After 11 years of John Howard most ordinary people are planning to vote for a change of government at the upcoming election. And it’s no wonder: Over two million people are living in poverty despite the economic upturn, according to a new report, Australia Fair, commissioned by Churches and community organisations. Workers are working longer hours than ever just to pay the bills. Services like child care and public transport have not kept up with growing need. (more…)

The ending of work bans on October 25 by nurses in Victorian public hospitals saw the end of a bitter dispute and a victory for nurses, their union and for the entire Victorian public.
By SP reporters Melbourne (more…)

Bloody fighting between Turkish troops and PKK Kurdish separatist guerrillas on the Turkey/Iraq border has enormously ratcheted-up tensions between the two countries. Turkey’s parliament has decided by 509 votes to 19 to back the country’s army leaders’ demands to invade Kurdish-run northern Iraq. They want to try and flush out units of the banned separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
By Kevin Parslow, Socialist Party (more…)

SP Newsletter No.192
On Saturday October 13 two neo-Nazi organisations (Blood & Honour and the Hammerskins) held a racist gig at the Melbourne Croatia Social Club in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine North. Since then the local community and many anti racist groups, including the Socialist Party, have been campaigning against the use of sporting facilities for Fascist events. (more…)

12 noon, Saturday 27 October, Federation Square, Melbourne
In a wave of massive state repression, 300+ para-military police raided houses across New Zealand on Monday October 15th 2007, making 17 arrests. The arrestees are all Maori, environmental and peace activists. (more…)

Victorian nurses are standing strong against bullying and facing the risk of hefty fines as their dispute with the State Government over pay and conditions continues. The Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association (hospital managers) will take the dispute to the Federal Court today in a further bid to lift the work bans that are in place.
By SP reporters Melbourne (more…)

“The mainland now has more billionaires than any place other than the United States,” reports the state-run China Daily today. As China’s ruling ’communists’ gear up for their 17th party congress, the country’s top capitalists are literally laughing all the way to the bank!
By Vincent Kolo, CWI Shanghai (more…)

SP Newsletter No.191
Three Nigerian student activists from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife Ife, are in jail on made-up charges including conspiracy to murder and attempted murder.
Two are members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), the Socialist Party’s sister organisation in Nigeria. (more…)

The following is a report from the October Council meeting written by Stephen Jolly, Socialist Party Councillor in the City of Yarra (Melbourne). Last night saw the successful end of a five year community campaign to save St. Andrews Kindergarten in Melbourne’s inner northern suburb of Clifton Hill. (more…)

The new Spanish website of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI) is now up and running. The launch of this site marks another step forward for our work especially in Latin America. Visit the site here mundosocialista.net
sitio web del comite por una internacional de los trabajadores