Ethno-nationalist group National Workers Alliance Storms Tim Wilson's Event
An event hosted by Federal MP Tim Wilson was disrupted by the National Workers Alliance, an ethno-nationalist group. The group's leader, Matt Trihey, shouted about immigration and crime, sparking a police response. The incident occurred during a forum titled 'How do we build a respectful society?' held at a hotel in Bentleigh, Melbourne. Mr. Wilson, the federal member for Goldstein and shadow treasurer, was addressing the audience when the disruption took place.
Police were called to the scene due to reports of 'three males causing trouble'. The men had already left the premises by the time police arrived, but the incident has raised concerns about the group's activities. A video posted by the National Workers Alliance shows Trihey speaking forcefully, demanding that politicians address immigration and crime, which he claims are existential threats to the group's people.
This incident comes with a history of controversy for the National Workers Alliance. In 2024, a speaker performed a Nazi salute at one of their meetings, although a magistrate later ruled it was done mockingly without intent to display loyalty to Nazism. Mr. Trihey has also made controversial claims about 'European blood' facing existential threats from immigration and organized a March For Australia event last year. He has spoken at events attended by members of the now-disbanded neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Network (NSN), although he denies being a Nazi or a member of any neo-Nazi organization.
Following the event, Mr. Wilson posted on social media that the meeting was 'stormed by the CFMEU and Neo-Nazis'. The National Workers Alliance, in response, denied being a neo-Nazi organization and warned Mr. Wilson of potential defamation. They claimed they simply asked questions that reasonable Australians want answers to. However, Mr. Wilson's staff reported that some of the disruptors wore CFMEU shirts, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. The union has been contacted for comment, but the attendance of people in CFMEU shirts has not been confirmed.
