- The Guardian
- Issue #2140
CPA comrades who gathered in Kaurna land on the occasion of the ACFS National Consultation, 29-30 March 2025.
Comrades in the South Australian Communist Party Central Branch and the Port Adelaide Branch joined in a meeting with the Party president, Vinnie Molina, Party secretary, Andrew Irving and Guardian editor Floyd Kermode at the Party’s Fidel’s centre in Adelaide. Importantly the coordinator of the CPA Women’s Collective, Elizabeth Hulm was also present.
As many key Party members were in Adelaide to attend the 40th National Consultation of the ACFS (Australia Cuba Friendship Society), they took the opportunity to meet with local Party members, many of whom are involved in South Australian Branch of the ACFS as part of the total CPA unwavering support for the Cuban people and their six-decade long struggle against the cruel and illegal commercial blockade imposed by the malevolence of US imperialism.
After a successful National Consultation, where the special guest was the Cuban Ambassador, Dr Tanieris Dieguez La O, the CPA members came together. Party president, Comrade Vinnie Molina expressed his pleasure in attending and reflected on how constructively Party members worked in community and mass organisations.
Comrade Vinnie drew attention to the preparation needed for the Party Congress in February 2026 and also for the forthcoming Cadre School as part of building the Party, in particular as a woman friendly organisation.
A highlight was the presentation of a Medal of Honour from the Party to Bob Saltis, former Party secretary and a longstanding active member for 95 years. Bob was just 18 when he joined the party. He was living in a working-class area in Adelaide where many migrants of Greek and Italian background were living. Friends led Bob to join the Eureka Youth League. Not long after joining he went to Czechoslovakia where he worked in factories and agriculture and became a member of the Czech equivalent of the CFMEU, as well as the Czech Communist Party which had a policy of educating workers. Although Bob had ambitions of becoming a fitter and turner, he ended up going to university to become an English teacher.
In 2022, the 100th anniversary of the Party in South Australia, Bob received a Loyal Service Award from the Port Adelaide CPA Branch and from the 2025 ACFS National Congress a Solidarity Award presented by the Cuban Ambassador.
On returning to Australia, and rejoining the Party, Bob became involved in the SPA (Socialist Party of Australia, later the Communist Party of Australia). As a lifelong Marxist, he is still active in the Party.
Of great interest, Comrade Andrew explained how the Party had digitised some of its important documents so that these are now available online as an attractive resource for members and scholars. Looking to the future, he saw the Cadre School with 36 young participants as preparing a new generation to focus on issues that unite rather than divide the Party. In looking at activism in the community, Comrade Andrew noted that key people in our society are often women, notably in the peace movement, making gender balance even more vital.
In looking at the Guardian, the editor, comrade Floyd, said that although the Party newspaper was run by the Central Committee, it was really the paper of the membership, recording Party activities and sharing the Party position on issues, for example on Palestine and Cuba, with the community. Members can readily contribute through letters to the editor, reviews of books, games, movies, and TV programs, while photos are always welcome. Union issues are always important, as unions, especially militant ones, are under attack.
Speaking as the coordinator of the Women’s Collective, Comrade Elizabeth emphasised how important it was for both men and women to work together in confronting capitalism.
Productive exchanges like this only serve to give the Party added strength.
