4000 march for May Day in Brisbane
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — Some four thousand unionists and members of political organisations marched here on May Day from the Trades and Labour Council to Albert Park in the annual Labour Day parade on May 1.
ACTU and ALP leaders marched at the head as usual, but the labour movement leaders made every attempt to further depoliticise May Day by removing even the speeches from ALP politicians at the festival which followed in the park.
ACTU acting secretary John Thompson said: "We have tried to do away with [speeches by] union officials and politicians; it's for families enjoying themselves."
The highlight of the festival was an operetta by the Combined Unions Choir entitled Christopher Skase.
Among the many groups in the political organisations section of the march, placed at the end, the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance contingent was the most colourful and vociferous.
Red flags and banners, and loud chants about East Timor, abortion, woodchipping, land rights and unemployment enlivened the march.
Following the festival, Philippines union leaders Terasita Carpio gave greetings to a May Day toast held at the Resistance Centre. Other speakers included Zanny Begg from the DSP and Resistance, Ray Ferguson from the Socialist Party of Australia and Ovideo Orellana from the Guatemalan community.
Music from Helen Rowe, Phil Monsour and friends and Mark Cronin made for a most enjoyable event.