Labor Party activist Joy Ardill was the first woman elected as Vice-President of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1981. In this interview she discusses her time as a Socialist Left (SL) activist in the ALP through the 1970s and 1980s in the lead up to intervention in the party by the National Executive.
Labor Party activist Nic Bos was a member of the Old Guard of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) during the years leading to the National Executive’s 1980 intervention. Associated with the ETU, he held many ALP roles including State President of Young Labor, State ALP Organiser, and State Secretary from 1978.
Queensland Labor Party candidate Lindsay Jones joined the ALP in 1959 and stood, unsuccessfully, in 1974 for the seat of Lockyer, and in 1980 for Toowoomba North. He served as an Alderman on the Toowoomba City Council for six years in the late 1970s. From 1988 Jones worked in various positions in the ALP including as the State Organiser, and then as Assistant State Secretary, until 1996. Together with his wife Norma Jones they were key leaders of reform in Toowoomba leading to the 1980 federal intervention in the Queensland branch of the ALP.
ALP activist Barbara Cross was active in the Labor Women's Central Organising Committee, represented Ryan electorate on the Queensland Central Executive (QCE), and stood unsuccessfully for the Brisbane City Council in 1967. Together with her husband Manfred Cross, they were some of the first to seek reform in the ALP during the 1970s, especially pushing for a stronger role for branch members and women. Manfred Cross, who was interviewed previously in December 2010, tracked his party and parliamentary activities through to the fall of the Whitlam federal government in 1975. This interview takes up the account from that time, and includes Barbara's insights into party activities and the conflicts she perceived which led to her and Manfred's advocacy in favour of federal intervention by the ALP National Executive.
ALP member Greg Moran worked as an ALP State Organiser (1984-91) before taking up positions advising the Brisbane Lord Mayor, Jim Soorley (1991-92) and as Policy Advisor to Ministers during the Goss Government (1992-95). He is an ALP activist, very involved in party and factional activities. He discusses the 1980 federal intervention in the Queensland ALP.
Ian Brusasco joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in about 1960, representing it as an Alderman on the Brisbane City Council for 14 years. He subsequently guided the ALP Inner Executive in turning around the fortunes of their radio station 4KQ, and management of the ALP's finances. In this interview he speaks about those years and about his continued influence after the 1980 intervention by the National Executive into the affairs on the Queensland Branch of the ALP.
Errol Hodder joined the Australian Workers Union (AWU) in 1955 while working in the shearing industry in western Queensland. He worked his way up becoming Queensland Branch Secretary (1982-88) and Federal AWU Secretary (1988-91). He went on to serve on the Queensland and Australian Industrial Relations Commission (1991-2003) and played an active role in the ALP following the 1980 National Executive intervention into the Queensland Branch and leading to the return of the ALP to government in Queensland in 1989.
Bob Henricks discusses his years in the Australian Labor Party (ALP), his involvement in the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) and in the issues confronting the ALP in the years preceding the National Executive's intervention in the Queensland Branch in 1980. He was involved in activism across areas as diverse as environmental issues and anti war and anti-apartheid campaigning.
Unionist Bob Gleeson is from Longreach, where he was a shearing contractor, grazier and staunch Australian Workers Union member. In 1962 he joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) holding many positions within the party, standing twice for the seat of Kennedy and on the ALP's Queensland Senate ticket on two occasions. He was active through the years of reform and intervention in the party and shares his memories of those turbulent years.
Norma Jones has been a stalwart of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since she joined in 1970. At that time Norma lived in Toowoomba, where she was very active, holding many positions in her branch and representing Toowoomba South and the Darling Downs on State Council and State Conferences. During the years leading to the 1980 federal intervention in the ALP, the Toowoomba Branches were in turmoil which led to their closure by the (then) Inner Executive of the ALP. At this time, Norma Jones was central to the movement for reform of the party and is now a Life Member, having continued her involvement and serving as a member of the National ALP Executive and Party Organiser.
