3 November 2013

Comrades and friends,

The Communist Party of Australia received the news of the passing of legendary activist Brian
Manning with great sadness. It is not an easy thing to summarise the life's work of such an energetic
and capable Communist over long decades of struggle. The names of the battles he weighed into are
etched in the annals of the labour movement of this country the Wave Hill Walk-Off that opened
the way to so many gains for the Aboriginal people, Australian aid to the independence struggles of
the Vietnamese people, Timor-Leste, West Papua and the Palestinians, the Green Bans movement of
the Builders Labourers Federation, opposition to the export of uranium from Australian ports. He
was no dilettante. His commitment to those movements was recognised and applauded by the
people at the front line.
He was a wharfie and proud to be a life member of the Maritime Union of Australia, successor
organisation to the Waterside Workers' Federation that he served as secretary in Darwin with drive
and militancy. The tradition of Communist leadership in that union was upheld magnificently by
comrade Brian. When he received the NT Senior Citizen of the Year award in 2010, Brian recalls
making a commitment. I will spend my remaining energies opposing American imperialism and
the lack of an independent foreign policy by the Australian Governments that encourages the
establishment of foreign bases on Australian soil. A life given over to the struggle to his dying day.
That's the legacy and inspiration left by comrade Brian to future generations of militants of this
country.
Vale comrade Brian,
Bob Briton
General Secretary
Communist Party of Australia