About 100 people attended a public meeting jointly organised by Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative in Sydney on June 25.
The meeting discussed how a united left would be in a stronger position to campaign against a conservative Coalition government. Speakers from both organisations, Pip Hinman and Dianne Fields, raised ideas about how a possible united socialist party could organise.
Socialist Alternative members welcomed a resolution passed by the Socialist Alliance national council on June 10, and Socialist Alliance thanked Socialist Alternative for their decision to support the Socialist Alliance federal election campaign.
The joint meeting was another step forward in the unity process, following attendance of a Socialist Alternative delegation at the ninth national conference of Socialist Alliance, participation of both organisations in Socialist Alternative's Marxism 2013 conference, joint contingents at May Day rallies and the participation by both groups in the "Organising For 21st Century Socialism" seminar earlier this month.
Similar joint public meetings on left unity have been held in Melbourne and Perth and more are scheduled in other cities around Australia soon. Unity discussions between the two organisations are ongoing.
Photos: Peter Boyle