The AMIEU Newcastle & Northern Branch represents thousands of meat workers, dairy workers, and workers in associated industries all across the northern reaches of NSW.
We understand that Chris Minns has announced his intention to stand for leadership of the NSW Labor Party, of which we are affiliated. We wish to take this opportunity to make it perfectly clear that we will not, under any circumstances, accept Mr. Minns as NSW Labor Party leader.
Mr. Minns used his maiden speech in the NSW Parliament to attack unions and suggest that they be kicked out of the Labor Party. This is an unacceptable attitude from a man who is unfit to be a leader.
“The Labor party was founded by the trade union movement more than 100 years ago. It is, and always has been, the party of the working class – not the party of silk suits with no real-life work experience,” said AMIEU Newcastle & Northern NSW Secretary Grant Courtney.
“The gap between rich and poor in Australia is widening every year and Mr. Minns thinks the solution is to push trade unions out of the party they founded? And now he thinks he should be allowed to lead us into the next election?”
“We are not interested in hearing from career politicians who don’t understand the first thing about their own party. We will not recognise or accept Mr Minns as a candidate for the leadership of the NSW Labor Party.”
“If Mr. Minns wants to lead a party of out-of-touch elitists who have no idea what life is like for regular Australians, he can go and have a crack at the leadership of the Liberal Party.”
“The AMIEU has well-honed knife skills for dealing with rogues. If Mr. Minns thinks he can unite the Labor party behind him after these kind of comments then he’s about to find out just how sharp our knives are.”
More information:
Grant Courtney
Secretary
AMIEU Newcastle & Northern NSW
PH: (02) 4929 5496
amieu@meatworker.com.au