Jim Mitchell
Jim Mitchell joined the Communist Party of Australia in 1930 at the age of 17, and maintained his membership for 72 years until his death in 2003. Mitchell’s suffragette mother (Eva) was active in the British Labour Movement played an important role in shaping his political philosophy. Mitchell first worked as a cub reporter on the Melbourne Herald and later transferred to the Party newspaper Workers Voice. He served in the Australian Army during the war, but was later expelled from the RSL.
The Party asked Jim to transfer to South Australia to set up and become Editor of The Tribune. During the Menzies Government’s attempts to shut down the Waterside Workers Federation and the Seamen's Union of Australia, the Party decided that Mitchell should become a wharfie in Port Adelaide where his leadership and ability to organise were soon noticed. Jim served on the State Committee of the CPA and Socialist Party of Australia, the Central Committee of SPA, the State Executive of Soviet Friendship Society and the National Committee of the Soviet Friendship Society. He was a delegate to party and trade union conferences, served on the policy committees and was an honoured guest at Socialist Party Conferences in Europe. In Australia Jim was active on many committees - including the Vietnam Moratorium, the Soviet Friendship Society, Cuban Friendship Society, Anti-Apartheid Movement, Trades and Labor Council Delegate for MUA, Czechoslovakian Friendship Society, Committee for 1967 Aboriginal Referendum and the establishment of TAFE in Port Adelaide.[1]
Later involved with the Association for Communist Unity.
"It's time to act"
"It's time to act" was a 1991 statement calling for the formation of the New Left Party.
Adelaide sponsors were : Jocelyn Auer, Deborah Baldassi, Ben Carslake, Stephen Darley, Jim Douglas, Leonie Ebert, Marco Fedi, Anthea Howard, Ian Hunt, Lee Marling, Jim Mitchell, Paul Noack, Barbara Pocock, Peter Robin, Jane Tassie, John Wishart.
The Broad Left Conference
The Communist Party of Australia, Association for Communist Unity and others organized The Broad Left Conference, which was held 1986 28th-31st March, at the NEW SOUTH WALES INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Broadway, Sydney.
Jim Mitchell was among the list of sponsors.
Pro-Soviet dissidents
At the 1970 Communist Party of Australia Congress, a number of these pro-Soviet members were not returned to the National Committee, including Edgar Ross, W.J. Brown, Freda Brown, Elliott V. Elliott, Ralph Gibson, Geoff Curthoys, Tom Wright, Judah Waten, and Jim Mitchell.