Great Depression and Aftermath Cold War New Left Contemporary Active Historical Norman Leslie Gallagher (20 September 1931 – 26 August 1999)[1][2] was a controversial Australian trade unionist,[3] and Maoist who led the militant Builders Labourers Federation as federal Secretary and as Victorian State Secretary.
For instance, we were involved in the conservation issues as far back as 1940 when they were going to build a small goods factory opposite the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
[5]As Secretary of the union, Gallagher also acted to preserve the distinct Melbourne boulevards such as Royal Parade from development[5] and many historic buildings from destruction including the Regent Theatre and the City Baths.
[6] A BLF black ban also protected the historic Bakery Hill site in Ballarat, where huge mass meetings were held in 1854 during the Eureka rebellion, from development.
The Federal takeover of the NSW Branch was instrumental in calling off many of the imposed green bans, and the cancellation of the union's commitment to fighting for permanence in the building industry.