{{Short description|Australian trade union for journalists 1910–1992}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}} The '''Australian Journalists Association''' ('''AJA''') was an Australian trade union for journalists from 1910–1992.<ref>{{Citation | author1=Sparrow, Geoffrey E | author2=Sparrow, Geoff | author3=Australian Journalists' Association | title=Crusade for journalism : official history of the Australian Journalists Association | publication-date=1960 | publisher=The Association | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21391485 | accessdate=26 January 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | author1=Lloyd, C. J. (Clement John) | title=Profession - journalist : a history of the Australian Journalists' Association | year=1985 | publication-date=1985 | publisher=Hale & Iremonger | isbn=978-0-86806-227-3 }}</ref>
In 1913 the Australian Journalists' Association merged with the '''Australian Writers' and Artists' Union'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parlpapers.sl.nsw.gov.au/parliamentarians/mutch-thomas-davies-13900/ |title=Mutch, Thomas Davies, 1885-1958 |publisher=State Library of New South Wales |website=NSW Parliamentarians |accessdate=11 August 2022}}</ref> This union had been formed in 1910,<ref>{{cite book | last1=Darian-Smith | first1=K. | last2=Waghorne | first2=J. | title=The First World War, the Universities and the Professions in Australia 1914-1939 | publisher=Melbourne University Publishing | year=2019 | isbn=978-0-522-87290-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kn-JDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT416 | access-date=12 August 2022 | page=416}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Australian Writers and Artists Union | website=The Dictionary of Sydney | url=https://dictionaryofsydney.org/organisation/australian_writers_and_artists_union | access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref> launched on 9 September of that year in the Sydney Trades Hall by Harold Mercer<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103904752 |title=Australian Writers and Artists' Union. |newspaper=Daily Herald |volume=1 |issue=191 |location=South Australia |date=14 October 1910 |access-date=13 August 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref> (1882–1952), also known as Harold St Aubyn, a prolific writer who was involved in the creation of 28 new unions in total.<ref>{{cite web | title=Harold Mercer | website=AustLit | date=19 Nov 2013 | url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A11815 | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>
On 18 May 1992 it amalgamated with Actors' Equity and the Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association to create the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meaa.org/news/25-years-and-going-strong/|title=25 years and going strong|website=MEAA|language=en|access-date=2017-09-06}}</ref> The AJA section is now known as MEAA Media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meaa.org/meaa-media/|title=MEAA Media|website=MEAA|language=en|access-date=2017-09-06}}</ref>
==New AJA== <!---temporary spot as a target for redirects from Kennedy Awards (journalism), NSW Kennedy Awards, etc.---> In 2022 a new Australian Journalists Association appeared, which was not part of the MEAA. It forged a sponsorship arrangement with the Kennedy Foundation to provide {{AUD|50,000}} to acquire naming rights to the Kennedy Awards,<ref name=mweek2022/> the richest media awards program in Australia.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Kennedy Awards – Excellence in Journalism | website=The Kennedy Awards| date=1 July 2021 | url=https://kennedyawards.com.au/ | access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> However this organisation was dubbed a "fake union", with ties to TNT Radio (an internet radio outlet whose focus is fringe topics and conspiracy theories,<ref>{{cite web | last=Wilson | first=Cam | title=How TNT Radio became the home of Australian conspiracy-promoting politicians and personalities | website=Crikey | date=12 July 2022 | url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/07/13/tnt-radio-mike-ryan-conspiracy-theories/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> including anti-vaccination misinformation), which had also provided {{AUD|50,000}} to the Kennedy Awards.<ref name=mweek2022>{{cite web | title=Roundup: NBCUniversal content battle, Kennedy Awards controversy | website=Mediaweek | date=22 May 2022 | url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/roundup-nbcuniversal-content-battle-kennedy-awards-controversy-masked-singer/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>
This new AJA had appropriated the name, but was in fact created by Journalists First Inc., a small group of conservative political operatives based in Queensland. It was one of a group of Red Unions<ref name=rightdecision/> (labelled "fake unions", as they were set up with political motives to divide the union movement, attracting members by their anti-vaccine mandate stance<ref>{{cite web | last=Bonyhady | first=Nick | title=Australia COVID: ACTU labels associations 'fake unions' using jab mandate for member recruitment | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=30 September 2021 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/fake-unions-new-associations-ride-jab-mandate-fears-to-get-members-20210929-p58vri.html | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>). It was not run by journalists and had no standing in industrial tribunals. In May 2022 the Kennedy Foundation cut its ties with this AJA, in a move welcomed by the MEAA.<ref name=rightdecision>{{cite web | title=Kennedy Awards make right decision to cut ties with fake union | website=MEAA | date=27 May 2022 | url=https://www.meaa.org/mediaroom/kennedy-awards-make-right-decision-to-cut-ties-with-fake-union/ | access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Defunct trade unions of Australia Category:Journalism organisations based in Australia Category:Journalists' trade unions Category:Trade unions established in 1910 Category:Trade unions disestablished in 1992 Category:1910 establishments in Australia Category:1992 disestablishments in Australia