Anthony Albanese's decision to move to expel union boss John Setka could put to rest one of the most fraught and troublesome relationships for the Labor Party.

Mr Setka is a labour figure so controversial he has been a central part of the Coalition's political arsenal against Labor, delivering free kicks to the Government who have successfully painted Labor as apologists for bad behaviour in their industrial wing.

Mr Setka's name has been a common feature in question time and Hansard — used by Coalition frontbenchers to expose a cosiness with the militant trade union figure and what was painted as a permissive attitude to allegations of thuggery.

Mr Setka, who is the Victorian secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), has been a source of constant embarrassment for the Labor party.

Despite this, scandal after scandal, no Labor leader until this point has been prepared to cut him off.

It speaks to the power of the union movement and the power of the CFMEU inside the Labor Party that Bill Shorten was not prepared to move towards expelling the man when he was leader.

Mr Setka's union was a key supporter of Mr Shorten's leadership in Victoria, but Labor figures say the latest stories cross a line previously uncrossed — and that community standards on domestic violence demand the response we've now seen from Mr Albanese.

What took so long?

While Mr Albanese must be given credit for being the first leader prepared to take action after consultation with factions and union bosses to expel Mr Setka, some inside Labor say Mr Setka should have been cut loose earlier.

Mr Setka's latest indiscretion is so at odds with the rhetoric and policy of the labour movement and party on violence against women that it was untenable to hang on to him.

Over the past few days, the labour movement has come to the inevitable conclusion that it was no longer possible to defend the indefensible.

It comes after The Age newspaper reported Mr Setka told a union meeting that men had fewer rights because of anti-violence campaigner Rosie Batty's work.

Mr Albanese now says he has written to Labor's national executive asking for Mr Setka's expulsion at its next meeting in July.

He has also asked for Mr Setka's membership to be suspended immediately.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 31 seconds 31 s Anthony Albanese says he'll move for John Setka's expulsion from the ALP

"John Setka does not belong in our party because of the views that he holds," Mr Albanese said this morning.

In a statement released earlier, Mr Albanese said his action was based on a range of factors, including Mr Setka's recent comments about Ms Batty.

"These comments are completely incompatible with the values of the Labor Party and the broader labour movement," he said.

"The party that I lead stands against the scourge of family violence and strongly supports Ms Batty's campaigning on this important issue."

The ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, also tried to pressure Mr Setka, having earlier in the week released a statement that was rebuked for being weak.

The Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, backed Mr Albanese's actions, arguing Mr Setka's reported comments about Ms Batty were "disgraceful and his refusal to apologise for them is appalling".

The Victorian Government has also announced it will dump Mr Setka from a government board known as the Building Industry Consultative Council.

Yesterday, Ms Batty described the reported comments as "ludicrous" and said the union boss's leadership should be challenged as a result.

It's not the first time

Earlier this year, Mr Setka was charged with using a carriage service to harass a woman.

Mr Albanese said his decision to move to expel the union boss from the ALP was unrelated to those court proceedings.

"I want to make it clear that this decision to move his expulsion does not relate to any matter that is currently before the courts," he said.

John Setka (left) is also facing criminal charges related to harassing a woman. ( AAP: Joe Castro )

The New Daily now reports that Mr Setka and his wife Emma Walters have broken their silence, accusing critics of "dirty ALP politics" and denying the quotes attributed to him.

Mr Setka has also warned the construction union he will not stand down, making the story more complicated for the union movement.

"People are making up lies about what I said. Every time I see Rosie Batty I want to give her a hug," Mr Setka told The New Daily.

"I would rather be called corrupt. It's not even an exaggeration of what I said. It's an outright lie.

Mr Setka's defiance is unlikely to change the position of Mr Albanese who has made a decision to cut Mr Setka off.

Allies of Mr Albanese point out that his tough response to Mr Setka is consistent with previous comments.

Mr Albanese has previously attacked Mr Setka for issuing what he said were "reprehensible" threats against building inspectors and their families.

In June 2017, almost two years ago now, Mr Albanese slammed Mr Setka for seeking to target inspectors' children as part of the union's campaign against the then-Turnbull government's building industry laws.

Mr Setka then described leading builders as "corrupt" and ABCC officials as "f***ers trying to take us to court and jail us".

He said inspectors had to live secret lives but the union would "expose them".

"We will lobby their neighbourhoods, we will tell them who lives in their house and what he does for a living, or she," he said.

"We will go to their local footy club. We will go to the local shopping centre. They will not be able to show their faces anywhere. Their kids will be ashamed of who their parents are when we expose all these ABCC inspectors."

Mr Albanese at the time said the comments were "completely unacceptable".

"I find it extraordinary that any Australian would raise kids in particular," Mr Albanese said. "That just made me shocked that anyone would raise people's families for goodness sake.

"I just think the idea that people should be targeted is completely reprehensible. The comments are offensive. I completely repudiate them. I don't know the bloke."

Rosie Batty and her son Luke, who was attacked and killed by his father in 2014. ( Supplied )

Culture shift

It is a powerful indication of how much our culture has shifted on the issue of domestic violence that a man that seemed bulletproof in the labour movement will face consequences for questioning a woman who has become an advocate for a culture that says no to violence against women.

Ms Batty survives everyday with the unbearable personal consequences of family violence. The least we can expect is for our political leaders to say enough is enough.

Patricia Karvelas is the presenter of RN Drive.