"This is the first time I've not voted Labor in 40 years--this time I've
voted for you."
That's what one woman in Rowville told Socialist Alliance candidate
Josephine Cox as she toured the electorate during last Saturday's Aston
by-election.
More than 300 people voted Socialist Alliance, with 20 per cent of the vote
still to be counted.
Josephine's campaign focused on the call to scrap the GST. She also opposed
the $1 billion Scoresby freeway, calling for a massive boost to public
transport instead.
Socialist Alliance supporters responded magnificently. In the run-up to
polling, about 80 took part in the campaign.
On polling day itself, 150 supporters turned out. The alliance was one of
only five parties to staff all 32 polling booths.
The Socialist Alliance argument that the Liberals have to go but that Labor
is offering no alternative fitted like a glove.
Both major candidates pledged themselves to the freeway. Both floundered on
whether Australia should sign the Kyoto global warming protocol. Both
supported the GST.
The result was that a by-election that should have been Labor's for the
taking is being decided by postal votes.
The Socialist Alliance vote averaged 0.45 per cent across the electorate.
The best result was in the traditional working class booth of Bayswater
South, where Josephine Cox won 1.1 per cent.
The alliance also picked up 1 per cent at the Liberal end of the
electorate, at the Karoo booth in the rapidly expanding suburb of Rowville.
This represents an excellent start for the alliance.
Aston is an outer-eastern suburban seat with no recent history of leftwing
organising.
To put Josephine's vote into perspective, only four of the 15 candidates
saved their deposit. Only seven received more than 1 per cent.
Because the Socialist Alliance is still in the process of registering, the
party name was not on the ballot paper.
The mood at the post-election party was electric. People feel that the
Socialist Alliance has taken the first important step towards putting
itself on the map.
Josephine Cox would like to thank everyone who helped with the campaign.
With the Aston branch of the alliance now stronger, the plan is to run
again in the federal election.
To find out more, or to join the Socialist Alliance, email
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit www.socialist-alliance.org
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