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

ACTU calls for an urgent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine

October 19, 2023

The ACTU condemns the bombing, killing and kidnapping of Israeli civilians by the terrorist organisation…

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Michele O’Neil, President ACTU National Press Club, 28th March 2023

March 29, 2023

Michele O’Neil, President ACTU National Press Club, 28th March 2023 Check against delivery Thank you…

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SALLY McMANUS, ACTU SECRETARY SPEECH TO NATIONAL PRESS CLUB WEDNESDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER, 2022

September 28, 2022

  SALLY McMANUS, ACTU SECRETARY SPEECH FOR: NATIONAL PRESS CLUB WEDNESDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER, 2022 (CHECK…

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Sally McManus Speech to AIRAANZ February 2018

June 29, 2021

Good morning, it’s a pleasure to be with you today.
I want to pay my respects to the Garna people and their elders past and present.
Today I want to talk about the union movements change the rules campaign and how necessary that campaign is because the rules at work are broken.

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ACTU Congress 2018 Secretary’s Welcome Speech 17th July, 2018

June 29, 2021

I’d like to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the land on which…

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Sally McManus, speech to TJ Ryan Foundation, Brisbane 1st September, 2017

June 29, 2021

Acknowledgement to Country We are coming to an end of an era. The end of…

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SALLY MCMANUS, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER, 2020

December 3, 2020

SALLY MCMANUS, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER, 2020

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Speech – ACTU President Addresses Symposium on the Centenary of the ILO, 18 July 2019

July 18, 2019

MICHELE O’NEIL, PRESIDENT
SPEECH TO:
SYMPOSIUM ON THE CENTENARY OF THE
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION: DEMOCRACY, LABOUR LAW AND THE ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS

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Michele O’Neil, ACTU President Speech to Conference of Major Super Funds

March 14, 2019

I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we are meeting on today,…

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Sally McManus – Speech to the Melbourne Press Club. 8 February, 2019

February 8, 2019

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY I want to pay my respects to the people of the Kulin…

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