When
to
Where
Aunty Alma Thorpe's Gathering Place
546-550 High Street
Preston VIC 3072
Australia
Why
Panel discussion and Q&A with Dr. Gary Foley, Celeste Liddle and Kalimna Jackomos on the workers movement in 'Australia'.
“The unions were like our boondi or nulla nulla [fighting stick]. That’s what we need back today, for the young people to understand that we are all working-class people, we have power in the union to fight the system.” — Uncle Ray Peckham
Join us on Saturday June 20th 2026 for a facilitated discussion with Dr. Gary Foley, Celeste Liddle, and Kalimna Jackomos on the history and current situation of the workers movement in 'Australia', their own experiences of and within the unions, as well as the organising and solidarity needed today to rebuild workers power for First Nations issues.
Tickets available from Trybooking.
There will be a Q&A section, and time to socialise after.
Panelists
Dr. Gary Foley is an Aboriginal activist, writer, actor, Professor in History at Victoria University and Director of the Aboriginal History Archive. As a member of the Black Power movement in the 1970s, Dr. Foley collaborated with the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) and other radical factions of the union movement.
Celeste Liddle is an Arrernte woman, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Indigenous Organiser for the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) as well as a freelance opinion writer, social commentator and public speaker. Her writings are in publications like The Guardian and Crikey, as well as her blog Rantings of an Aboriginal Feminist.
Kalimna Jackomos is a Yorta Yorta Erub, Zenadth Kes Winyah registered nurse, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) member and job rep. She currently works part time within an APS Regulator as a clinician and part time for Women's ACCO in health advocacy. She founded and convenes of rank-and-file, member-led ANMF Vic Blak Caucus @blakanmfvic.
About ticket costs
Tickets available from Trybooking.
Whatever funds we gather from the ticket sales and donations will go towards our venue costs — Aunty Alma Thorpe's Gathering Place at Dardi Munwurro in Preston. Opened in honour of Aunty Alma Thorpe, a leader in Aboriginal healthcare, Dardi Munwurro is a specialist Aboriginal family violence service. Delivering programs to break the cycle of inter-generational trauma in Aboriginal families and communities.
- Mob free
- Unwaged $5
- Waged $10
- Solidarity $20
If you're waged and tight on money it's fine to choose unwaged.
Tickets available from Trybooking.
Access info
The panel discussion will take place outdoors in the large undercover marquee.
Public transport
- Buses 552, 553 have stops on High St.
- 10 min walk from Regent Station on the Mernda Line
- 10 min walk from Wood St/Plenty road tram stop on 86 line.
Parking free on the main road during our event, plenty of parking on side streets, also car park behind Preston Hotel across the road.
Enter from High St. Location features a flat entry. There are ramps for bathroom with wheelchair accessible door frame.
Stay home if you’re sick or if you’ve been exposed to someone who’s sick. We will also have some N95 masks available.
We’ll have some snacks, tea, cold drinks there. Cafe will be open for coffee on donation.
No remote attendance sorry!
Follow us on Instagram @arcuporg for further event updates. You can also contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Contact
ARC UP Anarchists
[email protected]
arcup.org
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