Elliot D’arcy is from the Rail Bus and Tram Union (RTBU), a refugee activist, putting together the Unions for Refugees group during the blockade of the Kangaroo Point hotel. He is also a member of the Search Foundation set up by the former Communist Party. Like many others in the labour movement, Elliot is steeped in socialist values of equality and peace, and is opposed to racism.
On Palm Sunday, Elliot expressed concern over the Australian purchase of nuclear submarines from the US, arguing it ties Australia to US foreign policy goals, particularly the containment of China, and compromises Australia’s sovereignty. The submarines, he said, will always be under US control, and Australia will be responsible for nuclear waste disposal.
The deal also includes the upgrading of US military bases, leading to a significant US military presence in Australia. D’Arcy said that Australia’s involvement in the AUKUS pact would lead to Australia being drawn into a US-led conflict with China. He advocated for the Australian government to break ties with the US and to pursue an independent foreign policy, calling for the end of nuclear submarine programs, the closure of Pine Gap, and support for Palestinian independence.
Is there an alternative to socialism?
Strangely, there was an attempt in the middle of his speech to shout the RTBU organiser down. A group that had marched to the rally chanting: “We are the students we won’t be silent stop the bombing now now now!” The group was greeted warmly by Remah Naji from Justice for Palestine Magan-djin, the organisers and participants.
The students did not listen to Remah Naji’s introduction of Elliot, then blindly led by Socialist Alternative, began to shout down Elliot: “Labor Party you can’t hide you‘re supporting genocide!” directed at the speaker.
A former Labor Party member went up to the students and challenged them saying that she was critical of the Labor government’s ever since Kim Beasley because Labor and Liberal governments had followed the United States into wars against Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen.
The students argued that the speaker should have resigned from the Labor Party. People near the group expressed concern at their interjections.
The group was led to the rally by Kay Broadbent from the Socialist Alternative (SALT), who was a Senior Lecturer in Employment Relations at Griffith University. Her thesis was on Japanese Labour history.
The motivations of the leaders of that group are hard to fathom. Just last week, the group organised a forum at the University of Queensland titled: Why Stalinism is not socialism. We have to wonder what kind of alternative SALT is proposing? Is it appropriate in the middle of a genocide to resort to sectarian intervention? At a time when people are being slaughtered because of complicity by Australia, United States, and the United Kingdom with Israel.
This is how Elliott responded to the heckling from Socialist Alternative.
Okay, for those … (Interjection ” Labor Party, you can’t hide your supporting genocide”) … so you are right to be suspicious. The purchase of these submarines is really alarming, not only because it’s going to cost so much, but because it locks Australia into a certain set of foreign policy values, the US right now, their stated goal is to contain and control China. This is our largest trading partner in the Pacific.
I think what’s really lost in this deal, though, is that, although the government is claiming that it will increase our defence capabilities, we will never control these submarines. These will be Australian flag submarines controlled completely by strategic command by the United States. So they now own a part of our Navy, which they can do what they like. In addition to that, because they’re nuclear submarines, we’re going to have to dispose of the waste, and it’s our responsibility under this pact to dispose of it. It’s unbelievable. On top of that, the deal also includes the upgrading of existing US military bases, which will mean the highest concentration of US military personnel in Australia since the Second World War, right?
So, the highest concentration of military personnel in Australia since we are at war in the Pacific with Japan. When? When Queensland, when Brisbane was the headquarters of the Pacific Theater. So it’s not just a deal about submarines that, but between that and the continual operation of Pine Gap, it’s hard to see Australia as a sovereign nation at all anymore. A part of our … you know … will be occupied by the Australian military, covered in US bases and part of our Navy will be adjunct to the American war machine. It’s a total disgrace.
The current AUKUS pact and the position of Australia and the and the UK and our allies will undoubtedly lead to Australia being dragged into a US led war in the Pacific with China. This is our backyard, and this will be the great conflict of the 21st century. The US and the UK will be safe in the knowledge that they don’t have to deal with it. It won’t be in their backyard. It’ll be in ours. It’ll be our problem. They’ll be safe at home on the other side of the world.
But in this disaster, there’s an opportunity. We have seen an increasingly erratic and unreliable United States, one that seems to have an axe to grind against the rest of the world. This is our opportunity to uncouple our relationship with that country. Australia cannot have a truly independent and peaceful foreign policy if we continue our military relationship with the United States, we must uncouple, and this is our opportunity. That is my time. But I’ll just leave you with this, no war, no nuclear subs, no AUKUS !Close Pine Gap! and Free Palestine! Thank you. Applause.
What kind of socialist organisation would use our own slogans against union comrades who support Palestine?
We are the people we won’t be silent stop the bombing now now!
Ian Curr
14 April 2025
Here is the full speech of the Rail Bus and Tram Union organiser, Elliot D’Arcy
The ALP membership is in turmoil about the government’s response to Israel and Labor for Palestine have been agitating during the elections campaign JFP wouldn’t even support them, they just whinged that it was too little too late, they are sectarian trippers.
John Tracey, Simply not true. Labor Friends of Palestine attend JFP public meetings and rallies and have done so since 2009. They participate in the debates about how to engage with the union movement and the QCU. One LFP member initiated negotiations with the QCU about JFPs participation in the 2025 May Day celebrations.
You and others may be confusing JFPs response to Labor politicians with its response to Labor Friends of Palestine, particularly those who are in the peace and union movements.
People need to read ‘How Labour Governs – A Study of Workers’ representation in Australia’ by Vere Gordon Childe or LeftPress’s ‘Dawn to Dusk – reminiscences of a rebel’ by Ernie Lane to understand the bitter disillusionment of radical workers and their unions with the parliamentary wing of the Labor Party.
Dear readers, I have taken these comments from John Tracey’s Facebook page. I have chosen the context, yes, but because his claims relate to this article.
Ian Curr, I support Palestinian self-determination and oppose the Zionist state. The only real thing Australia can do is diplomatically support a Palestinian state and sanction the Zionist state. The only way that could happen is if there was a community mobilisation to support Labor Friends of Palestine, the unions and ALP membership to pressure the government to support Palestine. Remah, who left Labor friends of Palestine, and JFP have done the opposite of that, they have attacked and discredited the only people capable of doing anything, they are useful idiots of Zionism.
John Tracey you forget the weapons trade between Israel, Australia and the United States outlined by Antony Loewenstein and David Shoebridge. We mean to stop that trade in weapons used in the genocide in Gaza. Check out EOS, BOEING, FERRA ENGINEERING etc
A state of panic and fear among patients in the Arab Baptist Hospital after receiving a warning to evacuate the hospital in preparation for its bombing. Patients are now in the streets and dozens of them are in danger and facing death after the exit.