Australian Labour Federation MemorialPrint Page 
The Australian Labour Federation Memorial commemorates the first meeting of the first shearers union, which later became the Australian Labor Party.
Despite its title the Australian Labour Federation (A.L.F.) remained, despite the brief affiliation of the Sydney Trades and Labour Council in the mid-1890s, a distinctly Queensland body. It was established in June 1889 following the dissolution of the Brisbane Trades and Labour Council, and promptly sought to bring all Queensland workers under its umbrella.
The union's principal strength lay among the shearers and other pastoral workers of Central Queensland, and the miners of North Queensland (principally those at Charters Towers). At its first general congress, held in Brisbane in August 1890, the decision was made to establish a Labour Party. In December 1890 the A.L.F.'s executive met in Blackall to draw up plans for a proper organisational structure for the Labour Party.
Location
| Address: | Shamrock Street, Blackall, 4472 |
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| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -24.424381 Long: 145.464591 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Community |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | 1886 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | 1886 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 9th December, 1990 |
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Upon an invitation by Blackall residents Jack Howe and Paddy Sheehan to run for the seat of Barcoo, Thomas Joseph (T .J.) Ryan (1876 - 1921) was elected as the state member for that seat in 1909. He was to become Premier of the first effective Labour Government in Queensland from 1915 - 1919.
He and his Government were both innovative and effective in the area of industrial reform. In 1919 he resigned as Premier of Queensland to enter Federal Parliament. He gained popularity because of his concern for the rights of the worker, small business operators and landholders of the time.
This monument was unveiled on the 100th anniversary of the ALF Executive meeting, the 9th of December, 1990 by the Hon. Paul Keating Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and the Hon. Tom Burns Deputy Premier of Queensland
