 As Police Commissioner Blamey defended the actions of the police during the 1928 Waterside Workers ' Federation dispute , during which police opened fire , killing a striking worker who was also a Gallipoli veteran , and wounding several others . His treatment of the unionists was typical of his hard line anti @-@ communist beliefs and as such his relations with left @-@ wing governments were tense . Along with many senior army and ex @-@ army officers , he was a leading member of the clandestine far @-@ right @-@ wing League of National Security . This was reportedly a response to the rise of communism in Australia . Its members stood ready to take up arms to stop a Catholic or communist revolution . 
