The Federal Government has been left red-faced after Victoria Police dropped blackmail charges against two union leaders.

Victorian CFMEU leaders John Setka and Shaun Reardon had been accused of threatening Boral executives at a cafe meeting in April 2013.

Prosecutors dropped the charges after an exhaustive legal battle during a pre-trial committal hearing in the Magistrates Court.

Minister for Small and Family Business Craig Laundy tells Ross Greenwood “it’s absolute rubbish”.

“You are talking about a long history of criminal behaviour, $14.9 million of fines to the CMFEU and their officials in the past three years.

“They’ve currently got 70 officials before the courts in some 39 matters.”

Listen to the full interview below

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