Townsville's large, dazzling May Day / Labour Day march included a musical group from Amnesty International who cavorted about playing tunes on kalamazoos -We All Live On A Yellow Submarine, Waltzing Matilda and other catchy numbers. Later on , when marchers gathered in the park on The Strand , several of the Amnesty musicans got up on stage under a marquee and a prancing female member was introduced to the large, cheering audience as none other than Madonna .
As if this was not surprise enough , gyrating Madonna was joined by the late guitar picking social activist Pete Seeger , a miraculous resurrection. A mighty roar went up when it was stated that Labour Day was being celebrated on the traditional day , not that ordained by the Campbell Newman Government which showed its disdain for workers by moving it to October .
A highly detailed speech about what had gone on at Queensland Nickel over the years , safety and health shortcomings , failed to be reported by the local media .
There was another mighty roar when the ALP candidate in the Federal seat of Herbert , Cathy O'Toole , above ,who had been at the front of the parade , addressed the gathering and the call was made to oust the LNP incumbent , Ewen Jones . It is no surprise then that the following item has surfaced.
It being the 125th anniversary of the Queensland shearers strikes which led to the formation of the Labor Party , Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and former ALP Prime Minister Bob Hawke took part in celebrations at Barcaldine. Many were shocked to see Bob , 86, in a wheelchair . He stood and sang the workers' anthem Solidarity Forever .
"This is where the great Australian
Labor Party started,” he said. “No institution, more than the union movement
and Labor Party, have approached what their contribution has been in shaping
the character and quality of the Australia we enjoy today.”
