20,000 march in Brisbane on Labour Day

KASAMA Vol. 26 No. 2 / April-May-June 2012 / Solidarity Philippines Australia Network

Labour Day, also known as Eight Hours Day in Tasmania and May Day in the Northern Territory, commemorates the granting of the eight-hour working day for Australians. It also recognizes workers’ contributions towards the nation’s economy. It is an annual public holiday and its date varies across the states and territories. The Queensland Council of Unions estimate 20,000 joined the march and rally in Brisbane on 7th May this year.

Photos on this page by Dee Dicen Hunt
Labour Day 2012

Ian Curr in the Workers Bush Telegraph wrote: “Positive events occurred this Labour Day in Brisbane. The Labor Party apologised for selling off public assets like Queensland Rail … [another] was the entry into the march by the Sovereign Tent Embassy mob calling for self-determination. Later in the day when the Phil Monsour band played ‘Black Fella, White Fella‘, it brought the Murri contingent and their non-indigenous supporters to their feet with the land rights flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag and the Sovereignty banners waving before the attendant crowd. It showed the power of social movements when solid organising at the tent embassy over the past two months has raised crucial issues like Stolen Children, Stolen Wages and Stolen Land.” http://workersbushtelegraph.com.au/2012/05/10/14701/