About Us

Ron Slee

President and Branch Representative on the History Council of South Australia

I am currently President of LHSSA having been an Executive Committee member since 2022. 

My interest in labour history goes back 55 years when I studied history and politics in a BA and later an MA at Adelaide University.

I taught Australian history in secondary schools in the 1970s and later at Flinders University.

In 1975 I joined the ALP and in 1983 was appointed ministerial advisor to Labor Premier John Bannon and then to Education Minister Greg Crafter.

After Labor lost the 1993 state election I returned to Flinders University and joined the NTEU where I was Branch Secretary for 8 years and President for 4 years; during those years I was a member of the Union Negotiations Team bargaining for Enterprise Agreements.

I was elected a member of the NTEU National Executive from 2014 and SA Division Secretary from 2016 until 2021 when I retired.

Doug Melvin

Trade Union Liaison Officer and Branch Representative on the National Executive of the ASSLH

I have been a member of Labour History Society (SA) since 2018 and apart for 1 year have been on the Executive enjoyed 4 years as President.

I see the LHS as an important bridge between the union movement, worker and community organisations and academia.  It is very important that history of the labour movement is record for future generations as history, as a subject itself, becomes less prevalent across school and university curriculums.

2025 has been a very successful year for this branch with good interesting speakers at the well attended general meeting with 60+ at the last meeting.

It is also very exciting for the branch to be holding a State Conference in February 2026.

Ralph Clarke

Elected Member

I joined the Labour History Society in 2003. I have served as its secretary, President and as an Executive Committee member continuously since.

I come from the Labour movement, having been an official of the Federated Clerks Union SA Branch from 1974 – December 1993, becoming Secretary 1984- 1993 and National President of the Union 1991- 1993. I also served on the Trades and Labour Council Executive, 1984- 1997, the last 4 years as the SA ALP Parliamentary Representative as the Member for Ross Smith and its Industrial Relations Shadow Minister.

One the most encouraging signs for me about LHS SA, is the increase in the number of younger members joining, (including more women) and their serving on the Executive. I am looking forward to 2026 for another year of interesting speakers, furthering our knowledge of the history of our great Labour Movement.

Nix Herriot

Elected Member

I am an early career researcher specialising in Australian labour, environmental, and social movement history. My PhD, completed at the University of Adelaide, explored collaboration and conflict between the labour and environmental movements in Australia since 1975. I have published several articles, including work on the history of student radicalism during the ‘long 1960s’.

I am an active member of the National Tertiary Eductation Union and a socialist. My research and activism are driven by a commitment to understanding radical social movements and labour struggles, and to drawing out lessons that can help rebuild the workers’ movement and the left today.

Roz Averis

Secretary

Roz Averis is currently Secretary of LHSSA, and has been a member of the Executive team since 2024. She is also part of LHSSA's Editorial Collective.

Before her retirement in 2015, Roz occupied a number of policy advisory and project management roles in the South Australian public service - across a variety of portfolios including work on youth development; education, employment and training: legislative review: and international engagement strategy. She also project managed a range of AusAid-funded capacity development prograns in Timor Leste.

Roz is a former Labour Studies student, subsequently completing a PhD in the field of political economy. She has a continuing interest in public policy and governance, labour history and social justice issues.

Jim Phillips

Vice-President

James (Jim) Leslie Phillips is an accomplished leader in union advocacy, occupational health and safety (OHS), and public administration. With extensive experience in the union movement, James has held senior representative roles, contributed to numerous industrial and OHS committees, and served as a delegate to Unions, state councils and conventions. James is recognised for community leadership, campaign organisation, a longstanding commitment to the Union Movement, Australian Labor Party and Neighbourhood Watch (NHW).

Kevin Kaeding

Treasurer

Kevin has been a long-term Treasurer of the South Australian Branch of the Labour History Society.

Liam Horwood

Elected Member

Vini Ciccarello

Vice-President

Habibah Jaghoori

Elected Member

I'm a unionist and I'm currently a general executive member of the LHSSA. I think the LHS is a really important organisation in not only preserving the rich hostory of the Australian working class but celebrating and taking important lessons from the struggles that happened before us. 

I have a Bachelors in Media and Journalism from the University of Adelaide and I'm currently studying  Masters of International Relations at Flinders University. Students play a vital role in social justice campaigns on both a state, national and international level.

I'm involved with activism and organising for the Free Palestine movement and a member of the SA Socialists Party.