The Australian Journalists Association (AJA) was an Australian trade union for journalists from 1910–1992.[1][2]

In 1913 the Australian Journalists' Association merged with the Australian Writers' and Artists' Union.[3] This union had been formed in 1910,[4][5] launched on 9 September of that year in the Sydney Trades Hall by Harold Mercer[6] (1882–1952), also known as Harold St Aubyn, a prolific writer who was involved in the creation of 28 new unions in total.[7]

On 18 May 1992 it amalgamated with Actors' Equity and the Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association to create the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.[8] The AJA section is now known as MEAA Media.[9]

New AJA

In 2022 a new Australian Journalists Association appeared, which was not part of the MEAA. It forged a sponsorship arrangement with the Kennedy Foundation to provide A$50,000 to acquire naming rights to the Kennedy Awards,[10] the richest media awards program in Australia.[11] However this organisation was dubbed a "fake union", with ties to TNT Radio (an internet radio outlet whose focus is fringe topics and conspiracy theories,[12] including anti-vaccination misinformation), which had also provided A$50,000 to the Kennedy Awards.[10]

This new AJA had appropriated the name, but was in fact created by Journalists First Inc., a small group of conservative political operatives based in Queensland. It was one of a group of Red Unions[13] (labelled "fake unions", as they were set up with political motives to divide the union movement, attracting members by their anti-vaccine mandate stance[14]). It was not run by journalists and had no standing in industrial tribunals. In May 2022 the Kennedy Foundation cut its ties with this AJA, in a move welcomed by the MEAA.[13]

References

  1. ^ Sparrow, Geoffrey E; Sparrow, Geoff; Australian Journalists' Association (1960), Crusade for journalism : official history of the Australian Journalists Association, The Association, retrieved 26 January 2012
  2. ^ Lloyd, C. J. (Clement John) (1985), Profession - journalist : a history of the Australian Journalists' Association, Hale & Iremonger, ISBN 978-0-86806-227-3
  3. ^ "Mutch, Thomas Davies, 1885-1958". NSW Parliamentarians. State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  4. ^ Darian-Smith, K.; Waghorne, J. (2019). The First World War, the Universities and the Professions in Australia 1914-1939. Melbourne University Publishing. p. 416. ISBN 978-0-522-87290-3. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Australian Writers and Artists Union". The Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Australian Writers and Artists' Union". Daily Herald. Vol. 1, no. 191. South Australia. 14 October 1910. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Harold Mercer". AustLit. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  8. ^ "25 years and going strong". MEAA. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  9. ^ "MEAA Media". MEAA. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Roundup: NBCUniversal content battle, Kennedy Awards controversy". Mediaweek. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  11. ^ "The Kennedy Awards – Excellence in Journalism". The Kennedy Awards. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  12. ^ Wilson, Cam (12 July 2022). "How TNT Radio became the home of Australian conspiracy-promoting politicians and personalities". Crikey. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Kennedy Awards make right decision to cut ties with fake union". MEAA. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  14. ^ Bonyhady, Nick (30 September 2021). "Australia COVID: ACTU labels associations 'fake unions' using jab mandate for member recruitment". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
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