One of the most prominent Murri campaigners in Brisbane, longtime social justice activist, Sam Watson, will contest Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's seat of South Brisbane at the March 21 state election. Watson is running as the candidate for the Socialist Alliance.
Watson believes the way the election was called was calculating: "People feel betrayed when Anna Bligh insists she will run the full term, then as the economic crisis starts to hit people's lives, she calls an election with the smallest time possible to debate the issues."
The "Socialist Alliance would be committed to full terms, so political leaders like Bligh and Howard can't use their powers to manipulate the political timing to serve their own very selfish, very narrow interests," he told Green Left Weekly.
"This election is occuring in very troubled economic times. Jobs are in danger, working class families are really suffering, families are forced to eat at McDonalds because they can't afford rising prices at the supermarket."
Watson is concerned that families facing a severe housing and rental crisis are being left to fend for themselves.
"[Working people] can't afford to buy their own homes, record numbers are being evicted because they can't make payments, and the public housing is simply not there. Public housing lists are up to nine or 10 years long. The Socialist Alliance will stand for a massive boost to public housing.
"The only people not feeling the pinch", Watson said, "are the corporate high flyers, who are giving themselves salary increases as they sack workers."
Watson believes running against Bligh in South Brisbane is useful "both because we can take on the premier and because South Brisbane mirrors the problems of the rest of Queensland.
"There is an ongoing pitched battle [in South Brisbane] between the dwindling, and increasingly marginalised working class community, and the big end of town that wants untrammelled access to develop, to put up apartments that only the well-off can afford.
"Ordinary people are being denied homes and denied public open spaces", he said.
"Police are instructed to place greater pressure on Aboriginal people, the homeless, and Centrelink recipients who gather on Boundary Street [in South Brisbane's West End] because they can't afford entertainment. More and more South Brisbane residents can't afford $5.50 cappucinos or $15 for the movies, so the only form of social gathering left to them is sitting in public space to talk to friends."
According to Watson, "Anna Bligh has lost touch with ordinary, working-class people. The gap between those being forced out and marginalised, and the high flyers, is widening — and Bligh is firmly with the high flyers.
The Socialist Alliance "is about reconnecting with ordinary people who are under huge pressure. The Socialist Alliance won't support a huge rush to gentrification — we support maintaining an inclusive community.
"Socialist Alliance won't tolerate pressure on the most vulnerable in our community — we stand for supporting people instead. We won't support big business's rush to profit at our expense.
"We stand up for rights of working people, the unemployed, students — these are the backbone of our community, yet their rights are being compromised. And we will be encouraging people not to feel like victims but to consider themselves strong, powerful people, and on election day, they will be powerful."
Watson stressed that the Socialist Alliance isn't just after votes, but is an activist, campaigning party. "Even after election day, we are a people-based party, and we will continue to connect with people, unlike the corporate parties."
Watson pointed out that the situation for Aboriginal people is even worse than for other working class Queenslanders.
"Aboriginal people in some areas face a 90% unemployment rate. Our people need jobs, they need housing — there is hardly any Aboriginal home ownership. In West End, there is no Aboriginal-owned and run business, which is atrocious.
"Recently a young Indigenous lawyer who graduated with honours was forced to take up a collection amongst the community to open a practice — because as an Indigenous person they are considered an unacceptable risk for the banks."
Watson also points out that "the mainstream parties have again failed on the whole to nominate Aboriginal candidates — Labor has put up one, the Liberal National Party none, Greens none.
"We have Obama as the first Black US president, yet the tragedy is that no Indigenous-born child has a chance to become Queensland premier. Forty-two years since Aboriginal people got the vote, there are no Aboriginal sitting members. But the Socialist Alliance, which is running in only two seats, has endorsed an Aboriginal candidate for South Brisbane."
The Socialist Alliance is calling for the full repayment of the stolen wages, and for a Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody.
Watson has been a leading figure in the defence of St Mary's Church and Father Peter Kennedy.
St Mary's is "a church that draws thousands of people a week to its services, a church that administers to the downtrodden, the weak, the poor. A church that celebrates human relationships regardless of gender. A church that offers support and love to gay and lesbian people, to the marginalised.
"This church has been targeted by the dogs of Rome. They have sacked father Kennedy and threatened to evict the congregation. And for what crime? Father Kennedy has allowed the congregation to take a far greater role in the faith, and has insisted that women be given the same rights as men in the rituals.
"The attack on St Mary's has galvanised the community", Watson said. "Aboriginal people signed a treaty with St Mary's, where the church acknowledged the sacred land, and the Aboriginal community allowed Father Kennedy to use the sacred lands for spiritual justice. Since St Mary's and Father Kennedy have been there, the land has begun to heal. Sacred stories are starting to breath again."
[To help with the campaign for Sam Watson in South Brisbane, call Ewan on 0401 234 610.]