Jim Saleam
Encyclopedia
Dr James Saleam (born in 1955) is an Australian far-right activist and the current chairman of the Australia First Party. Saleam was a former member of the short-lived National Socialist Party of Australia in the early 1970s.
Saleam co-founded National Action
(NA) on Anzac Day
, 1982. National Action eventually imploded due to Saleam's criminal actions which included insurance fraud and for organising a shotgun attack on ANC
representative Eddie Funde by two NA members. Saleam served jail terms for both crimes. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming that he was set up by police. This claim was rejected by the courts. Saleam maintains his innocence.
On his release from prison, Saleam earned a PhD
in politics from the University of Sydney
by writing a thesis entitled The Other Radicalism: An Inquiry Into Contemporary Australian Extreme Right Ideology, Politics And Organization 1975-1995. http://home.alphalink.com.au/~radnat/otherradicalism/index.html
Saleam has acted as a mentor for the Patriotic Youth League
and was the Secretary of the Sydney
branch of the Australia First Party
(AFP) between 2002 to 2007. In August 2007 he was expelled from the party by AFP president Diane Teasdale and later established Australia First (NSW
) as a separate entity and incorporated the AFP NSW membership into the new party with himself as the party chairman. He is also the co-organiser along with Welf Herfurth, of the Sydney Forum, a right wing conference that is held annual in Sydney.
Saleam is currently self-employed and divorced with two children. There have been various claims in the media that Saleam's family originally came from Lebanon/Syria and in June 2007 government naturalisation documents were published which claim to be proof. Arab-Australians Today cites the case of Davis Saleam, explaining "In contrast to other Asians, limited numbers of Syrians had, for example, been allowed to enter the country despite the Immigration Restriction Act...Police responses show there was some confusion as to whether Syrian/Lebanese were white or coloured...some Syrian/Lebanese were obviously perceived to be coloured or, at the least, not entirely white." Saleam maintains he is of Greek ethnicity.
Saleam co-founded National Action
National Action (Australia)
National Action was an Australian nationalist political party. It had no representatives in any Australian parliament, at either state or national level. Its ideology dictated that it remain outside the "political system"....
(NA) on Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
, 1982. National Action eventually imploded due to Saleam's criminal actions which included insurance fraud and for organising a shotgun attack on ANC
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
representative Eddie Funde by two NA members. Saleam served jail terms for both crimes. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming that he was set up by police. This claim was rejected by the courts. Saleam maintains his innocence.
On his release from prison, Saleam earned a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in politics from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
by writing a thesis entitled The Other Radicalism: An Inquiry Into Contemporary Australian Extreme Right Ideology, Politics And Organization 1975-1995. http://home.alphalink.com.au/~radnat/otherradicalism/index.html
Saleam has acted as a mentor for the Patriotic Youth League
Patriotic Youth League
The Patriotic Youth League was a youth organisation in Australia. They described themselves as 'radical nationalists', however the media and other groups labelled them Neo-Nazis. Their logo was the Eureka Flag....
and was the Secretary of the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
branch of the Australia First Party
Australia First Party
The Australia First Party is a minor far-right political party in Australia that is federally registered and is also registered to contest local elections in New South Wales. The Party is led by Jim Saleam. Saleam is the Chairman of the Party in New South Wales but plays a major role in the Party...
(AFP) between 2002 to 2007. In August 2007 he was expelled from the party by AFP president Diane Teasdale and later established Australia First (NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
) as a separate entity and incorporated the AFP NSW membership into the new party with himself as the party chairman. He is also the co-organiser along with Welf Herfurth, of the Sydney Forum, a right wing conference that is held annual in Sydney.
Saleam is currently self-employed and divorced with two children. There have been various claims in the media that Saleam's family originally came from Lebanon/Syria and in June 2007 government naturalisation documents were published which claim to be proof. Arab-Australians Today cites the case of Davis Saleam, explaining "In contrast to other Asians, limited numbers of Syrians had, for example, been allowed to enter the country despite the Immigration Restriction Act...Police responses show there was some confusion as to whether Syrian/Lebanese were white or coloured...some Syrian/Lebanese were obviously perceived to be coloured or, at the least, not entirely white." Saleam maintains he is of Greek ethnicity.
External links
- Australian Nationalist Ideological, Historical and Legal Archive maintained by James Saleam