Fred Moore (5 September 1922 – 21 January 2022) was an Australian activist for workers' rights, trade unionist and author who was associated with the South Coast of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, in particular the

Mount Kembla Mount Kembla is a suburb and a mountain in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The suburb, a semi-rural township of Wollongong, gets its name from the mountain, located on the Illawarra escarpment, is derived from an Aborigin ...

area. He had a significant career in the mining industry for over fifty years.

Early life

Moore was born in

Cobar Cobar is a town in Outback New South Wales, Australia, whose economy is based mainly upon base metals and gold mining. The town is by road northwest of the state capital, Sydney. It is at the crossroads of the Kidman Way and Barrier Highwa ...

, on 5 September 1922. He entered the mining industry at age fourteen.

Activism

He was heavily involved in the trade union movement and the Miners' Federation, and became a key figure in campaigning for workers' rights in Australia, as well as agitating for Aboriginal rights. As a result, he was initiated as an Aboriginal tribal elder in the

Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal Regions of New South Wales, region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast, New South Wales, South Coast region. It encompas ...

, as well as a blood-brother to the

Jerrinja Jerrinja is the name of an Aboriginal Australian people from the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Their traditional lands cover from Crooked River in the north to Clyde River in the south, from the coast ( Roseby Park) in the east to ...

people. He was known to local

Koori Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...

s and other activists as "dad". Moore served as chairman of the May Day Committee for over twenty years, and was bestowed life-member status of the Miners Federation and the Miners' Women's Auxiliary. Prior to his death, he was the only living man to have been made an honorary member of this movement. Also a founding member of the First Aboriginal Political movement the indigenous advancement league, he was actively involved in all forms of activism, leading strikes and protests and all forms of civil demonstrations, ranging from the storming of Parliament House and the tent embassy, protesting against Indigenous deaths in custody and leading the May Day march every year for over 40+ years.

Writings

Moore co-authored, with Ray Harrison and Paddy Gorman, two books on the oral history of mining; ''At the Coalface'' (1997), and ''Back at the Coalface'' (2008). He appeared in the 2008 documentary ''Beneath Black Skies'', on mining history in the South Coast of NSW, Australia, as one of the interview subjects.

Recognition

The former South Coast Trade Union Centre in

Wollongong Wollongong ( ; Dharawal: ''Woolyungah'') is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound ...

CBD, and the newer Fred Moore House, home of the CFMEU (Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union), have both been named in the honour of his tireless work for unity within the fields of industrial relations, and human rights. In addition to this, he was also honoured with a memorial on the "Together Wall", at the Jumbulla Aboriginal Discovery Centre,

Bulli Pass Bulli Pass is a mountain pass with an elevation of located northwest of , New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Illawarra escarpment west of the Illawarra coastal plain. It was built during the 19th century for use by loggers and lo ...

, which tells of how a group of women along with Fred Moore, became involved in assisting the indigenous people in their lobbying and protesting in regards to improving their poor living conditions. The South Coast Trade Union Centre, "Fred Moore House" was named in his honour.

Death

Moore died at this home in

Dapto, New South Wales Dapto is a suburb of City of Wollongong, Wollongong in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, located on the western side of Lake Illawarra and covering . As at the , the suburb had a population of 10,954. History The name Dapto i ...

, on 21 January 2022, at the age of 99.

References

External links

At the Coalface at the National Library

Back to the Coalface at the National Library
*

CFMEU official website

At the Coalface at CFMEU

"Community honours inspirational miner stalwart"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Fred 1922 births 2022 deaths Australian coal miners Australian trade unionists People from New South Wales