By Natasha Simons
Hundreds of activists from across Australia will meet in Melbourne from July 8 to 10 for the 24th national conference of Resistance. It will be the largest socialist youth gathering in Australia and a great opportunity for young people to get together, discuss and plan campaigns for the environment, against tertiary fees, for women's rights and on a range of other issues.
The theme for this year's conference is "Struggle, Solidarity, Socialism": Struggle against the system. Solidarity with those fighting against oppression. Socialism for an environmentally and socially just world.
A highlight of the conference will be Resistance's continuing solidarity with the struggle for freedom in East Timor. Following the visit of Habibie, Indonesia's minister for research and technology, aimed at strengthening trade and arms deals between Australian big business and the Suharto regime, the conference will focus on exposing the Australian government's role and demonstrating against visits by officials of the Indonesian government.
Representatives from the East Timorese community and from Fretilin will address the Resistance conference, and Resistance members will plan further actions following the second Resistance National Day of Action for freedom in East Timor on May 13, which mobilised 1500 people in demonstrations around the country.
As well as East Timorese representatives, international guests to address the conference include a representative from Indonesian and Maubere People's Struggle (SPRIM) — the first Indonesian committee in solidarity with the people of East Timor.
A representative from Kamalayan, a socialist youth organisation in the Philippines, will also be attending. Speakers from Kamalayan, SPRIM and East Timor will address a public meeting to be held on the Friday night before the conference begins.
In addition to reports on international struggles, there will be discussion about the prospects for political change in Australia, and Resistance members involved in a variety of campaigns will plan a course of action in the coming year.
There will be a talk and discussion around the campaign against the introduction of up-front fees for tertiary degrees, a campaign Resistance members on campus have been centrally involved in.
Campaigning for the environment will also be a feature, with discussions around the campaign to stop woodchipping in old growth forests and urban environmental campaigns against freeways and aircraft noise.
A feature panel on "Campaigning for workers' rights" will include Resistance activists speaking about their experiences in trade unions, as young socialists on the job and in building solidarity with workers who recently struck at the Mount Isa mine in Queensland.
There will be an address on the Marxist analysis of women's oppression and the state of the women's movement today. The conference itself will follow the Network of Women Students in Australia (NOWSA) conference, also held in Melbourne, July 3-7.
There will be workshops on a diverse range of issues, such as fighting against racism; campaigning for lesbian and gay rights; Resistance's experiences on high schools, campus and on the job; and plans for continuing to sell Green Left Weekly in the year ahead.
There will also be the opportunity to meet other activists from around the country at a dinner and dance night.
The Resistance national conference is a great opportunity for young people wanting to change the world and to meet others fighting for the same goals. For those not already Resistance members, it's a chance to find out more about Resistance and join. If you'd like to attend, fill out the advertisement on this page.