Lay Catholic body formed by B.A.Santamaria which during the 1950s campaigned within the trade union movement to combat communist influence. The Australian of 18 January 2006 reported that Santamaria, during his stewardship, kept at bay the right-wing extremists "who hover at the fringe of politics." After his death in 1998 things changed. NCC national vice president Pat Byrne formed a close relationship with academic Lance Endersbee. Endersbee was a key supporter of the Citizens Electoral Council." The newspaper reported that a bitter internal row was threating to undermine "the influential Catholic political organisation."