Solidarity conference a success
Mick Houlbrook
PERTH — A conference held by the newspaper Solidarity here on January 23 was a resounding success. More than 50 people attended the one day event, entitled "Issues and action".
The first session took up debate around the unemployment question. Scott MacWilliam, of Curtin University, and Dick Nichols, editor of Solidarity, presented ideas for discussion, which was lively.
Session two, "Future strategies for the working class", was equally energetic. Neil Flynn, of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, Herb Thompson, of Murdoch University, and Anne O'Callaghan, of the Democratic Socialist Party, each gave presentations on the subject. Topics from the industrial situation to the wider movement and the international context were all taken up in discussion.
The final session, "Solidarity — what role?", showed support for the paper and ideas for expanding the project. In particular, future forums and the possibility of establishing a Solidarity committee were canvassed.
The general tone of the day was positive and productive. The paper has a great deal of support in Western Australia, and it is hoped the success of the conference can be repeated in other states.
Equally successful was a Politics in the Pub event in Perth on January 21 at the Court Hotel. A crowd of about 70 people heard Tony Cooke, assistant secretary of the TLC, Steve Yuen, of the Public Service Union, and Dick Nichols speak on "The Great Leap Backwards" (wage bargaining in the nineties).