SP Newsletter No.205
Socialism 2008 - A day of discussion on a world in crisis!
The Socialist Party will be holding our annual Socialism event this weekend - March 14 & 15 at Trades Hall in Melbourne.

Our special guest for the event will be Pakistani socialist and trade unionist, Khalid Bhatti. Khalid will join Socialist Party members and supporters from Melbourne, Sydney and Perth as well as another international visitor from the Workers Party in New Zealand.

Khalid is the National Organiser of the Trade Union Rights Campaign in Pakistan (TURCP) and the leader of the Socialist Movement Pakistan (SMP). He will report on the situation in Pakistan, post the election, and talk about the Middle East and the War on Terror. Khalid will also be meeting with many labour movement leaders and activists whilst he is in town.

This event will also discuss all the main issues facing workers and young people in 2008. If you have an interest in revolutionary politics or want to find out more about the Socialist Party this event must not be missed!

The full agenda for the weekend is as follows-

Friday March 14th

7.00pm – 9.00pm – The Middle East and the War on Terror.
Speaker: Khalid Bhatti (Pakistani socialist & trade unionist)

Saturday March 15th

10.00am – 11.30am – World economy on the brink! Will China save Australia?
Speaker: Stephen Jolly (SP Councillor)

11.45am – 1.15pm - Environmental challenges in the 21st century.
Speaker: Kylie McGregor (SP)

2.00pm – 3.30pm – The future of the unions under Rudd.
Speakers: Dave Kerin (Union Solidarity), Anthony Main (UNITE)

3.45pm – 5.15pm – France 68: 40th anniversary of the biggest general strike ever!
Speakers: Khalid Bhatti (SMP) and Denise Dudley (SP)

Raffle

In order to pay for the costs of bringing over our Pakistani guest we have organised a special raffle. Tickets are $10 and the prizes are $400 first prize, $200 second prize and $100 third prize. It will be drawn on Saturday March 15 at Socialism. The final few tickets will be sold at the door.

Costs

Money raised from entrance fees to the event will go towards paying for our international guests travel costs as well as advertising and room hire costs. The entrance fees are very cheap considering the expenses.

For the entire event the costs are $30 high waged, $20 low waged and $10 unwaged. For a single session the costs are $5 waged or $2 unwaged.

Venue

The venue for the event is Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets in Carlton South (Melbourne). All meetings will be held in Meeting room 1 which is located on the ground floor. Enter via the Victoria Street entrance.

After the sessions finish on the Saturday evening we will get together in the Trades Hall Bar. To book or for more information contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

Socialist Party regional activity-

Victoria

SP Melbourne Branch

This week the Melbourne Branch of the Socialist Party will be holding a public meeting at 7pm on Wednesday March 19 @ Trades Hall, corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets Carlton. The topic will be Iraq 5 years on: How can we end the occupation. The guest speaker will be Khalid Bhatti from the SMP in Pakistan. All welcome.

New South Wales

To find out more about SP in Sydney contact Gary on 02 9728 7727.

To find out more about SP in Newcastle contact Samantha on 02 4968 1545.

Western Australia

To find out more about SP in Perth contact John on 08 9402 0728.

Rest of Australia

To find out more about SP anywhere else in Australia contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.

We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to get rid of the capitalist system. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. For more info contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Become a supporter of SP by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. It only costs $20 per year or $10 concession and you will receive our paper delivered to your door every month. You will also receive our email newsletter every week and you will know that you are supporting an organisation that is at the fore of fighting against the capitalist system. To subscribe phone 03 9639 9111 or email our National Office.

The March edition is out now! Pick it up from one of our street stalls!

News links just a click away –

Portugal: Strikes and mass protests against sweeping government public sector cuts
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/03/10portua.html

Austria: Fascist attack on Socialist Left Party spokesperson’s home
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/03/10austra.html

Latin America: Class struggles intensify in continent’s strongest economies
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/03/07chileb.html

Get Active - Join the fight back, Get Militant - Join the Socialist Party.

The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). To contact or join the SP or the CWI anywhere in Australia, or the world, call +61 3 9639 9111 or email our National Office.

‘Workers of the world unite – you’ve got nothing to lose but your chains’

http://www.sp.org.au
http://www.myspace.com/socialistpartyaustralia

http://www.socialistworld.net