By Anne O'Callaghan
PERTH — "Racism No!", a ticket running two candidates for the upper house in the South Metropolitan Area in the December 14 state election, was officially launched on the national day of action against racism, November 23. Already, Premier Richard Court has been forced to publicly deny the Racism No! candidates' statements that the Liberal and Labor parties laid the basis for the current racist upsurge in Australia.
Court was responding to an ABC interview last week with Yaluritja (Clarrie Issacs) and Arun Pradhan during which they challenged the major parties to move beyond lip service and take real action against systematic racism.
The Racism No! ticket breaks new ground in electoral alliances. Yaluritja was born in Perth to a family of seven, although he points out that his extended family included more than 20 others. He was heavily influenced by his mother, Elizabeth Issacs, a well-known Aboriginal activist.
Yaluritja has been president and chairperson of the water supply union, a member of the union's branch executive and state council, and a delegate to the WA Trades and Labour Council. He has worked as a lecturer on Aboriginal issues, an Aboriginal field officer for Community Aid Abroad and is president of the Aboriginal Government of Australia, formed at the request of Aboriginal elders.
Yaluritja emphasises his activist approach to politics. He told Green Left Weekly, "I have been in constant contact with the grassroots, with people on the ground. That's what has stopped me from being coopted by government parties, something that has happened to many Aboriginal activists."
Pradhan's family is much newer to Australia. His parents, who arrived from India in the late 1960s, were among the first Asians to settle in rural South Australia. Pradhan first made a serious commitment to political activism when he saw a public display in Adelaide's speakers' corner by the far right racist group National Action.
"Before then I read Green Left Weekly, and occasionally attended public meetings and rallies", he said, "but when the neo-Nazis began to organise, it was like a neon sign telling me that it was time to start getting more involved".
Pradhan helped to organise the campaign against racism in Adelaide, joined the Democratic Socialist Party and now organises the Perth branch of the socialist youth organisation Resistance. He has also been involved in several East Timor and Indonesian solidarity groups.
Since 1994, Pradhan has studied at Curtin University and played a leading role in the campaign against education cuts. He was recently elected to the Curtin Student Union and as a delegate to the National Union of Students. He is the spokesperson for Asian Australians Against Further Intimidation in WA.
The two candidates have similar motives for standing in this election. Yaluritja explained, "It is time that we posed a public alternative to the racists. Our communities should be able to speak for ourselves in parliament. Both major parties have gained by not acting against racism. They talk about not standing for racism, but then they happily agree with racism in parliament."
Pradhan described the initiative as a way for the anti-racism campaign to go on the offensive. "Racism and other forms of discrimination can not be voted or legislated away, but if we are elected, our parliamentarian would be committed to stirring things up in parliament and, more importantly, building a mass campaign outside it to force change.
"Putting Court on the defensive shows how we have already pushed things forward. We are not just responding to the daily racist slurs that the establishment media give so much space to. We are putting forward real demands that are needed to combat racism and challenging others to act against racism."
Yaluritja is very clear on the need to bring together Aboriginal and Asian issues: "We created this alliance because we have very common ground. Asians are being targeted and blamed at the moment, and I think that this ticket is a great example of solidarity and unity."
"In some ways racist bigots don't discriminate", Pradhan agreed. "They don't care if you were born here, in China or India. They are prepared to attack you no matter what.
"Racism has always been used to scapegoat and divide when governments cannot provide jobs and when they sacrifice our environment to the needs of big business. This is why it is essential for our communities to organise; not only amongst ourselves but with each other and the broader anti-racist forces in Australia. To defeat racism, we must strive for unity."
When asked about their prospects in the election, the candidates point to the large amount of support they have already received and to a growing movement against racism. If successful, Yaluritja would become one of a handful of Aborigines elected to parliament and one of even fewer who have run on an Aboriginal rights platform.
The Racism No! ticket encourages people to do more than just vote for them. "We encourage people to become part of the movement against racism", said Pradhan. "We've got lots of things planned and want the involvement of as many people in Perth as possible.
"If you are interstate and can't get directly involved, we hope our campaign provides a positive example, but I would also stress the need for donations", he said. "Our main problem at the moment is not lack of support or issues to take up, but the limits posed by a lack of resources and money."
Yaluritja told Green Left, "I want people to look forward to the year 2000, to look forward to progressive change. The fact is there must be justice for Aborigines before reconciliation, just as Asian migrants need to be free from discrimination. We need to remove racism to allow all people to realise their full potential."
The Racism No! campaign can be contacted on (09) 227 7367.