Federal Election: Major parties rejected
SP Newsletter No.326
The August 21 Federal election has confirmed the inability of either Labor or the Coalition to convince a majority of Australian voters to support their right-wing policies. Neither party emerged with a clear mandate to govern.
Labor’s vote clearly suffered due to their inaction on climate change, scapegoating of refugees and support for discriminatory marriage laws, as well as the perceived ill-treatment of former PM Kevin Rudd. But the Liberal/National Coalition failed to convince people that they would be any better.
The majority of those who voted Labor in 2007, but not in 2010, either voted ‘informal’ or for the Greens this time around. This disillusionment in both Labor and the Coalition is an indication of a growing recognition that neither party represents the interests or values of workers and young people.
For the most part the ‘protest vote’ went to the Greens despite the ambiguity about what they actually stand for. What this points to, however, is an increasing layer of people searching for a left alternative.
The polarisation of the major parties from the needs and aspirations of ordinary people is predicated on the underlying economic instability and the need to pay back government debt. All parties - Labor, Liberal and the Greens alike - have gone to great lengths to stress the importance of achieving ‘stable government’, meaning a government capable of introducing unpopular, anti-worker austerity measures to bring the budget back into surplus. This will prove even more severe in the event of another economic downturn.
With a program of cuts to services and the shelving of desperately needed infrastructure projects on the horizon, it is clearly not enough to punish one big-business party by voting for the other, then vice-versa, in an unending cycle of disappointment and frustration. All this has led to is the continuation of pro-big business, pro-market, pro-wealthy governments attacking our rights and undermining our standards of living.
In order for workers and young people to advance our interests we need political representation of our own. Not just any alternative to Labor and Liberal, but a party unashamedly and unwaveringly on the side of ordinary people - not big-business! Only a new workers’ party, armed with a socialist program and consistently putting peoples’ needs before the pursuit of profit, can break the cycle of pro-capitalist governments loyally implementing the interests of the ruling elite.
However, this can not be achieved solely through the ballot box. The basis of a new party will come from the movements that will develop against big business and government attacks. An unstable minority government can be challenged by the coming together of people in our workplaces, schools and communities. Building this resistance is the initial step in the struggle for a socialist society where the needs of ordinary people are the priority and the wealth of society is democratically planned and used for the benefit of all.
Socialism 2010 - A weekend of discussion about a world in crisis
Venue: Trades Hall, 54 Victoria Street Carlton South, Victoria.
Friday October 1
7pm – Capitalist crisis and class struggle
Anthony Main will look at the effects of the economic crisis and perspectives for struggle internationally.
Saturday October 2
10am – 25 years of the Socialist Party
Stephen Jolly and Robyn Hohl will discuss the history and ideas of the Socialist Party in Australia.
1pm – Australia’s new minority government
Mel Gregson will look at the social, political and economic situation facing the new minority government. Can the relative quite last?
3.30pm – Recession and revolt in Greece
David Suter will look at the situation in Greece: The debt crisis, the general strikes and how people are fighting back.
7pm – SP State Election launch, Vote 1 Stephen Jolly for Richmond!
The Socialist Party will be joined by a range of community and trade union leaders to launch Stephen Jolly’s election campaign. (This function will be held at the British Crown Hotel on Smith St in Collingwood)
Sunday October 3
11am – 4pm
SP members will look at how we will build our organisation over the next year and discuss party business.
For more information or to arrange childcare or accommodation contact the SP National Office on 0396399111.
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:
8/9 – SP Conference preparations
15/9 – Political crisis and floods in Pakistan
22/9 – Can a revolution be peaceful?
For more information or for details of meetings in other parts of Australia contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.
News links:
South Africa: Public sector struggle continues
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/4487
Brazil: Support the Plinio de Arruda Sampaio campaign!
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/4489
Poland: 30th anniversary of Solidarnosc
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/4484
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.
Adelaide: Phone David on 0883441474.
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.
