The easiest way is to show the direct overlap between communist organisations, unions, and Aboriginal land rights campaigns, backed by historical records consists of the following;
1. Communist Party of Australia (CPA) Involvement
โข The CPA openly supported Aboriginal rights from the 1930s.
โข They provided organisers, meeting spaces, printing presses, and union connections.
โข Many early Aboriginal activists (e.g. Fred Maynard, Jack Patten, William Ferguson) worked alongside or were supported by CPA members.
2. The 1938 โDay of Mourningโ
โข Organised by the Aborigines Progressive Association, supported by left-wing and communist-aligned activists.
โข CPA-linked newspapers promoted the event and distributed material.
3. Trade Unions and Communist Networks
โข The Waterside Workersโ Federation, heavily influenced by communists, funded and supported Aboriginal causes.
โข Union organisers helped Aboriginal stockmen during the 1966 Wave Hill Walk-Off, linking Indigenous activism with broader labour/Marxist struggles.
4. International Communist Links
โข Soviet publications often cited Australiaโs treatment of Aborigines as evidence of Western hypocrisy.
โข Australian communists used Aboriginal struggles in international forums (UN, peace congresses) to advance anti-imperialist narratives.
5. ASIO and Government Surveillance
โข Declassified ASIO files document surveillance of Aboriginal activists due to their direct association with communists.
โข Key Aboriginal leaders were branded โinfluenced by communistsโ in intelligence reports.
You need only to look at the CPA archives, union records, ASIO surveillance files, and public campaigns like the 1938 Day of Mourning and 1966 Wave Hill strike. These clearly show that communist elements, both Australian and international, were intertwined with the Aboriginal land rights struggle.
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