SP Newsletter No.161
Labor frontbencher and ex Midnight Oil front man Peter Garret has said that he now fully supports the ALP’s endorsement of a new US military base planned for Western Australia. Liberal MPs hammered Garret in parliament this week after he refused to answer questions from the press about the issue. (more…)

But is it enough to end capitalism?
In Venezuela the inauguration speech of Hugo Chávez detailed his plans to nationalize more of the main industries of his country putting him into direct conflict with big business. And more recently he told the US “Gringos go home”.
By Samantha Ashby, Socialist Party Newcastle (more…)

There has been a lot of talk of “reopening the nuclear debate” and Howard is amongst world leaders who are planning a massive turn to nuclear power, on the claim that it does not produce the greenhouse gases that fossil fuels do. Nuclear’s supporters are attempting to paint it as a clean, green and viable alternative.
By Kylie McGregor, Socialist Party (more…)

Still to this day the ACTU is yet to provide a strategy to fight the Howard governments ‘Work Choices’ legislation beyond voting for the ALP at the next Federal election. Most workers are well aware that these laws strip back hard won rights and conditions.
By Antony Alder, Socialist Party (more…)

January 12th marked 5 years since the incarceration of David Hicks at Guantanamo Bay by the US. Soon after Hicks was finally charged by US authorities under retrospective laws that did not exist when he was captured. This was probably under pressure from the Australian government, which itself is feeling political heat from an electorate that is uncomfortable with the unending incarceration in horrendous conditions of an Australian citizen by the US.
By Denise Dudley, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

This month saw the publication of the fourth report from the UN’s climate science programme (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - IPCC). The report paints a bleak picture for the environment if global warming is not checked.
By Dave Nellist, Socialist Party (more…)

Since 1492 the people of Latin America have suffered massive oppression and poverty at the hands of imperialism and capitalism. The last few years, however, have opened up a new period of explosive resistance against the rule of big business. Workers, youth and peasants throughout the region have been protesting on the streets and at the ballot boxes. The working class is stepping into struggle, and increasingly becoming more anti-capitalist. Even the dreaded “s word,” socialism, is now being discussed and debated in the streets, from Caracas to Mexico City.
By Canyon Lalama, Socialist Alternative (CWI - United States) (more…)

The following article is the Editorial comment in the February edition of The Socialist. Monthly newspaper of the Socialist Party (Australia)

Some in the press have referred to Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard as the ‘Dream Team’. The Federal Opposition has gone through a series of change of leaderships, Beazley to Crean, Crean to Latham, and now to Rudd as Labor desperately searches for a fresh face to hide the truth: their policies are fundamentally no different to the Coalition. (more…)

This is the text of a Socialist Party leaflet distributed at the Big Day Out in Melbourne. Written by Andrew Calleja
National identity and what it means to be Australian has again become a hot discussion topic leading into this weekend Big Day Out concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. Reacting to reports that some patrons had used the Australian flag as a ‘weapon’ of hate at the 2006 Sydney BDO, organizers encouraged concert goers not to bring national flags to the Sydney BDO, held on Australia Day.

(more…)

SP is hosting Socialism 2007 on the weekend of 3th/4th March. It will be a weekend of discussion and debate over the major issues facing workers and young people here and internationally. (more…)