Ferguson gags Bougainville address

Issue 

Ferguson gags Bougainville address

By Frank Enright

An invitation to Rosemarie Gillespie to speak about Australia's involvement in the war on Bougainville at a conference of regional Trades and Labour Councils, held at the Clyde Cameron College in Wodonga on February 25, was cancelled at the last minute after ACTU president Martin Ferguson made his displeasure known.

Gillespie, a human rights activist, had been notified on February 24 of her invitation, but apparently when Ferguson arrived at the conference and saw Bougainville on the agenda he insisted that no international issues were to be raised.

"This is just another example of the chicanery that the ACTU leadership is up to to keep Bougainville off the agenda", commented Gillespie.

The biennial conference of the ACTU last year was due to discuss a motion supportive of the Bougainville people when Ferguson, operating behind the scenes, prevented any discussion of international issues on the conference floor.

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