SP Newsletter No.289
Almost two years ago Mr Ward, an Aboriginal elder from the north of Western Australia (WA) was cooked to death while in custody of the WA police and prisoner transport company GSL (now G4S). As a result of his horrific death a campaign was built by the Deaths In Custody Watch Committee (DICWC) to demand compensation for the community, that charges be brought against those responsible, and that sweeping changes be made to prisoner transport and other areas to ensure that this will not happen again.

The campaign has received mass support with a demonstration in Perth of two thousand people, a public meeting of over four hundred people and a state petition with over five thousand signatures. The pressure that the campaign has generated has forced a coronial inquest, gained recognition from the WA government that this death was avoidable and ended use of the van that Mr Ward was transported in on long distance trips.

But nearly two years on this is not enough. The community has received no compensation. Under Australian law no private company or government department can be charged over his death. In fact the contract that G4S have with the state government allows for two deaths per year! To add insult to injury G4S have recently been rewarded with a 5 year contract for prisoner transport in Victoria, in essence a signal to G4S and other companies that it is alright to kill people.

The tactic from the state government has been to delay the process at every stage in the hope that this could be swept under the carpet, as has happened with the over two hundred deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission into black deaths in custody. Some of the key demands of the campaign are the ending of the G4S contract and for prisoner transport to be brought under state control, compensation for the community, and for changes to the system from arrest to prison. For this to happen there must be links built with the Prison Officers Union and other unions and community groups and a campaign of protests at ministers offices as part of a wider campaign to put pressure on the Liberal state government.

This must be linked to the wider issues of racism in Australia. While capitalism remains Indigenous people will continue to be treated as second class citizens. The Socialist Party campaigns for unity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous workers and ordinary people around a joint programme of defence of democratic demands such as Land Rights and for a decent health, education, housing and job opportunities for all.

Same-sex marriage rally. Equal rights now!

Saturday, November 28th
1:00pm State Library, Melbourne

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the New York Stonewall riots. Six days of protest that shook the world and brought on the beginnings of the modern gay
rights movement. This movement won gains for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people around the world. But there is still a long way to go.

In Australia today LGBTI people are denied basic rights that the rest of the community take for granted. Marriage is one such right. The Howard government
introduced the Marriage Amendment Bill 2004 which saw marriage defined as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others.” Labor gave no opposition to the bill and same-sex marriage was officially banned both in practice and recognition.

Since then many have hoped that the election of the Rudd Labor Government would bring positive changes for LGBTI people. These changes however have proved
wholly symbolic. For the most part LGBTI issues have been absent from Labor politics. Labor has continued to mimic the Howard government’s position towards LGBTI people with Rudd stating that he was opposed to same-sex marriage and that the Labor Party would continue to regard marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Currently, decisions on marriage and adoption are largely the responsibility of state parliaments. A change to the Marriage Amendment Bill would cut through state based discrimination and highlight the normality of same-sex relationships. Yet an amendment to this bill will not come from the Labor Party.

Labor’s justification for their archaic policies is simply that the Australian people are not ready for such a change. These claims have no grounding in reality with a recent Galaxy Poll showing that 60 per cent of Australians support same-sex marriage. The Rudd government’s stance on same-sex marriage is serious institutional discrimination. They are presenting backwards politics in a country where LGBTI bashings are still commonplace and the suicide rate of LGBTI youth is phenomenally higher than their heterosexual counterparts.

Earlier this month a progressive bill was passed in the ACT allowing legally binding civil union ceremonies. However the Federal Government have indicated they will veto this legislation. This shows that change will not come for LGBTI people through the
parliament alone. We need a sustained mass movement in workplaces, schools and on the streets to push for full rights for the LGBTI community. The fight starts here!

The Socialist Party supports same-sex marriage rights and calls for an end to discrimination against the LGBTI community. We are fighting for:

- National legislation on marriage and adoption allowing equal rights for same-sex couples.
- An end to discrimination in the workplace with unions, workers, and students stepping up to tackle inequality and prejudice against the LGBTI community. We stand for workers unity not homophopia!

Join the Socialist Party for post-rally drinks at the Lounge bar, upstairs 243 Swanston st.

Socialist Party end of year raffle!

It’s the old $10 tickets – but this time due to short notice, only 50 tickets to be sold. Cash prizes of $200 and $50 – high odds of winning.

Drawn on Wednesday 16th December at our last meeting of the year, 7pm at Trades Hall

Call or email the office for tickets

Upcoming SP meetings

The Melbourne Branch of the Socialist Party meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets Carlton South. Upcoming meetings include:

2/12/09 – 155th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade: lessons for today
9/12/09 – Can Capitalism achieve environmental sustainability?
16/12/09 – End of year debrief /drinks – All welcome!

For more information or for details of meetings in other parts of Australia contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

News links:

Venezuela: A new phase and greater dangers
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/11/1801.html

Ireland: 250,000 public service workers take part in one-day strike
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/11/2601.html

South Africa: Rebellion, concessions and repression
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/11/2401.html

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, the system that is at the root of all of these problems. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. To join SP contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a membership application form.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Support the Socialist Party by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. Subscription rates are only $10 per year or $20 solidarity price. You will receive 11 copies per year 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 to ‘The Socialist’ contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a subscription form.

Socialist Party contact details

Melbourne: Phone Anthony on 0396399111.
Sydney: Phone Gary on 0297287727.
Newcastle: Phone Samantha on 0249681545.
Perth: Phone John on 0894020728.
Rest of Australia: Phone our National Office on 0396399111.
Rest of the world: Phone our International Office on ++ 44 20 8988 8760.

The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). The CWI is organised in over 40 countries across the world.

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