The election of the Labor government in May 2022 was greeted by many in the climate movement with a sigh of relief. It’s clear now that any expectations that the party might—after being propelled to power on a wave of public support for climate action—actually bring change, were mistaken.
Fifty years ago, there was an insurgent workers’ movement in Sydney that fought the government and property developers who tried to tear down working-class houses and public housing developments in the pursuit of profits. It was led by the militant NSW branch of the Builders Labourers Federation.