By Ben Reid
MELBOURNE — The state by-election in Northcote on August 15 will be an important event in Victorian politics. On July 29, One Nation announced Nikolas Kavalenka as its candidate. Kavalenka says he supports Pauline Hanson's statements opposing the "Asianisation" of Australia.
With the Liberal Party not contesting this safe Labor seat, One Nation is attempting to capture the conservative vote. Indeed, given the mounting crisis of two-party politics, this may be One Nation's best opportunity yet to make a mark in Victorian politics.
The conditions for the emergence of One Nation are as strong in Victoria as anywhere. Since 1992, the Kennett Coalition government has imposed a vicious austerity program on working people.
Thousands of public sector jobs have been slashed, scores of schools and hospitals have been closed, public assets and utilities have been ruthlessly run down or sold off, WorkCover has been cut, the rights of student and trade unions undermined, democratic rights have been curtailed, and public accountability has been reduced.
At the same time, Kennett's rich mates have been handed millions. Public money subsidised the Grand Prix and huge support has been given to federal Liberal Party treasurer Lloyd William's Crown Casino.
Many of these changes were already under way under Labor's John Cain and Joan Kirner governments. Labor gave big business huge leeway in the early 1980s and, in the wake of the collapse of its big business assistance scheme, the Victorian Development Corporation, Labor imposed austerity budgets which slashed jobs and began to privatise services.
It's no surprise that in opposition Labor has refused to lead mass campaigns against Kennett's policies. When more than 200,000 people protested in Melbourne against Kennett's changes to industrial relations in 1992, the parliamentary Labor Party opposed the rally.
The ALP could have scuttled Kennett's privatisation of the State Electricity Commission (SEC) by promising to re-nationalise it when re-elected. Instead it is promising to impose "community service" regulations on privatised services.
The ALP's campaign in Northcote reflects this failure of opposition. Its candidate, Mary Delahunty, handpicked by party leader John Brumby's right-wing faction, seems to be trying to get elected by imitating the Liberals.
Delahunty and Labor have focussed on attacking the arrogant "style" of Kennett's government, while accepting his arguments about the need to support big business and cut state services.
One Nation's candidature is dangerous in this context. Policies like Kennett's have created the context for right-wing populist and racist policies to get a hearing. In Latrobe Valley, where the Kirner and Kennett government's cuts to the SEC and public hospitals have caused a social crisis, enthusiastic supporters mobbed Hanson when she toured.
One Nation is unlikely to be as warmly received in the multi-ethnic seat of Northcote, but many people who are suffering from the major parties' policies may turn to it in anger.
Fortunately, other candidates are presenting a real opposition to them all. Chief amongst them is the Democratic Socialists' Maurice Sibelle who is spearheading an anti-racism campaign in the area. Sibelle says: "It's not enough to support Labor, as even some so-called socialist groups do. Calling for a vote for Labor is not a solution, it is being part of the problem."
The Democratic Socialists present real solutions, he says. "We won't support big business with tariffs in the vain hope that this will create jobs. We support a shorter working week with no loss in pay to create new jobs. We want to nationalise companies that sack workers and run them under the democratic control of their workers."
Sibelle argues: "We don't have to accept economic 'rationalism'. Working people, united in strong campaigning movements which put the blame where it really belongs, can fight back and win.
"We can see to it that big businesses profits fund our hospitals and community services. We can rebuild and run the public sector with democratic councils elected by working people to create jobs. And we can insist that ordinary people's livelihoods are put before profits."