SP Newsletter No.373

Welfare quarantine measures, introduced as part of the racist Northern Territory Intervention, are now to be spread to other parts of Australia. These measures will stigmatise up to 20,000 people, forcing them to shop at “government approved” shops, purchase only “priority items”, and face the prospect being segregated into separate queues under an apartheid-style system.

The Socialist Party opposed the introduction of welfare quarantining when it was imposed on the NT, and now opposes the expansion of this discriminatory policy. We warned that the NT would be used as a “testing ground” before these attacks were spread to other areas of Australia.

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SP Newsletter No.372

Trillions of dollars were lost from stock markets last month as the world economic situation took a turn for the worse. It has become increasingly clear that far from ensuring a recovery, the measures put in place by capitalist leaders have only deepened the crisis. A global double dip recession is now very much on the cards.

The stock market losses were the worst since the collapse of the American bank Lehman Brothers in 2008. This collapse was the trigger for the financial crisis which spread across the world leading to bank bailouts and the need for huge stimulus packages. This comparison shows how serious and precarious the current situation is, as the world economy stands poised to slip into a prolonged slump.

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SP Newsletter No.371

Last month’s global share market volatility – prompted by the deepening of the EU debt crisis, poor growth figures and a US debt downgrade – demonstrated increasing fear of a new global downturn. Australian share markets were in no way immune, with $100 billion wiped off Australian stocks in a matter of days. This dramatic episode highlighted just how sensitive Australia is to adjustments in international markets.

True to form, Treasurer Wayne Swan again attempted to downplay potential threats to the Australian economy, stating that Australia has “solid economic growth, a strong labour market, an enviable fiscal position, well regulated and well capitalised financial institutions, and a proven track record in dealing with global instability.”

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SP Newsletter No.370

The issue of live animal exports has come to the fore in recent months ever since the ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ program exposed examples of animal cruelty in Indonesian abattoirs. Graphic footage of cattle being kicked, whipped and beaten prior to slaughter has angered many people. This led to the Federal Government putting a temporary ban on live cattle exports.

Millions of animals are exported live on ships from Australia every year. Tens of thousands do not survive the weeks long journey while those that do often end up in places where they are killed in inhumane ways. If disease doesn’t kill them they face the likelihood of having their throats cut while still conscious.

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The Newcastle Branch of the Socialist Party is holding a public meeting at 1pm on Saturday September 10 @ the Stag and Hunter Hotel (upstairs meeting room), Maitland Road, Mayfield, NSW.

We are opposed to Gillard’s carbon tax as it forces ordinary people, rather than the big polluters, to pay. We stand for urgent action to stop global warming but say we can’t leave all the decisions in the hands of big business.

The only way to save the environment is on the basis of public ownership, democratic control and sustainable planning. Come along to this meeting to find out what socialists say about climate change.

For more information contact Robyn on 0422729884 or email our National Office.

SP Newsletter No.369

On Saturday August 13 thousands of people rallied once more across Australia in support of same sex marriage rights. More than 2000 gathered in Melbourne with hundreds more protesting in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

Since 2001 ten countries have legalised same sex marriage. A number of US states have also made the move including New York in July this year. Shamefully, both the major parties in Australia still claim that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

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SP Newsletter No.368

Barry O’Farrell, the recently elected Liberal Premier of NSW and his National Party coalition partners, made much recently of the fact that they had been in office for 100 days.

This milestone may have passed quietly for many but for workers in the state’s public sector this anniversary has marked what will be seen as an enormous attack on their rights.

During the state election campaign earlier this year O’Farrell had promised to “take on” the public service. When questioned about this promise he was suitably vague preferring instead to rely on conservative rhetoric. We are now starting to see what O’Farrell meant by his comments.

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SP Newsletter No.367

In recent years thousands of young people have taken to the streets demanding an end to the ban on same-sex marriage. But despite these protests same-sex marriage is still illegal in Australia. Politicians from both the major parties cynically continue to ignore majority opinion and court the conservative vote.

There is however a distinct feeling amongst activists that it is possible to win same-sex marriage rights. This optimism occasionally gives rise to the mistaken impression that LGBTI people simply have to wait for legislative change, that eventually politicians will see anti-homophobic reason. This is far from the truth. The only way to ensure a victory will be by escalating the campaign.

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SP Newsletter No.366

Support for the Gillard Labor Government hit an all-time low in July. A Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper showed support for Labor at a mere 27%. On a two-party preferred basis the Coalition was polling at 58% with Labor at 42%.

Clearly Gillard is having trouble selling the carbon tax to ordinary people. While many people want to see action on climate change, most see no need for the costs to be passed on to them. Tony Abbott has made a lot of mileage out of the fact that this tax will cost people more while doing next to nothing to reduce emissions.

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SP Newsletter No.365

Since the start of July four new members of the Australian Greens have taken their place in the Senate. This now gives the Greens the ‘balance of power’ in both houses, meaning that the Government needs the support of either the Greens or the opposition Liberal-National Coalition to pass legislation.

The Greens have played a crucial role in the House of Representatives since last year’s election. Their support for Labor helps Gillard maintain her minority government. If either the Greens, or one of the Independents, withdrew their support for Labor the government would fall in an instant.

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