----------------------------------------------------------------- NSW Socialist Alliance Media release from Tuesday, 18th February: -----------------------------------------------------------------
NSW voters urged to write "No war" on March 22 ballot papers The Socialist Alliance today called on all opponents of the United States-led war on Iraq to turn the NSW state election into a referendum on the war by writing "No war" on their ballot papers on March 22. "If the Howard government won't consult the people by holding a nationwide referendum on the war, then the people will organise their own referendum", said Lisa Macdonald, Socialist Alliance's lead candidate for the Legislative Council in the NSW election. "We are calling on all political parties, NSW election candidates, trade unions and community organisations who oppose the war to encourage voters - the majority of whom now oppose this war - to have their say on March 22. "Last weekend, a million people around Australia - half a million in NSW - rallied and marched to say 'No' to the war on Iraq, but neither PM John Howard nor Premier Bob Carr appear to be listening. In the best of democratic traditions, we will make them listen - both at the ballot box and by continuing to march in the streets, strike at our schools and workplaces, and organise in our neighbourhoods", Macdonald said. NSW electoral law allows voters to write whatever they wish on their ballot paper without affecting the validity of the vote they cast. "As well as voting for Socialist Alliance and the Greens, the two consistently anti-war parties contesting the NSW election, writing 'No war' on both upper and lower house ballot papers is the best possible use we can all make of our vote on March 22", Macdonald said. "Whoever wins government in the NSW election, they will have been given a clear mandate to take action to stop this unjust war." For further comment, phone Lisa Macdonald on 0413 031 108 or e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.Socialist-Alliance.org/ -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
