Labour Australia

Alan Miller, n.d.

Alan Charles Miller (1928-2014) Communist journalist.

Birth: 1 November 1928 at North Adelaide, South Australia, son of native-born parents Arthur Henry Miller, (1885-1957), postal technician, and his second wife Amy Sarah, née House (1895-1978). Marriage: 5 June 1964 to Beryl Miller, typist. Death: 27 November 2014 at Adelaide. 

• Attended Adelaide High School. Member of the Communist Youth Organisation, the Eureka Youth League (founded December 1941) which he joined in 1942. Joined Communist Party of Australia (CPA) in December 1945 at age of 17 (joining age was 18 but he was accepted on the basis of his political activity).
• Became journalist for SA Tribune, State’s CPA newspaper. Continued for 5 years until paper was replaced by party’s national paper, The Tribune, produced in Sydney.
• Sacked by leading metal factory because he was a Communist. Worked at Islington Railway Workshops, elected Secretary of Islington Branch of CPA, member of shop committee.
• 1961 became functionary of CPA, elected member of SA State Committee Executive and Secretary, Adelaide District Committee.
• In 1971 he was a foundation member of Socialist Party of Australia (SPA). The SPA was formed in order to continue a Marxist Leninist organisation in Australia. It was the SPA’s estimation that the Communist Party had abandoned the fundamental of Marxism Leninism. Leading up to the formation of the SPA, along with Peter Symon and Joe Goss he contributed to the first ideological document exposing the CPA’s position.
• Elected SA secretary of SPA, member of Central Committee Executive. Appointed editor of “SPA” the Party’s national newspaper, which was published in Adelaide.
• 1978 moved to Sydney to work for Central Committee. Elected deputy general secretary, appointed Editor of National Newspaper now called “The Guardian” and published in Sydney.
• 1985 moved to Melbourne to work for the party. Elected Victorian secretary.
• 1991 returned to Adelaide (ill health) and continued to be active in local branch.
• Member of SPA Congress in October 1996 in Sydney, adopted the name Communist Party of Australia (old CPA had dissolved). Represented Australian Communist Movement at Party Congresses, theoretical gatherings and discussions with Party leaderships in France, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Israel, the Soviet Union, Mongolia, the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and New Zealand.
• Also wrote short stories, poems and sketches, published a book of short stories, “The Unfortunate Incident and other stories.” Sketches performed.