Peter McGregor
Peter James McGregor (10 November 1947 – 11 January 2008) was an Australian Anarchist known for his political activism, University teaching and commitment to direct action. He was actively involved and often led the major Australian and international political campaigns of the last 40 years.[1]
Born in Sydney, NSW, Australia, he was brought up by his mother Alice McGregor (née Alderdice) and maiden Aunt, May Alderdice. His father, Charles Roy McGregor, and mother split up soon after his birth and as a consequence of not having a strong male role model in the household, he appreciated and loved the company of women. His partner of 28 years, Johanna Trainor, worked with him on many of his political publications and campaigns.
Peter went to North Sydney Boys High School and continued onto the University of Sydney where he majored in Psychology and Maths (1967). He later received a Graduate Diploma of Education from the University of Sydney (1970), a Graduate Diploma Librarianship (1978) and a Master of Arts (Media and Communication) (1984) from the University of New South Wales.
McGregor's first foray into political action was a (2 person) demonstration in SUPPORT of the hanging of Ronald Ryan the last Australian to be executed, in Victoria in 1967. Then in 1967 he joined a sit-in at Sydney University's Fisher Library over increases in library fines.
Anti-Vietnam War Movement
McGregor was initially tentative in his choice of activism. He found he was most tempted by the social injustices that he had become aware of, issues like the horrors of the Vietnam War, the poverty and oppressive conditions of indigenous Australians, and then, amazement at the institutionalised racism of apartheid.
"When initially confronted with the Vietnam War, I was quite immature, though 20 years old, and sat on the fence concerning both conscription and the war in general. Then the good fortune of not having my birth date picked in the conscription lottery of 1967 prompted me to check the war out more thoroughly. My tentative involvement with the anti-war movement began cautiously and indirectly with my joining the humanitarian aid group Australian Committee of Responsibility for the Children of Vietnam (ACORFCOV), founded by the wonderful Sheila Rowley. ACORFCOV was inspired by the (US) Committee of Responsibility (COR) chaired by Dr. Benjamin Spock. Evidence of what was happening being done to Vietnamese civilians and children was enough to move one to joining anti-war actions and then the movement itself."
ACORFCOV supported humanitarian aid for the civilian victims of the war and education on what was happening to civilians as a basis for fundraising to provide medical aid and personnel.
In 1970 McGregor worked for a year as a Maths high-school teacher. Initially he failed his Teachers Certificate because the day the Inspector (who was a member of the Returned Services League – RSL) came to assess his teaching he was demonstrating at one of the Vietnam Moratorium marches, which were against Educational Department Policy.
Anti Apartheid Movement
McGregor was more concerned with campaigning against racism 'over-there', in South Africa, through a group that bordered the humanitarian and the political, he joined (1969) the South Africa Defence and Aid Fund (SADAF - set up by John & Meg Brink, white South African refugees). Again a group that was focused on educating and raising consciousness in order to collect money to aid political prisoners.
It was early in 1971, and the campaign against apartheid sport in Australia was reaching its coup de gráce. The main activist organisation in Sydney, the Anti-Apartheid Movement (with Meredith Burgmann and Denis Freney[2]) needed a full-time organiser. McGregor took the chance of becoming a full-time 'professional' activist and was employed at $20 per week. After the massive mobilisations against the 1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia by the Springbok team for that coming winter, effectively stymied future South African involvement in international Rugby. By September Donald Bradman made the statement that " the South African cricketers would not come until they stopped racially selecting the team" and officially withdrew their cricket invitation. With the proposed cricket tour for the summer of 1971-72 cancelled by the Australian cricket authorities the substantive Australian sporting contact with apartheid sport was over.
McGregor was then employed by the World University Service in Australia (WUSA) – an international, radical aid organisation based in universities in Western countries - as an organiser campaigning about southern Africa. In 1973 he toured New Zealand/Aotearo as an outside agitator supporting the campaign against the forthcoming NZ Springbok tour.
Apart from building grass roots activities in Sydney as well as network interstate, perhaps the most high-profile event during McGregor's tenure with WUSA was the report on the Australian (Whitlam) Government breaking sanctions on Rhodesia. Despite having spoken out strongly against apartheid, & Ian Smith's illegal Rhodesian regime, Whitlam wasn't doing enough. A high-profile Australian Government delegation was about to tour several independent African nations, & WUSA's Report reached those African Governments just in time for them to raise the issue with Whitlam's delegation, to the Australian Government's diplomatic & public embarrassment.
Political Philosophy
However, by the mid 70s McGregor's politics had evolved to an anarchist position, under the influence of Socialisme ou Barbarie, Solidarity (UK) and the Brisbane Self Management Group.
