Matthew Gardiner

For the English footballer, see Matthew Gardiner (footballer).

Matthew John Gardiner (born 16 May 1971) is an Australian former trade unionist. He was the Secretary of the Northern Territory Branch[1] of United Voice[2] and was also President of the Northern Territory Branch of the Australian Labor Party. In 2015 he went to Syria to fight Islamic State. He was detained upon his return to Australia but released without charge.

Career

He served in the Australian Army for around a decade and was deployed to Somalia in 1993.[3] He was a combat engineer and medic.[4]

In United Voice he oversaw the growth of the branch to become the largest union in the Northern Territory. The union in the Northern Territory represents workers with occupations in many varied industries in the Northern Territory including miners,[5] firefighters, prison officers,[6] childcare workers, healthcare workers, cleaners, security guards and workers at indigenous organisations. The union grew between 5-10% per annum under his term of office and he had been re-elected unopposed to continue his tenure till 2018.

Gardiner was President of the NT Branch of the Australian Labor Party. In 2007 he stood for pre-selection for the Federal seat of Solomon only to narrowly lose to Damian Hale, who won the seat in the 2007 election.[7] He was the second endorsed ALP candidate for the senate in the 2010 Federal election, although he didn't win a seat.[8][9]

In his roles Gardiner had been a vocal advocate for Territory issues included the proposed nuclear waste dump,[10] indigenous jobs,[11] the NT Intervention and remote health.[12]

In November 2013, he was linked to a plan by the Northern Territory Labor Government and Unions NT to take a lease on the Stella Maris property at Darwin's Waterfront for ten years for no rent.[13] A Parliamentary Inquiry was established on 5 December 2013 into the deal.[14] The final report [15] of the inquiry found there was no case to answer as nothing illegal had taken place.

In January 2015 it was reported that Gardiner had traveled to Syria to fight against Islamic State[16] with Kurdish forces.[17] He was stood down as the head of the Labor Party's NT branch and his membership was suspended.[18]

On 5 April 2015 Gardiner returned to Darwin, and was detained and questioned by the Australian Federal Police, but was released without charge.[19]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lhmu.org.au/branches/nt
  2. ↑ http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/12/05/106691_ntnews.html
  3. ↑ Bagshaw, Eryk Former Labor party president Matthew Gardiner arrested at Darwin airport 6 April 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 8 April 2015
  4. ↑ Robertson, Joshua Former Labor official suspected of fighting against Isis released without charge 5 April 2015 Guardian Australia Retrieved 8 April 2015
  5. ↑ http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/01/27/29511_ntnews.html
  6. ↑ Masters, Emma Future uncertain for Darwin's $300m jail 11 August 2009ABC News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  7. ↑ Bowe, William Seat du jour: Solomon 28 August 2007 Crikey Retrieved 8 April 2015
  8. ↑ http://alp.org.au/federal-government/labor-people/matthew-gardiner/
  9. ↑ http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/07/30/168641_election2010.html
  10. ↑ Unions demand repeal of nuclear dump laws 10 June 2009 ABC News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  11. ↑ Push for award to cover Indigenous firms 8 July 2015 ABC News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  12. ↑ Clinical approach could woo back Indigenous medical workers 26 May 2008 ABC News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  13. ↑ A nice little earner 28 November 2013 Northern Territory News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  14. ↑ Chief Minister establishes formal inquiry into Stella Maris 6 December 2013 Northern Territory News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  15. ↑ NT Government website 26 May 2014 Stella Maris Report 2014 Retrieved 8 April 2015
  16. ↑ Mitchell, Georgina Senior Labor figure Matthew Gardiner leaves Australia to fight against Islamic State 25 January 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 8 April 2015
  17. ↑ Matthew Gardiner: How Kurds recruit, why they want the Australian and what his legal position is 28 January 2015 ABC News Retrieved 8 April 2015
  18. ↑ Olding, Rachel Ex-Labor head Matthew Gardiner 'defriended' Facebook friends before 'joining Kurdish fighters in Syria' 26 January 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 20 April 2015
  19. ↑ Robertson, Joshua Former Labor official suspected of fighting against Isis released without charge Guardian Australia 5 April 2015 Former Labor official suspected of fighting against Isis released without charge Retrieved 8 April 2015