. The charges were withdrawn for reasons unrelated to the contempt matter.

It's considered what's called sub judice contempt to publish material, such as someone's criminal history, that could prejudice a current case before the court.