Of the established left, McGregor quickly dismissed the various Communist parties – both the Aarons/Sydney independent-of-the-Soviet Union grouping, the Melbourne Maoists, and the pro-Soviet Clancy/Socialist Party (the current Communist Party). Then there were the Trotskyists – all 37 varieties – and the Spartacists (International Communist League (Fourth Internationalist)) who had the most coherent theoretical position – which appealed to his new-found interest in theory. But it was the grouping round Nick Origlass, Izzy Wyner and Hall Greenland[3] who were the closest to self-management... Because it was the Brisbane Red & Black Bookshop folks – the Self Management Group (SMG) that really excited him.
As a recent convert to a born-again -anarchist, McGregor embraced a purist position, of refusing to reproduce capitalist daily life - commodity, exchange relationships - by abolishing the limits imposed upon people by wage-labor & private property. Namely, for instance, don't work & don't pay rent. In the purist spirit of Charles Fourier's - Some Advice Concerning the Next Social Metamorphosis: "Never sacrifice a present good to a future good. Enjoy the moment; don't get into anything which doesn't satisfy your passions right away. Why should you work today for jam tomorrow, since you will be loaded down with it anyway, & in fact in the new order you will only have one problem, namely how to find enough time to get through all the pleasures in store for you." And Fredy Perlman's - The Reproduction of Everyday Life:[4] "The task of capitalist ideology (= the spectacle - PMcG), is to maintain the veil which keeps people from seeing that their own activities reproduce the form of their daily life; the task of critical theory is to unveil the activities of daily life, to render them transparent, to make the reproduction of the social form of capitalist activity visible within people's daily activities."
His re-birthing from politics as external issues - activism for a cause; war, racism, explicit political repression- to activism as a way-of-life meant not merely protesting to bring about reforms, but critically exploring the basis of social systems and embracing revolutionary change via a politics of everyday life. Extending the feminist take on the personal being political - addressing interpersonal relations as a primary site of gender/class/race/etc politics. And also integrating one's living arrangements ('home'), and what one is doing ('work') into as coherent as possible a life-style. Not unlike, 'be the changes you want to see in the world', and 'change the world by changing yourself', and 'the means are the ends in the making'. So, since property was theft, why not squat; and since work was wage-slavery, then don't.
Squatting
In 1974 he helped resurrect the Sydney Anarchist Group to organise an Australian Anarchist conference in Sydney in January 1975. He later gravitated with other Sydney anarchists around a three-story mansion at 130 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe. The group commenced a successful rent struggle against an intermediate landlord on the Glebe Estate (formerly owned by the Anglican Church), and against the Whitlam Labor Government's Department of Urban and Regional Development (DURD). Many of the squatters from Victoria St, in Kings Cross, had moved to Glebe, where there was an abundance of empty homes, resulting from the transition of The Glebe Housing Estate sale from the Anglican Church to DURD (750 properties). The SAG's first squatting tabloid RISING FREE,[5] seemed to find both an 'audience' as well as a range of keen contributors.
McGregor discerned considerable similarities between the Situationist International (SI) & Socialism or Barbarism (SoB), let alone more general parallels between the SI (including its Libertarian Marxism) and Anarchism, especially in its council communist form.
In the mid-1970s, Anarchists from Melbourne, Brisbane and the Sydney Anarchist Group, developed an interest in Situationism.'Situations' with their spontaneous political actions was essentially the name of the game during 1975 and early 1976 in Sydney, like a room full of stoned people suddenly deciding to go out and do a paint up on the local billboards and buildings often occurred. The local Police Station and Commonwealth Bank and the Medical Association building were often targets.
In June/July 1976, a range of people - in friend or affinity groupings, who hadn't necessarily know each other previously - had seized-the-time and moved in & squatted the corner block of Palmer & Stanley St's Darlinghurst Sydney. The DMR (Department of Main Roads), in order to construct their Freeway, had bought out local residents in preparation for demolition... But there were delays, because of disputes between State and Federal Governments, Green Bans from the NSW Builders Labourers Federation (BLF[6]), and resistance from local resident groups. Bordered by the lane from Palmer to Bourke Sts, 'The Compound' was born with considerable idealism. Internal fences between the houses were knocked down, and levels of communalism and conviviality blossomed. Back-yards, tools, a washing-machine, electricity, etc. were shared, community gardens were planted, a food coop and a squatters shop on the corner were established. Lots of partying, making and listening to music, drinking, cooking & eating, dope (Cannabis (drug)) & LSD, sex & raving occurred.
MORE TO COME...
Political Activities and Campaigns
1969
- Anti Apartheid Activist joined SADAF (the South African Defence and Aid Fund) & CARIS (opposition to racism in sport) 1970
1971
- Full-time Activist of 'The Anti – Apartheid Movement' - joint convenor along with Meredith Burgmann and Denis Freney was paid $20.00 per week to be a full-time activist and mobilise against the Springbok Rugby Tour & the SA Cricket Tour 1971–72.
