Socialist Alliance's Sue Bull reports from the election campaign trail on September 11.
Armed with a one-tonne ute, a two-metre-high billboard, red flags and a megaphone, Socialist Alliance candidates Tim Gooden and Chris Johnson headed off into the driving rain and freezing temperatures. They were in search of potential voters and shivering activists staffing Socialist Alliance stalls in Victoria's south-western coastal towns.
Queenscliffe, Chris's home town and a sleepy little port on a Saturday morning, was the first stop. The megaphone squealed to life and Chris let loose with a barrage of shock facts from Green Left Weekly. Interspersed were chants of "Vote 1 Socialist Alliance", "Medicare not warfare" and "Another Australia is possible". The locals were impressed but offered tips on public speaking, as they thought she could speak more slowly!
Then it was on to Ocean Grove, Torquay and Anglesea. Some locals gave the two-finger salute, but most were interested and felt that the red cavalcade livened up a very miserable morning. Even the Torquay coppers smiled and waved as they bought a Green Left Weekly.
Not a single comment was made about why we were ignoring the hypocritical moratorium regarding campaigning on 9/11. Frankly, people made more comments about PM John Howard's lies and Labor leader Mark Latham's compromises than about terrorism.
One thing was clear, no-one could ignore us. Tim now plans to rock up to some of the big workplaces in Geelong — Alcoa, Shell, Ford and maybe even Target's head office, where 800 workers can be found. He'll just park the ute with the "Vote Socialist Alliance" sign and address the workers as they arrive. An old fashioned red start to the day!
Well, tomorrow it's off to Geelong's biggest Sunday market. Some leafleting and talking to people, stretch the legs with a spot of letterboxing and then it's off to a well-earned beer at the Socialist Alliance BBQ. Who ever said elections can't be fun!
From Green Left Weekly, September 15, 2004.
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