By: Greg Patmore
| The Eighth Australian Labour History Conference, organised by the Brisbane Labour History Association, was held at the Griffith University College of Art, South Bank, Brisbane, 3-5 October 2003. | 1 |
| This was one of the most stimulating and enjoyable labour history conferences I have ever been to. The location on the South Bank of the Brisbane River and the fine weather made the conference even more pleasant. | 2 |
| The range of papers was impressive. There were the traditional labour history concerns such as socialism, trade unions and labourism, plus papers on newer topics that included workers’ education, the representation of labour, and labour heritage. The focus of the conference was largely on the twentieth century with very few papers examining the nineteenth-century experience, and this tends to be a trend in Australian labour historiography. There were also a number of papers that concentrated on important current industrial relations and work issues which all had their origins in the past. As Marcel Van Der Linden once noted in a seminar at the University of Sydney, a focus on the present may be termed ‘contemporary labour history’. | 3 |
| With the necessity of parallel sessions, it was impossible to attend all papers. Some interesting papers I attended included Julie Kimber’s presentation on the impact of World War I on the country centre of Orange in NSW. Julie looked at a range of outsiders in the town, including a pacifist cleric, to emphasise issues such as patriotism and morality. Images of her subjects brought a touch of the personal to a presentation that examined one of the most traumatic periods in Australian history. Carol Corless, a union delegate, highlighted the struggles that workers have faced for the last 25 years at the margarine factory where she worked. Against the background of world markets and the Accord, this paper sheds light on the recent experience of workers at the point of production. | 4 |
| There was a range of other activities that contributed to an excellent conference. Labour banners, which brought colour and important messages to the conference, were everywhere. Trish Nacey’s film on the aftermath of the 1998 Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) dispute was compelling. One scene that particularly stands out was sight of MUA union officers handing out redundancy notices to their members. Debra Beattie’s documentary ‘Manufacturing Dissent’ brought back the memories of the struggles during the period of the Bjelke-Peterson state government in Queensland. Terry Irving’s excellent conference dinner address provided intriguing insights into the early history of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, particularly the role of ASIO, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. [This address has been published in the Sydney Branch publication, Hummer, vol. 4, no. 1, Summer 2003/04.] | 5 |
| There were two overall features of the conference that stood out. The close relationship between labour historians and the labour movement, which is not necessarily a feature of labour history in other countries, was a strong characteristic of the conference. This can be seen in the sponsorship of the conference and the presence of union banners. The opening address was given by Senator George Campbell on the impact of the Accord on future labour governments. The line between labour history and the labour movement was blurred because many participants and presenters are industrial and political activists. | 6 |
| The other feature of the conference was one of generational renewal. Recently the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History took part in an Australian Research Council survey of promising areas of academic research. One of the key points to assessing the standing of the field was whether there was a new generation of researchers emerging. This conference showcased many younger researchers, such as Julie Kimber (from academia) and Carol Corless (from the labour movement). Their presence indicates a promising future for labour history in Australia despite occasional bouts of despondency. One possibility for future conferences is the inclusion in the program of a research workshop for those undertaking major projects, such as theses, in the field of labour history. | 7 |
| Overall the Brisbane Labour History Association is to be congratulated for organising an excellent conference and producing the proceedings so promptly. [Bradley Bowden and John Kellett (eds), Transforming Labour — Work, Workers, Struggle and Change: Proceedings of the Eighth National Labour History Conference, Brisbane Labour History Association, Brisbane. 2003, pp. 378. is available from Bradley Bowden: [email protected]] | 8 |
| This conference set a very high standard for the next National Labour History Conference which will be held at the University of Sydney from 30 June to 1 July 2005 inclusive. | 9 |
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