Photos: May Day 2023

May 2, 2023
Issue 

May Day marches were organised in Boorloo/Perth, Gadi/Sydney and Meanjin/Brisbane on May 1 and on the Kombumerri/Gold Coast and Walyalup/Fremantle on April 30. More will take place on May 6.

From Kombumerri, Susan Price reports that hundreds of unionists and their families attended the Labour Day march at Broadbeach on April 30.

Strong contingents of Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) members and Electrical Trades Union members were joined by contingents of Nurses union members, United Workers Union members, Queensland Teachers Union and Independent Education Union members, Transport Workers Union members, plumbers, communication, retail and other union contingents.

From Sydney, Jim McIlroy reports Darren Greenfield, CFMEU New South Wales secretary, told the Gadi rally that unions had to hold governments to account.

“We need to make sure that they are changing systems to suit workers, and union members and unions. We still have laws in this state, industrial laws, around the ABCC … and we’re calling on Labor again today go get rid of them,” he said.

Alex Salmon reports unions, campaign groups and parties marched through Walyalup. Socialist, Greens and Stop AUKUS campaigners (who found themselves behind the Labor contingent) chanted: “Money for wages and the poor, not for fossil fuels and war”.

Renfrey Clarke reports from Tarndanya/Adelaide trade unionists rallied at Tarntanyangga (Victoria Square) on April 29 before marching to the east parklands. Prominent themes in the speeches and on placards were opposition to the federal government's nuclear submarine program and support for a "Yes" vote in the referendum on an indigenous Voice.

Gold Coast. Photo: Susan Price
Gold Coast. Photo: Susan Price
Gold Coast. Photo: Susan Price
Walyalup/Fremantle. Photo: Alex Salmon
Meanjin. Photo: Viv Miley
Meanjin. Photo: Viv Miley
Meanjin. Photo: Viv Miley
Warrang. Photo: Peter Boyle

Thousands of workers marched through Sydney to demand that state and federal Labor governments support workers' rights, urgent action on climate emergency and oppose the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal. Everyone was urged to join the protest in Port Kembla on May 6, which is being considered as a base for the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines.

Warrang. Photo: Peter Boyle
Warrang. Photo: Peter Boyle
Muloobinba/Newcastle. Photo: Steve O'Brien
Muloobinba/Newcastle. Photo: Steve O'Brien
Walyalup/Fremantle. Photo: Alex Salmon

In the first Unions WA May Day rally since 2019, unions, campaign groups and political parties marched through Walyalup (Fremantle). Socialist, Greens and Stop AUKUS campaigners (who found themselves behind the Labor contingent) chanted: “Money for wages and the poor, not for fossil fuels and war”.

Walyalup/Fremantle. Photo: Alex Salmon
Front of the march, Meanjin/Brisbane
Front of the march, Meanjin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge
Sex work is work, Meanjin/Brisbane
Sex work is work, Meanjin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge
Free speech, free press, free Assange
Free speech, free press, free Assange. Meanjin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge
Stop AUKUS
Stop AUKUS, Meanjin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge
Tarndanya/Adelaide. Photo: Renfrey Clarke

Trade unionists and progressives rallied on Tarntanyangga (Victoria Square) before marching to the east parklands on April 29. Prominent themes in the speeches and on placards were opposition to the federal government's nuclear submarine program, and support for a "Yes" vote in the referendum on an indigenous Voice.

Tarndanya/Adelaide. Photo: Renfrey Clarke
Tarndanya/Adelaide. Photo: Renfrey Clarke
Tarndanya/Adelaide. Photo: Renfrey Clarke
May Day in nipauna/Hobart. Photo: supplied

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