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| ACTU secretary Dave Oliver resigns and calls for 'renewal' at union body | ACTU secretary Dave Oliver resigns and calls for 'renewal' at union body |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dave Oliver has announced his resignation as secretary of the ACTU after five years in the post, citing personal reasons for the surprise decision. | Dave Oliver has announced his resignation as secretary of the ACTU after five years in the post, citing personal reasons for the surprise decision. |
| Australian Council of Trade Union sources insist that Oliver is leaving at a time of his choosing. Although his successor is not certain, the vice-president and fellow left-aligned leader Sally McManus is early favourite to take the role and Ged Kearney is likely to remain as president. | |
| The head of Australia’s peak union body said it was not an easy decision but it was the right time for both him and the organisation. “The time has now come for me to spend more time with my family,” he said in a statement. | The head of Australia’s peak union body said it was not an easy decision but it was the right time for both him and the organisation. “The time has now come for me to spend more time with my family,” he said in a statement. |
| Oliver said he was proud to have been part of the Australian union movement for 30 years and the changes he achieved as secretary of the ACTU. | Oliver said he was proud to have been part of the Australian union movement for 30 years and the changes he achieved as secretary of the ACTU. |
| He said he had enjoyed working with Labor leaders over the years in developing and implementing policies that helped working families. | He said he had enjoyed working with Labor leaders over the years in developing and implementing policies that helped working families. |
| “Now is the time for renewal at the ACTU, with a new generation of highly skilled, diverse and motivated leaders, each of whom are capable of fulfilling a critical leadership role,” he said. | “Now is the time for renewal at the ACTU, with a new generation of highly skilled, diverse and motivated leaders, each of whom are capable of fulfilling a critical leadership role,” he said. |
| Oliver thanked his “fellow officers and the fantastic staff at the ACTU, including our chief of staff Ben Davison”, neglecting to thank the rest of the executive by name. | Oliver thanked his “fellow officers and the fantastic staff at the ACTU, including our chief of staff Ben Davison”, neglecting to thank the rest of the executive by name. |
| Sources at the ACTU denied there was any acrimony surrounding Oliver’s departure and insisted he had not been pushed. | Sources at the ACTU denied there was any acrimony surrounding Oliver’s departure and insisted he had not been pushed. |
| In 2015 Oliver and Kearney famously stood together to stare down a leadership challenge from the former ACTU assistant secretary Tim Lyons. | In 2015 Oliver and Kearney famously stood together to stare down a leadership challenge from the former ACTU assistant secretary Tim Lyons. |
| Kearney said: “Dave’s leadership has seen extraordinary changes in both the movement and the lives of working people. | Kearney said: “Dave’s leadership has seen extraordinary changes in both the movement and the lives of working people. |
| “The Australian union movement has been united under Dave’s leadership in our commitment to working people being able to organise, campaign and to achieve better lives for themselves and their families.” | “The Australian union movement has been united under Dave’s leadership in our commitment to working people being able to organise, campaign and to achieve better lives for themselves and their families.” |
| The ACTU assistant secretary Michael Borowick praised Oliver’s “crucial leadership” while the union body’s other assistant secretary, Scott Connolly said: “We wish Dave all the very best for the future …The union movement will continue to flourish and deal with fair pay, inequality, reforms to the industrial relations system and jobs.” | The ACTU assistant secretary Michael Borowick praised Oliver’s “crucial leadership” while the union body’s other assistant secretary, Scott Connolly said: “We wish Dave all the very best for the future …The union movement will continue to flourish and deal with fair pay, inequality, reforms to the industrial relations system and jobs.” |
| Oliver has lead the movement at a time of immense challenges including the trade union royal commission and the continuing decline in union membership, which Lyons and others warn risks its future. | Oliver has lead the movement at a time of immense challenges including the trade union royal commission and the continuing decline in union membership, which Lyons and others warn risks its future. |
| The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, praised Oliver as a man who had risen from being a 15-year-old apprentice fitter to a leader who had “kept faith with the oldest unions values of fairness and opportunity but also broadened their definition”. | The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, praised Oliver as a man who had risen from being a 15-year-old apprentice fitter to a leader who had “kept faith with the oldest unions values of fairness and opportunity but also broadened their definition”. |
| He said Oliver had lead the ACTU “to new and important ground, particularly in his strong backing for paid parental leave and including family violence leave in the national employment standards”. | He said Oliver had lead the ACTU “to new and important ground, particularly in his strong backing for paid parental leave and including family violence leave in the national employment standards”. |
| Oliver’s replacement will be selected by a special executive meeting on a date yet to be determined. The successor would then face re-election at the next ACTU congress in 2108. | Oliver’s replacement will be selected by a special executive meeting on a date yet to be determined. The successor would then face re-election at the next ACTU congress in 2108. |