Latham talks tought but will he fight?

April 22, 2018 SocialistAu 0

MARK LATHAM’S election as Labor leader has stirred up the national debate. The view that Latham might offer a serious fight is giving confidence to everyone who wants to see Howard thrown out at the election. In contrast to the wooden gestures of Simon Crean, and Kim Beazley’s well known support for the US military alliance, Latham captured the anger people felt around the war on Iraq. He called Howard’s ministers a bunch of suckholes and labelled George W Bush, the most dangerous man alive. Latham’s message that Howard has taken out the rungs in the ladder of opportunity resonated […]

Socialist Alliance debates the way forward

April 3, 2018 SocialistAu 0

UNITY AGAINST capitalism and war was the central theme of the Socialist Alliances second national conference, held in Melbourne on May 10-11. Some 120 delegates representing more than 900 financial members in 24 branches debated how to build on the Alliances first two years of existence. There were 160 observers. It was so fantastic to meet such a broad range of people. The respect delegates showed for one another was one of the most positive things, said Angela Budai, an organiser with the Finance Sector Union and a delegate from the Northside branch in Sydney. Two main resolutions were put […]

Bigots play the race card

April 3, 2018 SocialistAu 0

The Pope, George Pell, John Howard – this racist trio think it’s OK to score political points by attacking Muslims. They are a pack of hypocrites and liars. Pope Benedict XVI claims the Prophet Mohammed brought “evil and inhuman” ideas to the world, spreading his religion “by the sword”. George Pell, the head of the Catholic Church in Australia, defended the Pope’s comments drawing a link between Islam and violence. All the while John Howard lurks in the background, spreading lies about Australian Muslims. He says Muslims refuse to integrate or learn English. He attacks multiculturalism and “political correctness”. We […]

Occupy to beat fees

April 1, 2018 SocialistAu 0

BRENDAN NELSON’S legislation to fundamentally restructure higher education along free market lines was passed on the final sitting day of the Senate in December. The package was passed by a single vote due to a dirty deal between Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, One Nation’s Len Harris and the three Independents Meg Lees, Brian Harradine and Shayne Murphy. HECS fees will be deregulated with universities given the power to increase HECS by 25 per cent. There will be a 40 per cent increase in cap on the number of full fee paying undergraduates. It will become much easier for private institutions […]