Peter Dudley Symon (13 August 1922 – 18 December 2008) was the General Secretary of the Socialist Party of Australia (since 1996, the Communist Party of Australia) from 1971 to 2008. Symon was a member of the Central Committee of the original

Communist Party of Australia The Communist Party of Australia (CPA), known as the Australian Communist Party (ACP) from 1944 to 1951, was an Australian communist party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been ...

(formed in 1920, disbanded in 1991). He joined at the age of 16, and was one of the hundreds who either resigned or were expelled from the party in 1971. He was a foundation member of the newly created Socialist Party of Australia (SPA) formed in December that year, and was elected General Secretary at its first Congress. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Symon served in the army, then the air force, and in later life worked as a waterside labourer in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

. The SPA changed its name to the Communist Party of Australia at its 1996 Congress. Symon's position as General Secretary was reconfirmed after the Party's 10th Congress in 2005.

References

1922 births 2008 deaths Australian communists {{Australia-politician-stub