The following article was published in today’s Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne it includes quotes from Socialist Party councillor Stephen Jolly.
Three people were stabbed when a gang of youths, armed with knives, raided their home in Fitzroy, and a fight broke out. (more…)

On 30 March, the US government introduced penalty tariffs on glossy paper from China. A week later, Washington filed cases against China to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over intellectual property rights (CDs, DVDs etc). In May, a Chinese top delegation will arrive in Washington for the second US-China economic summit, hosted by US finance minister, Hank Paulson. Is the US government now changing to a new aggressive line on Chinese trade? How dependent are the two states upon each other and how important is China for global capitalism?
By Per-Åke Westerlund, CWI Sweden (more…)

SP Newsletter No.169
US hip hop artist Snoop Dogg has been denied entry to Australia this week. The cancellation of his visa means he will not be appearing at the MTV Australian Video Music Awards in Sydney this weekend. Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said Snoop Dogg was being issued with a notice of intention to cancel his visa after he failed to pass the requisite ‘character test’. (more…)

On ANZAC day, as John Howard and other establishment figures drum up nationalism, glorify war and rewrite the history books about what happened at Gallipoli, SP publishes the lyrics of the famous anti war song “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”. (more…)

Previously we reported the Alma-Ata city Procurer (legal prosecutor) demanded the arrest and imprisonment, for 15 days, of Ainur Kurmanov, a well-known CWI member and opposition socialist activist in Kazakhstan. This follows a recent court case when Ainur was fined for taking part in mass protests against the destruction of shanty towns near Alma-Ata to make way for ‘entertainment complexes’ and luxury flats. The police and prosecutor fumed that Ainur’s sentence was too ‘light’. The prosecutor had the right to appeal and demanded Ainur’s jailing. At a court hearing, on Monday 23 April, the judge rejected the prosecutor’s appeal.
Below, Ainur Kurmanov reports on the court hearing. (more…)

On April 17, leader of the Labor Party, Kevin Rudd gave a speech to the National Press Club. The speech gave a glimpse as to what an ALP federal government would look like if it gets elected to power later this year.
By Anthony Main, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

Urgent messages of protest needed!
Today, the Alma-ata city Procurer (legal prosecuter) demanded the arrest and imprisonment, for 15 days, of Ainur Kurmanov, a well-known CWI member and opposition socialist activist. This follows a recent court case when Ainur left the court with just a fine despite the demands of the police and prosecutor. The Procuror had the right to appeal. (more…)

SP Newsletter No.168
This week saw the worst school shooting incident in American history. A young gunman shot 32 people dead before turning the gun on himself. Dozens of others were wounded during the rampage at the Virginia Tech University campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. (more…)

Australia’s intervention in East Timor is becoming unstuck, and could well turn into a mini-Iraq for John Howard. With no end in sight, and an ongoing disaster that Australia has helped to create, it is possible that Howard could be bogged down in East Timor for some time to come.
By Stephen Jolly, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

Over 150 students blockaded a dinner party at Melbourne University last night to protest at the administration’s plans to introduce cuts to courses, student and staff numbers next year. The university is making dramatic changes to the way it operates which will be bad news for students and staff across the board.
By Wynand van der Woude, Melbourne University Socialist Student Group (more…)