The appalling effects of the cyclone which hit the vast Irrawaddy river delta, have shocked people all over the world. But this has been compounded by the total inadequacy of the military regime in helping the victims. The devastation, deaths and injuries are probably greater than that following the tsunami around the Indian ocean in 2004.
By Keith Dickinson, Socialist Party (more…)

SP Newsletter No.214
The Socialist Party has worked in alliance with the local Aboriginal community in inner city Melbourne to win an important reform. Yarra Council has agreed to fund a new project officer to find a site and a suitable governance model for a new community centre for the indigenous people who currently meet on Smith St, Collingwood. (more…)

Despite all the rhetoric Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan’s first budget was not a budget for working families. This was a neo liberal budget full of cuts and full of incentives to the private sector. It looks after the big end of town and because of this business groups have given the budget the thumbs up.
By Anthony Main, Socialist Party National Organiser (more…)

China is in shock. The death toll from Monday’s massive earthquake in Sichuan province, 12,000 at the time of writing, is rising by the hour. With rescue work now hampered by rain and heavy storms, state media are warning the number of dead can soar.
By Chen Lizhi and Vincent Kolo at ChinaWorker.org (more…)

This May marks the 40th anniversary of the revolutionary events in France and of the biggest general strike in history. At its peak 10 million workers and millions of students were on strike.
By Denise Dudley, Socialist Party (more…)

Look for images of Newcastle in New South Wales, and views of Nobby’s headland with its historic lighthouse are bound to feature. In 1854 it was intended to blow the island (as it then was) away to improve the harbour but strong public protests stopped its destruction.
By Robyn Hohl, Socialist Party Newcastle (more…)

The Bright Lights of America reviewed by Iain Dalton, Socialist Party
To me Anti-Flag have always been the quintessential anti-war band. In September 2001 they were half-way through recording an album when the 9/11 events occurred. Like most people the events stunned them. (more…)

Time to nationalise the banks and invest in public housing!
Thousands of people face losing their homes in Australia, with more than a million households living in ‘housing stress’. This combined with the worst-ever house affordability figures and soaring rents points towards a serious housing crisis in Australia.
Editorial from the May edition of The Socialist newspaper (more…)

The fight against electricity privatisation in NSW is the biggest battle taking place at the moment in that state. Since this article was written Premier Morris Iemma has pledged to ignore the decision of his own party’s conference and press ahead with the privatisation plan. The pressure is now on Unions NSW to respond with an industrial campaign.
By Gary Duffy, Socialist Party Sydney (more…)

SP Newsletter No.213
The Victorian Labor government is continuing with its campaign to further criminalise protest activity. Last month ten people who participated in the protests against the Melbourne G20 summit in November 2006 were sentenced in the Magistrates Court. (more…)