Folk focus on workers

Standing together: Bernard Carney in the Union Concert and the National Folk Festival.

by Dennis Long

National Folk Festival organisers chose "the working life" as the theme of this year's event in reaction to the Howard Government's industrial relations changes.

At the Opening Concert on April 13 festival director Jenny Simpson urged festival-goers to celebrate the contribution of workers to the Australian character and to consider "just what that means". She also drew attention to the many union or worker themed events in the program.

Held in Canberra over the Easter weekend, "the National" is now an institution in its 40th year.

The ACT branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) is a major sponsor of the festival.

"We will all stand together and sing a union song," sang veteran singer-songwriter Bernard Carney at the Union Concert. His closing set was almost entirely focussed on the industrial relations issue. The Perth based musician has a repertoire of songs about individual contracts inspired by the Court Government, including "Bye Bye Awards". A pioneer in radical industrial relations policy, Premier Richard Court introduced waves of changes to industrial law into the Western Australian Parliament, sparking massive unrest. The songs, Mr Carney sadly noted, require almost no alteration for the current situation under the Howard Government.

Other performers at the Union Concert included Scottish firebrand Dick Gaughan and Tasmanian based Peter Hicks.

The Canberra Union Voices choir finished their set with a rousing sing-along version of the Billy Bragg arrangement of "The Internationale".

Dennis Long is the Editor.

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Last Modified: 18 May 2006