CIA agent, Harry Goldberg, looks at Australia in 1960
Australian Report
G. Conclusions and Comments
That’s about the story. I just want to say that it’s good we went. We did make an impact that was felt. All those fighting versus the commies on all levels were grateful that we did come.
They all urged strongly (just as Zenro and the DSP did in Japan) that an AFL-CIO representative be stationed in Australia in view of the difficulty of the fight versus the commies, and the important position of Australia. This I pass on for what it’s worth.
I think we ought to pay more attention to Australia than we have in the past. There are some things we can do. I have a number of proposals I’ll want to make when we get together.
That’s all!
Harry Goldberg
Honolulu
April 9, 1960
Who’s Who (from Tribune article)
Oscar Rozenbess: Former secretary of the Melbourne Taxi Drivers Association. Former Labor Minister Cameron was probably referring to Rozenbess when he told parliament last Thursday about “a CIA operative who covered by working as a taxi driver”.
Richard Krygier: Sydney book importer who founded the CIA funded Australian Association for Cultural Freedom which published Quadrant. Named in parliament as a CIA agent by Cameron.
Laurie: Mr L Short, national secretary of the Federated Ironworkers Association (FIA). Former Trotskyist now on the ALP’s extreme right.
Harry Hurrell: FIA national president, regarded as the real power in the union until recently.
Joe Riordan: Former secretary of the NSW Clerks Union, a rightwinger who later fell out with Maynes. Elected ALP member for Phillip he became a minister in Whitlam’s cabinet but lost his seat in 1975.
Fred Campbell: Former NSW secretary of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
Harry Jensen: ETU official who became Lord Mayor of Sydney. Now Minster for Local Government in the Wran ministry.
Dr Evatt: Federal Labor leader after Chifley. Former High Court judge and brilliant lawyer, Evatt appeared before the Petrov Commission accusing Menzies and ASIO of securing Petrov’s defection as an anti-Labor stunt. This led to the 1955 ALP split.
Arthur Calwell: ALP leader after Evatt retired. A rightwing Catholic, he moved to a centre position and finally opposed the Vietnam war.
Bland: Sir Henry Bland, top public service bureaucrat (Holt’s secretary of Labor and National Service, then Defence Department secretary). Briefly chairman of the ABC under Fraser.
B.A.Santamaria: Director of the National Civic Council (NCC) and power behind the now almost defunct Democratic Labor Party (DLP).
Sir Wilfred Kent Hughes: Attorney-General and Minister for the Navy in the Menzies government.
Jim Kenny: Former rightwing secretary, NSW Labor Council.
Jack Maynes: Federal president, Federated Clerks Union, NCC supporter and DLP member.
Littleton: Probably Little, Victorian THC president.
Vic Stout: Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council for many years who finally opposed the NCC.
Bill Evans: Federal secretary of the Federated Enginedrivers (FEDFA), ACTU and THC vice-president.
Albert Monk: ACTU president for many years and a “centre-right” force in the ALP.
Frank Knopfelmacher: A Sudeten German from Czechoslovakia, a notorious anti-communist academic.