Speeches & Opinions

Read speeches and opinion articles by ACTU officers and staff.

Our collection contains speeches delivered at conferences, forums, summits, rallies and events by Executive and senior ACTU staff.  It also contains op eds – previously published in mainstream media – by the ACTU President, ACTU Secretary or ACTU Assistant Secretaries.


Recent Speeches & Opinions

Tim Lyons address to The Challenge of Workplace Productivity Symposium, 29 November 2012

November 29, 2012

Tim Lyons address to The Challenge of Workplace Productivity Symposium, 29 November 2012

Read More

Unpaid hours should not be the Aussie way

November 21, 2012

Australia is suffering an epidemic of overwork, and part of the cause is the growth of insecure work over the past two decades.

Read More

Go Home On Time Day: Address to the National Press Club, 21 November 2012

November 21, 2012

While I encourage everyone to go home on time today, and reflect about what is important in life outside of work, tomorrow, I want our politicians, business leaders and policy makers to go to work early, and start thinking about how we can tackle this great challenge for Australia’s workforce: the rise and impact of insecure work.

Read More

Ged Kearney address to the Future of Work conference 2012

October 3, 2012

For employers to get the best out of their workers they must be prepared to invest in them; to provide their workers with secure jobs with decent wages and conditions, and access to training.

Read More

Ged Kearney address to United Mineworkers Federation Memorial Day 2012

September 9, 2012

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today and pay my respects to elders past and present.

Read More

Michael Borowick address to ACTU-Cancer Council Asbestos Summit 2012

September 4, 2012

When we declared that: Our aim is to eliminate asbestos-related disease and exposures to all forms of asbestos in Australia. Well that was our aim then and it remains our aim today.

Read More

Ged Kearney address to Fair Work Australia

August 10, 2012

It is important that current and future generations of Australians understand where these values came from, and that they are aware of the battles that won them the rights they enjoy today.

Read More

Ged Kearney address to Melbourne Press Club

July 26, 2012

The work we do is often ignored, or if it is covered, presented as something that would have happened without unions.

Read More

Dave Oliver address to ACTU Investment Forum 2012

June 29, 2012

Dave Oliver address to ACTU Investment Forum 2012

Read More

Dave Oliver op ed: Hastie case puts the spotlight on corporate behaviour

May 31, 2012

The scenes from this week’s collapse of the Hastie Group are distressing, but unions aren’t just here to help pick up the pieces. There is something we can do to stop this from happening again.

Read More

The ACTU Network

Australian Unions

Whether you want to join a union, take action in campaigns, or make the most of the benefits of being a union member, Australian Unions is the place to go for information and resources.
Visit Australian Unions

Mind Your Head

We’re taking action to protect workplace mental health.
Visit Mind Your Head

Worksite

Your rights at work for students and for people entering the workforce for the first time.
Visit Worksite

OHS

Information and resources for health and safety representatives and workers about how to speak up at work for health and safety.
Visit OHS

Union Aid Abroad

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA is the overseas aid and development agency of the ACTU. Our work aims to build self-reliance through support to educational and training projects for workers and their organisations in the developing world.
Visit Union Aid Abroad

ACTU National Union Directory

Find who you are looking for from the who’s who of the union movement.
Visit the ACTU National Union Dictionary

Representing Australian workers and their families.