It’s almost certain that a re-elected Howard government will use the financial clout of the Commonwealth to further cut public school funding unless staff, are forced onto Australian Workplace Agreements. [AWA’s] The scrapping of collective agreements could result in an immediate increase to class sizes, the scrapping of limits placed on Duties Other Than Teaching [DOTT] and job insecurity for teachers.
By Andrew Calleja, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

An estimated 150,000 people marched at almost 60 locations across Australia on Sunday November 11 for the annual Walk Against Warming rallies. The turnout was fantastic and proves that many ordinary people are now deeply concerned about climate change and the environment.
By Socialist Party reporters Melbourne & Sydney (more…)

Since the so-called peace process collapsed this year, heavy fighting has resumed between the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and the Sri Lankan Army. An air attack on 22 October on Anurathapura air base by the LTTE was hailed in the North. Similarly, the 2 November killing of a leading LTTE member, Tamilchelvan, was celebrated by the Singala chauvinist government as a major victory.
By Comrade Senan, Socialist Party (more…)

In early October federal immigration minister Kevin Andrews announced plans to cut the number of African refugees that will be accepted into Australia. He said that the intake of Africans would be cut from 70 per cent of the refugee quota to 30 per cent because “some Africans are having problems settling into Australian society”.
By Anthony Main, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

SP Newsletter No.194
The issue of climate change is on everyone’s mind. Constantly we are told to turn off light switches, use our cars less and to buy environmentally friendly products as a way to reduce emissions. But will this be enough to fix the problems and what are the Greens and Labor Party saying about the issue? (more…)

The Socialist Party sends greetings to all workers and youth on the 90th Anniversary of the victorious October revolution in Russia 1917. Unlike in 1997, the capitalist media have made little comment on this anniversary. Only one book has been published, The Rise and Fall of Communism in Russia by Robert V. Daniels. Below Peter Taaffe looks at this book and the events of the October revolution and asks: does this comparative silence have something to do with the changed background to discussion about the events of October 1917? (more…)

We have just received news that despite the crack down and ban on all political activity, our comrades from the Socialist Movement Pakistan (SMP) are safe. We are however asking our supporters to stay on yellow alert as we may have to ask for assistance to ensure their security in the future. Read the following report written by Khalid Bhatti who is situated in Lahore. (more…)

The Socialist Party in Perth is set to launch its End Low Pay campaign with a public meeting on Monday November 19. Speakers will include CFMEU Assistant Secretary Joe McDonald who was recently expelled from the ALP. (more…)

SP Newsletter No.193
The murder of seventeen Iraqi civilians at the hands of the mercenary company, Blackwater, has exposed once more the role of war profiteers in Iraq. On 16 September Blackwater’s guards opened fire without provocation in Baghdad’s Nisoor Square. Along with the 17 dead, 24 were injured. (more…)

John Howard’s main weapon in this election is his image as an economic ‘superhero’. But what’s the real story? The economic upturn is international, it’s not just here. In reality the role of the Howard government has been merely incidental.
Editorial from the November federal election special edition of ‘The Socialist’ newspaper (more…)