Rally against racism motion dumped by NT TLC
DARWIN — At its monthly meeting on August 25, the NT Trades and Labour Council refused to endorse a rally against racism, organised for the next day outside a recruiting meeting of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.
The motion, which requested endorsement, a TLC speaker at the rally and the assistance of experienced marshals, was first put to the TLC executive on August 20. The executive referred it to the monthly meeting for "broader debate".
At that meeting, the Community and Public Sector Union secretary, Janet Crews, successfully moved a procedural motion to prevent Tim Stewart, who proposed the motion to support the rally, from addressing the TLC.
Crews argued that Stewart, a CPSU delegate to the TLC for three years, did not carry any authority on the TLC because he had not consulted with the CPSU about his decision to stand as a candidate in the NT election on August 30. Stewart had recently resigned from normal duties in order to stand.
The motion to support the rally was moved by Didge McDonald and seconded by Gordo Harris. Crews and Rob Hitchcock pushed for an amendment, arguing that the TLC should not endorse any event that would give trade unionists a bad name. They cited the August 19 demonstration in Canberra last year and recent protests outside Hanson meetings as reasons that the TLC should not put its name to the rally.
Crews argued against assisting with marshalling. Jeannie Mason, a National Tertiary Education and Industry Union delegate, argued strongly that TLC involvement in building the rally would give Hanson more publicity than she deserved.
The motion that was eventually passed committed the TLC only to providing a speaker, if the rally was peaceful.