Socialist Alliance
News Release
Sunday 9 September 2001
Socialist Alliance Preselects Victorian Senate Ticket
The 8 September Victorian state conference of the Socialist Alliance has
preselected a Senate team of two to contest the upcoming Federal Election.
Alison Thorne, Melbourne Organiser for the Freedom Socialist Party, a
Socialist Alliance affiliate, was preselected for the top position. Thorne
is a veteran feminist and gay liberationist with lots of experience
fighting the right wing and standing up for oppressed people. She
campaigned to rid Fawkner of a Nazi bookshop and has often protested
against Right To Life moralists who aim to curtail women=B9s right to
choose. Alison, who lives in Brunswick, works in a telephone call centre
and is a member of the Community and Public Sector Union.
Thorne's running mate is Sarah Peart. A resident of St Kilda, Sarah is a
young woman leader in the global anti-corporate movement who helped
organise the M1 protests earlier this year. She is currently building
support for a blockade of the Commonwealth Business Forum on October 3.
Peart is a member of another Socialist Alliance affiliate, the Democratic
Socialist Party.
The choice of Thorne and Peart to run for the Senate completes Socialist
Alliance preselection in Victoria. The Alliance, formed by nine socialist
organisations earlier this year, will stand in five lower house seat as
well as the Senate. The other preselected candidates are Josephine Cox for
Aston, David Glanz for Wills, Tim Gooden for Corio, Jorge Joquera for
Gellibrand and Jackie Lynch for Batman.
Thorne says Socialist Alliance is particularly proud to have preselected
four strong socialist women amongst its seven Victorian candidates. "The
ALP still has not reached its modest target of 35% of women candidates in
winnable seats after several years of claiming to work towards this goal.
Socialist Alliance has achieved greater than 50% the first time round",
Thorne said.
"The political voice of the growing anti-corporate movement in Australia"
is how Peart see Socialist Alliance. "More and more people, especially
young people, can see that capitalism is simply not working. Socialist
Alliance will put forward innovative solutions based on human need not
corporate greed."
Thorne agrees: "The Federal Government has spent billions on corporate
welfare and tax cuts for big business. Facing almost certain defeat later
this year, Howard has turned to scapegoating groups such as refugees,
single women and lesbians in a desperate attempt to divert working people's
attention away from issues such as the GST, cuts to the public sector and
privatisation. Socialist Alliance will challenge this cynical incitement of
racism, homophobia and sexism."
The Socialist Alliance will stand candidates in every state and territory.
Aboriginal leader, Sam Watson, has been preselected to head the Senate
ticket in Queensland and refugee rights campaigner, Ian Rintoul, heads the
ticket in New South Wales.
For more information
Alison Thorne: 03-9386-5065, 0411-080-031
Sarah Peart: 0402-555-591
Peter Murray: 03-9386-5065, 0404-814-197
Linda Waldron: 03-9639-8622
www.socialist-alliance.org
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