CFMEU Marks 50th Anniversary Of Sydney’s Pink Bans
Image: Image: Macquarie University
This year marks the 50th anniversary and commemorations for the first Pink Ban, when Australian workers led by the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF ) went on strike, after a gay student was expelled from his Macquarie University college due to his sexuality.
In June of 1973, gay activist and Macquarie University student Jeremy Fisher was sexually assaulted on a date. After attempting to take his own life and with the nature of his activism and sexuality becoming apparent to the dean of his college. He was refused re-entry until he was able to repress himself.
This incident sparked widespread resistance and mobilised many different groups to help defend Jeremy, as well as condemn Robert Menzies College Dean Alan Cole for his comments.
Pink Bans
One group that stood up was the BLF. Now the CFMEU, the union encouraged ‘Pink Bans’, requesting that members walk off construction sites across the campus in a show of solidarity.
Being led by known environmentalist Jack Mundy, the union also implemented ‘Green Bans’ which saw workers refuse to do jobs on environmental and housing spaces seen as safe spaces for the queer community.
The mounting pressure eventually saw Robert Menzies College give in to the demands from both unions and student activist groups, offering Jeremy Fisher back his place. However, in a dignified move, Fisher refused the spot offered to him, instead happy he was able to challenge the precedent of expelling and barring students from institutions due to their sexuality.
Green Bans
The Green Bans were part of a wider political cause of social responsibility in the labour movement, helping preserve some of Sydney’s most disadvantaged communities such as Surry Hills and Darling Hurst, which also doubled as safe havens for the queer community, as well as Indigenous communities in Redfern.
Considered a seminal moment in the Australian Queer Rights movement, the CFMEU has commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Pink Bans and states it remains committed to the causes of queer solidarity and allyship.
Thanks a million John Witte for sending me this article from the Star Observer. Thanks also to Alexander Driscoll for including a photograph in the article from the Jeremy Thorpe trial. I see some of my gay comrades standing outside the Old Bailey in London (1979).
Hi Alexander,
I have found errors in this article and with the images and attributions for the images. I contributed words and images for the World Pride “Pink Bans” exhibition and have interviewed Jeremy for the Pride History Group Oral History Collection (now on-line) and in a distant life, was Secretary of the NSW Gay Trade Unionists’ Group. I am now more interested in how the article came about – the media release, the research, the people spoken to etc. I’d appreciate a chance to go over the article with you and discuss my concerns.
John