1973
- Campaign Organiser of the World University Service Australia (WUSA) - against South African Apartheid and for Zimbabwe/Rhodesian independence. Travelled around New Zealand in support of their campaign against the upcoming Springbok Rugby Tour. Fell out with Sekai Holland & other members & left the organisation disillusioned.
1974
- Sydney Anarchist Group - Brisbane Self Management Group (SMG) seemed to have the most coherent political position and McGregor wanted to set up a similar group in Sydney - used their manifestos "As We See It & As We Don't See It" to call for the National Anarchist Conference in Sydney January 1975. McGregor with other anarchists such as Ken Hauptman, Graham Minchin. Margaret Creagh, and Jim Couch established the Sydney Anarchist Group (SAG).
1975-77
- Squatting & Unemployed - re-birthing from seeing politics as an external issue to activism as a way-of-life ('personal is political'). Property was theft so why not squat & since work was wage slavery then don't. The Sydney Anarchist Group staged a rent strike and squatted 130 Glebe Pt Rd Glebe where they set up an Anarchist Bookshop & Library & printed the squatting Tabloid "Rising Free". Arrested for Dole Cheating. Moved to Hereford St. Squat in Glebe & helped produce "Plague" a squatting paper another publication by SAG.
1978
- Squatted DMR (Department of Main Roads) house in Bondi. Hilton Bombing (13 February) happened and three members of the Ananda Marga were framed, Paul Alister, Ross Dunn & Tim Anderson. Bondi Squat raided because of HB - printed 'Panic' a Bondi Based anarchist Magazine. Asked to leave squat by other squatters - as McGregor's activism was drawing too much attention from the Special Squad.
- Situation - Bob Dylan toured Oz & "the Sydney Sewer Rats" aka Peter McGregor, Graham Minchin & Ken Hauptman printed/forged tickets to his show & handed them out to protesters at an Anti-Uranium Rally.
1979
- Free Bill O'Meally (Aust. longest serving prisoner) Bill was freed in July 1979 after serving 27 years
- Jose Bilbao (Spanish immigrant who died in Police Custody). Inquest held Police were found culpable but were not charged
- Rent Controlled Flat court case - took Developer (Taubmans, Sydney Paint Manufacturer) to court to reclaim back rent on a rent controlled flat. . Received a payout of $6,500.00.
1980
- Persons Unknown Trial London - six anarchists arrested & framed. Set up General Defence Committee in Sydney.
1985
- Free Anderson, Dunn & Alister - Campaign to free three Ananda Marga members framed & jailed for the Hilton Bombing
- Alison Thorne Campaign - spoke about gay rights on radio & was pulled off face-to-face teaching - campaign to re-instated her as an on class teacher.
- Leichhardt Municipal Council Elections - LC was run by the right wing of the Labour Party. Peter & Johanna opposed local developments & received death threats by Labour Party right wing thugs. Johanna ran for Council on same ticket as Nick Origlass & Issy Wyner ultra left candidates who when elected implemented a more democratic council & ratepayers process.
1987
- Vietnam National conference - co-organised conference that brought together most sides of the conflict. Part of a delegation from the conference invited to visit Vietnam in 1988.
1988
- Aboriginal Deaths in Custody - Member of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Watch Committee & editor of their newsletter. Passed a motion at the Convergence Conference Australian Communications Association Armidale 14–16 June calling for the petitioning of the Governor of Queensland for the pardoning of Aboriginal prisoner Kevin Condren - verballed for murder.
- Member of the Bicentennial Protest Group.
- Member of the People's History Group.
1989
- Beyond Social Control Conference - organiser & presented paper on " From Free Speech to Freedom "
1993
- Justice Campaign for Hilton Bombing Victims with Terry Griffiths (ex Police Officer & bomb victim) demanded an inquiry into the security forces. The aim/goal of the Campaign was to discover who was responsible for the bombing, and have them brought to justice.
- Aid to Vietnam - member of the Australia Vietnam Society and secretary of the Sydney Branch. Helped organise a successful benefit for the Fred Hollows Foundation raising over $4,000.00.
- Coalition Against Police Violence. Campaign to gain justice for Gary Hayes who was bashed by WA Police. When he made a complaint to relevant authorities & was ignored he stole an armoured personnel Carrier was captured & forcibly injected with psychiatric drugs and imprisoned.
1996
- Independence for East Timor. Occupied the Prime Minister Paul Keating's office, in support of East Timorese asylum seekers in the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and arrested for Trespassing. Case dismissed on grounds it was a public space & the protestors have a right to be there.
- Freedom of Speech - How to Vote Neither. An anti voting electoral campaign & justice for Albert Langer who was jailed for advocating voting for neither in the 1996 Federal Election.
