Brunswick Progress Association
Encyclopedia
The Brunswick Progress Association is a community organisation active in the City of Moreland
Council area, and in particular the suburbs of Brunswick
and Coburg
, inner northern suburbs of Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
. It was first established in 1905 and celebrated its centenary of community activism in 2005.
Australian Labor Party
State Member of Parliament, and later Federal member for the seat of Bourke, Frank Anstey
(1865-1940), was elected on the first Executive Committee of the Brunswick Town Association (Progress). Anstey had a long association with the organisation until his death in 1940. Maurice Blackburn succeeded Frank Anstey as Federal representative for the seat of Bourke and also maintained an active interest in the affairs of the Brunswick Progress Association.
In the cold war atmosphere of 1953 the Brunswick Council passed a resolution not to enter into any correspondence with any person who is a communist or communist sympathiser. In Council elections in 1954 the Mayor and several councillors were defeated and in a meeting of Council the 'Anti-red law' was rescinded 18 votes to 4.
In 1965 the Progress Association was at a low ebb of activity. Two new members, Vic Little and Vida Little, enlivened the organisation, which steadily grew in members as campaigns were launched on local issues and concerns of residents.
In the 1960s and 70s, the Association was very active in opposition to the proposed F2 Freeway along the Merri Creek
, ran a successful campaign for clean air, as Brunswick was then said to be the second most polluted city in Victoria. The clean air campaign in the 1960s was instrumental in establishing the Victorian Environment Protection Authority
in 1972.
In 1971 the Brunswick Progress Association combined with the West Brunswick Progress Association to object significantly to council plans to demolish the Mechanics' Institute, which was built in 1868. The National Trust also objected and the Mechanics' Institute was saved from the wreckers.
In 1973, the Association was active in opposing council plans to demolish the Brunswick Town Hall on Sydney Road
and replace it with a 5 story Civic Centre, costing in excess of $2 million. The Council plans were stopped with a poll of residents resulting in a no vote won by 7 to 1.
In 1975 the Brunswick Progress Association instituted a campaign to get a Community Health Centre complex, the Brunswick City Council opposed it, the Centre was won with wide support from the community. The Moreland Community Health Service is now a multi-million dollar community organisation servicing the health needs of the residents of the City of Moreland
, with major centres on Glenlyon Road in Brunswick, and Bell street in Coburg.
Other campaigns included:
The Association meets at the Clarrie Wohlers Citizens' Centre, Fleming Park, on the corner of Albert and Cross Streets, East Brunswick. All residents are welcome to attend.
City of Moreland
The City of Moreland is a Local Government Area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the inner northern suburbs between 4 and 10 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre....
Council area, and in particular the suburbs of Brunswick
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
and Coburg
Coburg, Victoria
Coburg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland, although a handful of properties on Coburg's Eastern boundary are located in the City of Darebin...
, inner northern suburbs of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was first established in 1905 and celebrated its centenary of community activism in 2005.
History
The movement to form a Town Association (Progress) began early in 1905 in reaction to the non-responsiveness of the Brunswick Council to the concerns of residents. It was the first such body established in the Melbourne metropolitan area. It is likely the Brunswick Progress Association was the second one established in Australia, as a progress association was established at Ballarat in 1904.Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
State Member of Parliament, and later Federal member for the seat of Bourke, Frank Anstey
Frank Anstey
Frank Anstey , Australian politician, served 38 years as a Labor member of the Victorian and Commonwealth parliaments....
(1865-1940), was elected on the first Executive Committee of the Brunswick Town Association (Progress). Anstey had a long association with the organisation until his death in 1940. Maurice Blackburn succeeded Frank Anstey as Federal representative for the seat of Bourke and also maintained an active interest in the affairs of the Brunswick Progress Association.
In the cold war atmosphere of 1953 the Brunswick Council passed a resolution not to enter into any correspondence with any person who is a communist or communist sympathiser. In Council elections in 1954 the Mayor and several councillors were defeated and in a meeting of Council the 'Anti-red law' was rescinded 18 votes to 4.
In 1965 the Progress Association was at a low ebb of activity. Two new members, Vic Little and Vida Little, enlivened the organisation, which steadily grew in members as campaigns were launched on local issues and concerns of residents.
In the 1960s and 70s, the Association was very active in opposition to the proposed F2 Freeway along the Merri Creek
Merri Creek
The Merri Creek is a waterway in southern parts of Victoria, Australia which flows through the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It begins in Wallan north of Melbourne and flows south for 70km until it joins the Yarra River at Dights Falls...
, ran a successful campaign for clean air, as Brunswick was then said to be the second most polluted city in Victoria. The clean air campaign in the 1960s was instrumental in establishing the Victorian Environment Protection Authority
Environment Protection Authority (Victoria)
EPA Victoria is a statutory authority that reports to the Victorian Parliament through the . Its purpose is to protect, care for and improve the environment for the benefit of the Victorian community.-Overview:...
in 1972.
In 1971 the Brunswick Progress Association combined with the West Brunswick Progress Association to object significantly to council plans to demolish the Mechanics' Institute, which was built in 1868. The National Trust also objected and the Mechanics' Institute was saved from the wreckers.
In 1973, the Association was active in opposing council plans to demolish the Brunswick Town Hall on Sydney Road
Sydney Road, Melbourne
Sydney Road is a major urban arterial in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Geography:...
and replace it with a 5 story Civic Centre, costing in excess of $2 million. The Council plans were stopped with a poll of residents resulting in a no vote won by 7 to 1.
In 1975 the Brunswick Progress Association instituted a campaign to get a Community Health Centre complex, the Brunswick City Council opposed it, the Centre was won with wide support from the community. The Moreland Community Health Service is now a multi-million dollar community organisation servicing the health needs of the residents of the City of Moreland
City of Moreland
The City of Moreland is a Local Government Area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the inner northern suburbs between 4 and 10 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre....
, with major centres on Glenlyon Road in Brunswick, and Bell street in Coburg.
Other campaigns included:
- the condition of Sydney RoadSydney Road, MelbourneSydney Road is a major urban arterial in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Geography:...
- Nicholson Street TramTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
Extension - the fight for half rates for pensioners throughout Victoria
- the fight to put the Richmond-Brunswick Power line underground
- the struggle to keep the Upfield railway line open
- campaigns against many factories working at night affecting residents sleep
- support for Friends of the ABC
- opposition to uranium mining in JabilukaJabilukaJabiluka is a uranium deposit and mine development in the Northern Territory of Australia that was to have been built on land belonging to the Mirarr Aboriginal people...
in the Northern Territory - support for public housingPublic housingPublic housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
, public transportPublic transportPublic transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams... - support for Aboriginal land rightsLand rightsLand law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these species of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use agreements, including renting, are an important...
- opposition to privatisation of public utilities
- support for tax reform and opposition to the Goods and Services TaxGoods and Services Tax (Australia)The GST is a broad sales tax of 10% on most goods and services transactions in Australia. It is a value added tax, not a sales tax, in that it is refunded to all parties in the chain of production other than the final consumer....
The Association meets at the Clarrie Wohlers Citizens' Centre, Fleming Park, on the corner of Albert and Cross Streets, East Brunswick. All residents are welcome to attend.