Axe the GST!
The Socialist Alliance's June 30 anti-GST pickets received saturation media coverage. The ABC, SBS and three commercial TV channels all highlighting the only nationwide protests against the hated tax.
Our pickets explained the real impact of the tax and spelled out our policy alternative: "Scrap the GST, tax the rich!"
In Aston, the protests focused on the local Liberal candidate's office.
In Parramatta, the target was Liberal member Ross Cameron and in North Sydney the protest was in front of Liberal minister Joe Hockey's office.
M1: fighting corporate globalisation
Thousands of people joined the blockades of Stock Exchanges and corporate targets in every capital city on 1 May. Scores of people left their names at Socialist Alliance stalls as we highlighted the role of the Howard government supporting the WTO and World Bank's neo-liberal agenda of privatisation of health and public services, and the money wasted on military spending while welfare and international aid is cut back.
Workers compensation
The NSW Labor government's attack on workers' compensation (Workcover) saw a blockade of the parliament by thousands of angry workers. Socialist Alliance posters appeared around the city, arguing for industrial action to defeat Labor's "reform bill". Railway stations and building sites were leafletted with a special leaflet arguing for a mass delegates meeting to direct the campaign against NSW Labor's plans to gut the system.
Fund the ABC!
Friends of the ABC drew thousands to rallies in Sydney and Melbourne. Our placards said, "Fire Shier" and "Save the ABC From Market Forces". Socialist Alliance stalls did a roaring trade petitioning and distributing leaflets.
Teachers
When the Carr Labor government announced the closure of a number of inner Sydney schools, Socialist Alliance members threw themselves into the fight to stop the closures.
Our leaflets and petitioned argued for increased funding for public schools and to end the massive subsidies provided by both the federal and state governments to the rich private schools.
Fighting for union rights
When 72 Australian-Vietnamese workers were sacked for joining the AMWU at Metroshelf in Sydney, Socialist Alliance members joined the picket line. Our leaflet explained the issues and urged people to support the community solidarity mobilisation in support of the sacked workers. On 18 June, around 50 community supporters linked arms to block the gates for almost two hours.
Socialist Alliance members in Wills, in Melbourne visited the AMCOR picket line after their branch meeting. One of the workers was invited to speak at the Wills anti-GST speak-out.
In Brisbane, Socialist Alliance members got a good hearing from members of the printing division of the AMWU at the Courier Mail when they were invited to explain the policies of the Socialist Alliance,
Melbourne Centrelink
When workers successfully organised action to stop the closure of South Melbourne Centrelink office, last month, Socialist Alliance members were there building support.
Free the refugees
The national day of action to free the refugees on June 3 saw Socialist Alliance branches out in force. Branch banners and Socialist Alliance placards were prominent at every rally.
The growing campaign has the Liberals on the defensive, but it is not just a change of government that's needed. Present Labor policy is to maintain the detention centres. But union representatives at the rallies called for the closure of the detention centres and an end to the policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers.
At every rally the call was to keep up the fight against the racist policy of detention and to fight for full rights for refugees.