Jack Mundey
Encyclopedia
Jack Mundey is a distinguished Australian union and environmental
activist. He came to prominence during the 1970s for leading the New South Wales
Builders' Labourers Federation (BLF) in the famous Green Bans, whereby the BLF led a successful campaign to protect the built
and natural environment
of Sydney
from excessive and inappropriate development. Mundey is now Chair of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.
in far north Queensland
and one of five children. His mother died when he was six. He was educated at Malanda Primary School and St. Augustine's Cairns from which he ran away, due to their 'authoritarian methods' of discipline. Mundey came to Sydney in the early 1950s when he was 19 and became a metalworker and later builder's labourer joining successively the Federated Ironworkers' Union and Builders Labourers Federation
. It was during this period in heavy industry that he 'became ... concerned about the lack of safety, about the paucity of conditions and where my interest in trade unionism and egalitarian attitudes really developed.' In that time he also played rugby league
for Parramatta
under coach Vic Hey
for three years. He joined the Communist Party of Australia
in 1957.
During the 1960s Mundey was a crusading unionist, an advocate in a wide range of issues, from safety
reforms on building sites to wider social issues, such as feminism
, gay rights, and the impact of international politics. Mundey considered all of these matters appropriate targets for union activism.
s that saved much of Sydney's heritage and built environment. He insisted that the priorities of development be reversed such that the open community spaces and heritage buildings be preserved and that affordable public housing was more important than accumulating empty or underused commercial buildings.
In 1975 Mundey and other NSW leaders of the BLF were expelled from the union by the federal leadership under Norm Gallagher
, who was later to be convicted of corrupt dealings with developers (but subsequently overturned on appeal).
In 1982 his only son Michael was killed in a car accident.
In 1988 the University of Western Sydney
bestowed an honorary Doctor of Letters and also an honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of his years of service to the environment for the last 30 years.
Mundey was made a Life Member of the Australian Conservation Foundation
in the 1990s.
In 1995, in keeping with his continued deep interest in Sydney and the state's urban environment and heritage, he was appointed Chair of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.
In February 2007, the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales renamed a portion of Argyle Street
in The Rocks
"Jack Mundey Place" in recognition of his leadership 'in the fight to preserve such significant sites in the historic Rocks area'. http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/news/rocks.asp
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
activist. He came to prominence during the 1970s for leading the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Builders' Labourers Federation (BLF) in the famous Green Bans, whereby the BLF led a successful campaign to protect the built
Built environment
The term built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and buildings to neighborhoods and cities that can often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.The built...
and natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
from excessive and inappropriate development. Mundey is now Chair of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.
Early years
Jack Mundey was born on 17 October 1929 in Malanda 100 km west of Cairns on the Atherton TablelandAtherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
in far north Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and one of five children. His mother died when he was six. He was educated at Malanda Primary School and St. Augustine's Cairns from which he ran away, due to their 'authoritarian methods' of discipline. Mundey came to Sydney in the early 1950s when he was 19 and became a metalworker and later builder's labourer joining successively the Federated Ironworkers' Union and Builders Labourers Federation
Builders Labourers Federation
The Builders Labourers Federation is an Australian trade union organisation which existed from 1911 until 1972, and from 1976 until 1986, when it was permanently deregistered in various Australian States by the federal Labor government and some state governments of the time. This occurred in the...
. It was during this period in heavy industry that he 'became ... concerned about the lack of safety, about the paucity of conditions and where my interest in trade unionism and egalitarian attitudes really developed.' In that time he also played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for Parramatta
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
under coach Vic Hey
Vic Hey
Vic Hey born Liverpool, New South Wales, was an Australian rugby league national and state representative five-eighth and later a successful first-grade and national coach. His Australian club playing career commenced with the Western Suburbs Magpies and concluded with the Parramatta Eels. In...
for three years. He joined the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
in 1957.
During the 1960s Mundey was a crusading unionist, an advocate in a wide range of issues, from safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
reforms on building sites to wider social issues, such as feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, gay rights, and the impact of international politics. Mundey considered all of these matters appropriate targets for union activism.
The Green Bans
In 1968, he was elected secretary of the NSW Builders' Labourers Federation (BLF). From this position, Mundey became the highly visible individual who, with his union and supportive community members, was responsible for the green banGreen ban
A green ban is a form of strike action, usually taken by a trade union or other organised labour group, which is conducted for environmentalist or conservationist purposes.-Background:...
s that saved much of Sydney's heritage and built environment. He insisted that the priorities of development be reversed such that the open community spaces and heritage buildings be preserved and that affordable public housing was more important than accumulating empty or underused commercial buildings.
In 1975 Mundey and other NSW leaders of the BLF were expelled from the union by the federal leadership under Norm Gallagher
Norm Gallagher
Norm Gallagher was a controversial Australian trade unionist, and Marxist-Leninist who led the militant Builders Labourers Federation as federal Secretary and as Victorian State Secretary....
, who was later to be convicted of corrupt dealings with developers (but subsequently overturned on appeal).
Later life
His autobiography Green Bans and Beyond was published in 1981.In 1982 his only son Michael was killed in a car accident.
In 1988 the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
bestowed an honorary Doctor of Letters and also an honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of his years of service to the environment for the last 30 years.
Mundey was made a Life Member of the Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Conservation Foundation
The Australian Conservation Foundation is an Australian non-profit, community-based environmental organisation focused on advocacy, policy research and community outreach.-History:...
in the 1990s.
In 1995, in keeping with his continued deep interest in Sydney and the state's urban environment and heritage, he was appointed Chair of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.
In February 2007, the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales renamed a portion of Argyle Street
Argyle Street
Argyle Street is the name of a street in many cities and towns. Notable among these are:Australia*Argyle Street, the Rocks, Sydney*Argyle Street, Hobart, Tasmania*Argyle Street, Fitzroy, MelbourneCanada*Argyll Road, Edmonton...
in The Rocks
The Rocks, New South Wales
The Rocks is an urban locality, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney's city centre, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district...
"Jack Mundey Place" in recognition of his leadership 'in the fight to preserve such significant sites in the historic Rocks area'. http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/news/rocks.asp
External links
- Jack Mundey biography = australianbiography.gov.au
- Australian Trade Union Archives entry
- http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Jack%20Mundey