To follow is the lead article from the first SOCIALIST ALLIANCE
BROADSHEET. This broadsheet was printed simultaneously in Green Left
Weekly & Socialist Worker as well as other member group publications.
Get the full broadsheet from your local socialist alliance group soon &
if you are in melbourne, be sure to help SA with the Aston byelection.
____________
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFITS
By Ian Rintoul & Dick Nichols, national convenors, Socialist Alliance
The Socialist Alliance was formed last February by nine socialist
organisations to meet the burning need for a real alternative in Australian
politics:
An alternative for all of us who hate the Coalition, its GST, its gifts to
the rich and its permanent war on the poor, unemployed and refugees.
An alternative to Labor and its not-quite-the-same policies of a GST
"rolled back" a few points, of a "Knowledge Nation" that goes along with
the already privileged private schools, of just as much spending on
aggressive military hardware.
An alternative to the "what's-their-policy-today" Democrats who gave us the
GST and the Workplace Relations Act.
An alternative to the sickening racism and anti-worker policies of One Nation.
The Socialist Alliance is an idea whose time has come. The Liberals are in
disarray. Even their own internal party report described them as "mean",
"tricky" and "out of touch".
The elections in Western Australian and Queensland saw dramatic losses for
the Coalition parties. But up to 30 per cent voted neither Labor nor Liberal.
That is hundreds of thousands of people totally fed up with politics-as-
usual and uninspired by existing respectable "alternatives" like the Democrats.
They are searching for an alternative that puts the interests of the
majority � working people, people on welfare, indigenous Australians, the
unemployed and young people � first. After all, isn't that what democracy
is supposed to be about?
That's the fundamental principle that guides the Socialist Alliance. It's
summed up in our slogan: People before profit! Just one example of our
approach:
scrapping one Collins class submarine would provide enough money to reverse
the Liberals' cuts to child care.
The urgent need to build this alternative is what drove the founding
affiliates of the Socialist Alliance to unite. Even in the short time since
its founding the Socialist Alliance is already striking a chord. Its state
launches drew hundreds (see page 4) and it is now in the middle of a
program of regional launches. It has already been involved in building the
campaign for refugee rights, against the GST and in many local battles
against the policies of economic rationalism (see page 3).
That's the first of three features that makes us different from the other
parties � we directly link standing in elections to building resistance to
the attacks on working people. That's how you counter Liberal crimes, like
the GST, or Labor crimes, like Bob Carr's gutting of workers compensation.
Similarly, justice for indigenous Australians and refugees won't come from
Canberra, it must be forced on Canberra.
A sizeable vote for Socialist Alliance in the coming federal elections will
show just how widespread the support is for a real alternative. It will
help build the campaigns of resistance we need in the workplace and the
community.
Any Socialist Alliance candidate who is elected will champion such
movements: all income he or she gets above an ordinary skilled worker's
wage will go to building these campaigns and the alliance itself.
Second, the Socialist Alliance is internationalist. We act on the principle
that the interests of working people in Australia is the same as that of
working people in all countries. When workers are denied union rights in
Indonesia or students shot in Port Moresby our solidarity is with them, not
their rulers.
Third, we are democratic. The Socialist Alliance is owned by its members,
not by elites of officials and MPs. It will be our members, at our August
4-5 founding conference, who will decide how the alliance's draft platform
and constitution needs improving. It is they who will preselect its
candidates. It is they who will elect the alliance leadership.
If you think the Socialist Alliance sounds like the organisation for you,
check out our draft policy platform on < www.socialist-alliance.org> or get
in touch with your local Socialist Alliance group.
Then join us in fighting the Liberals and in building the alternative to
Labor! Join us in the struggle for a better world!
--
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