From Slack Bastard
[For John.]
Security Services, July 24, 1942:
Information so far available does not indicate that there is any organised movement in existence in Australia, but rather that groups of Anarchists are engaged in spreading the doctrine of Anarchism among the workers, apparently not with much success.
slackbastard, August 1, 2025:
Leaving aside various informal political and social networks, there are a tiny handful of anarchist groups with (the possibility of) a national reach:
Anarchist Communist Federation : ‘We are class struggle anarchists organising across the Australian continent.’ The ACF announced its formation on May Day this year and has a branch in Melbourne, which is joined by Anarchists Communists Meanjin (now the Brisbane branch) and Geelong Anarchist Communists (Geelong & South West Victoria branch) — but not Sydney, as ‘On the 1st of February, 2025, the membership of Black Flag Sydney voted to dissolve the organisation’.
Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation : ‘The Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation is a libertarian workers movement organised according to anarcho-syndicalist principles. We aim to create a society based on liberty, mutual aid, federalism and self-management.’ In December last year, the 3rd IWA Asia-Pacific convergence took place ‘with comrades from Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Australia in attendance’.
… There’s also the Wobblies (revolutionary industrial unionists):
Industrial Workers of the World : ‘IWW AusROC [Australian Regional Organising Committee] is the section of the IWW representing the Australasian region, with members in Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Singapore and Thailand. The IWW fights for better working conditions, benefits and pay for all workers across every industry.’ The IWW has general membership branches in Naarm/Melbourne, Tarndanya/Adelaide and Warrang/Sydney.
… A bookshoppe in Warrang/Sydney:
Jura Books : ‘Jura has been open since 1977. The name commemorates a successful European anarchist workers organisation.’ (The Jura Federation is the subject of a recent film.)
Along with Black Current Anarchist Distro [CrackBook] : ‘A not for profit mobile book stall that sells all books at cost price. We stock books and zines on anarchist theory, practice and history’ in Brisbane & Black Swan Socialists [Instagram] : a (libertarian?) reading group (?) in Perth.
… Some sites/projects of interest based in Melbourne/Naarm:
Black Spark Cultural Centre : ‘Black Spark exists to facilitate creativity in visual arts and music, learning through contemplation and deep listening and liberation through cultures of resistance and conscious praxis.’
Catalyst : ‘Catalyst Social Centre is a radical community space located in Coburg, on unceded Wurundjeri Country. The centre offers free meeting/event spaces for individuals and collectives engaged in leftist organising and solidarity work.’
Food Not Bombs : ‘Food Not Bombs is a collective of people throughout the city that collect, organise and share vegan food to the streets, to protests, fundraisers and events.’
Sticky Institute : ‘Sticky Institute is an Artist Run Initiative in Melbourne/Naarm dedicated to zines. Part open-resource working space and part non-profit retail space, we’re your one-stop-shop for all things zines!’
… Some publications of various sorts, either anarchist and/or of interest to anarchists:
Anarchist World This Week : Dr Joe Toscano presents ‘an anarchist analysis of local, national and international news and events’.
Backlash : ‘A digital community for Indigenous, ecological and anti-fascist resistance within the territory occupied by the Australian state.’
Beyond The Dark Horizon : ‘A publication of green anarchist art, poetry, stories, rants from ‘so called-Australia’.’
The Commons Social Change Library : ‘The Commons Library exists to make social movements smarter and stronger.’
Red and Black Notes : ‘Red and Black Notes is an attempt at offering an anarchist communist perspective on current issues and events.’
People’s History of Australia : ‘People’s History of Australia is a podcast and blog aiming to amplify those moments when ordinary people across Australia have made history – by coming together, overcoming the barriers and divisions that keep us isolated and atomised, and struggling collectively for justice.’
So …
In the past, I’ve had occasion to examine the political landscape for traces of anarchism, with mixed results. Apart from institutions like Jura Books, there are few that are of much longevity — the ASF, est.1986, is another exception, as is the Anarchist Media Institute and related projects. Following a series of various other gatherings, Bookfairs in Melbourne were A Thing for several years (2011–2018) and, of the Wikipedia Category:Australian anarchists, only a handful are … alive (including Pi O). That said, you can read a Reportback from the 2025 Kurilpa Anarchist Bookfair from earlier in the year, and a number of otherwise semi-prominent figures have left us in the past decade, including Jack (Jack ‘The Anarchist’ Grancharoff (1925–2016)), Antonio (Vale Antonio Burgos (May 13, 1918–October 31, 2018) : The Last of the Spanish Anarchists Exiled to Australia) and John (A life of honesty, integrity and social conscience: John Englart, 1955-2025, Brunswick Voice, July 23, 2025 /// Remembering John Englart 1955-2025, YarraBUG (3CR), July 21, 2025). The historical legacy of these and other compañerxs is partially preserved by way of publications by the likes of the Grupo Cultural de Estudios Sociales de Melbourne and the remarkable Kate Sharpley Library, which ‘exists to preserve and promote anarchist history’.
Finally, you’ll find anarchists of various sorts lurking about community radio, including 3CR, 4ZZZ, RTRFM and Three D Radio and, who knows, even elsewhere …
PS. Across the pond in Aotearoa/New Zealand, there’s: the Tamaki Makaurau Anarchists; The Freedom Shop (which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary); and Rebel Press. See also : A visual history of Wellington’s anarchist house, Baz Macdonald, Re:News, September 4, 2020 /// Sam Buchanan @ Pyramid Club.
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