- Jura Books Dispute - attempted to mobilise Sydney Anarchists to reform & develop a functioning Anarchist collective from the dysfunctional ruins of the Jura Books Anarchist bookshop & collective. Was thrown off the collective.
- Bougainville Freedom Movement
1997
- Aboriginal Reconciliation Group at UWS, Nepean. Helped form the group in 1997 as a response to John Howard's refusal to apologise and in support of the Council of Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR).
- Blue Murder - showed banned DVD of ABC's award-winning TV Series BM on Police corruption in NSW to students - reported I n the Sun Herald 31.08.97.
1999
- Australia & East Timor - organised guest lecturers on UWS Campus to talk about East Timor Independence
2000
- S11 World Economic Forum in Melbourne (S11 (protest))- organised a demonstration in Newcastle.
- National Textile Workers (Rutherford, NSW) - organised a forum at University Western Sydney, Nepean in support of the sacked workers.
- East Timor Independence & Renewal - worked with Mary McKillop Institute to support post independence renewal.
2001
- East Timor Independence - handed out leaflet with 2 others (Brendon Doyle & Susan Connolly) at forum held by Whitlam Institute(Gough Whitlam) highlighting the former prime minister 's complicity with the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. All three were evicted from the Theatre & threatened with police action.
2002-5
- University Funding Cuts - Actively campaigned against John Howard's (Australian Prime Minister) devastation of the Higher Education Sector at his workplace the University of Western Sydney. Leaked internal document re: wages of staff & VC to local paper Penrith Star. Eventually all of his classes were cancelled & McGregor was forced to resign in 2005.
2006
- Opposition to WorkChoices Industrial Relations Legislation - Lone protest against Kevin Andrews (Federal Minister for Workplace Relations) and the Liberal Govt Workchoices IR legislation at Newcastle City Hall.[7]
- Boeing Workers Lockout - supported picket line of Boeing Workers who were sacked because they would not accept individual workchoices style contracts - wanted collective bargaining.
- Kerry Packer DisMemorial. Helped plan a demonstration against the State Funeral of Kerry Packer a self-centred businessman who made lots of money for himself. Several protestors were arrested.
- Free David Hicks - Australian prisoner at Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp
2007
- Citizens Arrest of Philip Ruddock for War Crimes - at a Seminar held by the Law Faculty of UNSW McGregor called on the police to arrest Philip Ruddock Federal Attorney General (a keynote speaker), for war crimes in Iraq. McGregor was arrested for 'unlawful entry on inclosed land....' but case was eventually dismissed.[8][9]
- Citizens Arrest of Philip Ruddock (AG), John Howard (PM) & Alexander Downer (Foreign Minister) for War Crimes - tried to stand up in Federal Parliament & call for the arrest of these govt. pollies but was arrested. Case was later dismissed.[10]
- Lone Campaigner against NSW Council for Civil Liberties. Handed out a leaflet (23 May), to people attending a NSWCCL dinner, on their mishandling of the free speech defence of the protestors arrested at the Packer Dis-memorial.
- Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp
Awards
His contributions to activism in the Vietnam anti-war movement and the Australian anti-apartheid movement which successfully disrupted the 1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia , as well as more recent activism such as his attempt to effect a citizen's arrest of Attorney General Philip Ruddock, for war crimes for Australia's involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, were recognised by the Eureka Australia Medal award conferred by Dr Joseph Toscano and the Anarchist Media Institute at Bakery Hill, Ballarat on 3 December 2007.[11]
References
- Tony Stephens, Obituary in Sydney Morning Herald, 23 January 2008, A radical activist to the very end, Retrieved 15 March 2015
- A Map of Days; Life on the Left. By Denis Freney. Melbourne, William Heinemann Australia 1991 p.287
- Red Hot, The life & Times of Nick Origlass. By Hall Greenland. Sydney, Wellington Lane Press Pty Ltd 1998
- The Reproduction of Daily Life by Fredy Perlman. Michigan USA, Black & Red 1969
- Rising Free. Sydney, Sydney Anarchist Group 1975
- Green Bans, Red Union. By Meredith Burgmann & Verity Burgmann. Sydney, University of New South Wales Press Ltd 1998 p.217 - 221
- Reported in Daily Telegraph 5.05.06.
- Mike Head, World Socialist Web Site, 5 September 2007, Australian legal academics accept arrest of antiwar colleague, Retrieved 15 March 2015
- Takver, 10 July 2007, Sydney Indymedia, archived at archive.org Citizens Arrest of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock as a War Criminal Retrieved 22 March 2015
- Ethical Martini Blog, 21 September 2007, John Howard – War Criminal, Retrieved 15 March 2015
- Takver (2007). "NSW Activists Receive Eureka Australia Awards – 2007". Eureka Anniversary Commemoration News. Retrieved 22 March 2015.