JACK MUNDEY

Fifty years after the demise of the BLF, and whenever a local environmental controversy flares up, people at the grass-roots still cry out for ‘another Mundey’. Why is this ?
What particular chemistry drove this modest, unambitious “bloke from the bush” to stimulate grass-roots activism – policy change – political reforms – major legislative changes nationwide ?
Why is inspirational leadership (particularly at the national level) in such short supply despite ample evidence that threats to the environment are constantly in the headlines?
These questions warrant careful scrutiny. Answers will perhaps help to underpin what lies at the core of this project, this being an overdue retreat to the old notion that true progress relies on understanding and applying the lessons of history. For Australia, one of those lessons will be found in the 1970s story of Jack Mundey and the green bans.

The hope is that this documentary will
• become a valued resource for future urban and social historians, and the consequential push for legal and policy reform;
• identify Jack Mundey as a true once-in-a-lifetime ‘people’s hero’ in the battle to save treasured heritage and environmental assets for posterity;
• be an inspirational wake-up call to younger Australians who aspire to leadership in fields such as architecture, city planning, urban design, landscape architecture, heritage conservation and environmental politics;
• be remembered as a ‘good yarn’ – entertaining, well-researched, with excellent script, compelling interviews and camera work.

The hope is that this documentary will:
• become a valued resource for future urban and social historians, especially those with a focus on the 1960-70s turbulence in the building industry in Sydney and the consequential push for legal and policy reform;
• identify Jack Mundey as a true once-in-a-lifetime ‘people’s hero’ in the battle to save treasured heritage and environmental assets.
• be an inspirational wake-up call to younger Australians who aspire to leadership in fields such as architecture, city planning, urban design, landscape architecture, heritage conservation and environmental politics;

Extensive social and professional networks built up over the years are extensive with people who have a keen interest in environmental matters and urban design, who are active in environmental politics; and who teach and undertake research in relevant fields;, and who believe that there are many messages of contemporary relevance emerging from the Mundey story.

Our hope is that the film will present Jack Mundey as an exemplary leader whose achievements were inspired by his commitment to social and especially environmental reform. His public activities in the union movement and later were underpinned by a ‘social contract ‘ which mandated that social benefits to the wider community should flow from labour in all its forms. His green bans of the 1970s saw that contract translated into actions whose benefits have been enjoyed by subsequent generations, and which will continue to be enjoyed into the future. The call to action is simply stated “Society needs more leaders like Mundey”.