Labor Leader Anthony Albanese will move to expel high-profile union official John Setka from the party over his comments about anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty.

“I have written to the secretary of the Labor Party, advising him that at the next meeting of the national executive, I will move for John Setka’s expulsion from the Australian Labor Party,” he told reporters in Perth on Tuesday.

“John Setka is completely unacceptable to me as leader of the Australian Labor Party and I don’t want him in our party. It’s that simple.

“I have also asked the National Executive Committee to suspend his membership from the Labor Party from today. It stops.”

Mr Setka, the Victorian secretary of the CFMMEU, claims he was “taken out of context” after reportedly telling a union meeting that Ms Batty’s advocacy had led to men having fewer rights.

Mr Albanese said he had spoken with Ms Batty, following Mr Setka ‘s comments and was confident the national executive would unanimously support his decision.

“I spoke to Rosie Batty yesterday about her concern with the views that he expressed, as she indicated she’s disappointed that this was a distraction from the honour that she received yesterday,” he said.

Ms Batty was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for her advocacy work on Sunday as part of the Queen’s Birthday celebrations. 

Earlier, outgoing senior Labor senator Doug Cameron demanded Mr Setka resign over the comments.

“There is nothing mindful about the alleged behaviour of John Setka. He should put the movement and members first by resigning,” Senator Cameron tweeted on Tuesday.

It comes after ACTU secretary Sally McManus called on Mr Setka to apologise about his comments about Ms Batty, calling the reported comments “appalling and unacceptable”.

“They do not reflect our values or the work that unions do to campaign against family and domestic violence and should be immediately withdrawn and apologised for,” she told SBS News in a statement.

“Rosie’s courage and work has improved Australia for the better by making important progress toward the goal that our movement shares of ending family and domestic violence.”

I strongly support the CFMMEU. Workers need effective and strategic unions. It’s what my union called being a “mindful militant”. There is nothing mindful about the alleged behaviour of John Setka. He should put the movement and members first by resigning.

Following Mr Setka’s comments Ms Batty’s anti-violence work led to men having fewer rights, the response was swift, with ex-ACTU assistant secretary Tim Lyons calling for his sacking.

“He’s gotta go. Yesterday,” Mr Lyons tweeted.