http://www.sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=27327&group=webcast
(SA) Block supply! Let the people vote on war! by www.Socialist-Alliance.org 8:55pm Fri Mar 7 '03 article#27327 address: PO Box A2323, Sydney South 1235, AUSTRALIA - phone: Dick Nichols 0418 281 424, Riki Lane 0400 877 819, David Glanz 0418 316 310 [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Socialist Alliance today called on Green, Democrat and ALP senators to block supply when treasurer Peter Costello brings the federal budget down in May. [MEDIA RELEASE - 3 March 2003] Alliance National Co-convener Dick Nichols said: "John Howard has rejected putting Australian involvement in a war on Iraq to referendum - he knows the vast majority of Australians would vote against this unjust and criminal war. "That's why Howard must be forced to go the polls. The people have a right to decide on war - the most important issue a country ever has to face." Nichols stressed that the Greens, Democrats and the ALP had a duty to vote down the federal budget in the Senate. He said: "The opposition parties in the Senate have the power to make Howard face the people: if they don't take this opportunity to force the prime minister to the polls they will be failing in their responsibility to the majority that wants nothing to do with a war on Iraq - with or without UN support." To the argument that the budget has "nothing to do" with the looming war on Iraq National Co-convener David Glanz said: "Costello himself has already flagged that this will be a 'tough budget'. The increase in 'defence' expenditure to fund Australia's biggest military adventure since Vietnam will come out of funding for health, education and welfare. Maternity leave has already been axed. "More guns, less butter: that's this budget in a nutshell", Glanz stressed. National Co-convener Riki Lane said that the Alliance would be making use of every possible opening to pressure the Senate opposition parties to block supply. "Alliance members in the trade unions will not only be pressing for union action - including strikes - against the war", he said, "they'll also be calling on unions affiliated to the ALP to pressure Labor senators to block supply." Nichols concluded that the Alliance's campaign to compel the opposition parties to block supply would begin immediately and follow on the campaign of the NSW Socialist Alliance to encourage NSW voters write "No War" on their ballot papers at the March 22 NSW elections. 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] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
