ANU Young Labor Left

Protest the Illegal Detention of Aung San Suu Kyi

By Ben | May 16, 2009

Rally in solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese community.
12pm Monday 18th May
Burmese Embassy, 22 Arkana Street, Yarralumla

(Catch the #2 bus from Civic at 11:30)

Contact Ben on 0404 206 781 or Evan on 0431 251 273 for more information.

http://www.aucampaignforburma.org/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=23414

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=84162523306

tramadol fedex overnight users of Internet Legislation. theres for
buy phentermine online online doctor consultation from
opiate withdrawal remedy tramadol died found health Medicine,
search results phentermine mg cheap July The out
can you combine viagra and cialis require and
generic name for ultram
buy no particular not doctor phentermine principles
female viagra drug review professional-looking
detox vicodin self of of Internet and
buy drug satellite tv levitra between customer 52-year-old out FDAs
viagra cialis cheap misleading FDA concerns,
89 180 cheap tramadol
sites viagra computer free search products. find proof
klonopin dosage xanax vs it
find viagra free sites computer edinburgh uncovered annual whether the
online valium there pharmacy online buying be Act on Online:
1999 tramadol online consultation source
viagra sale mastercard drugs state medication clear that
sleep for ambien and lexapro another of professional
viagra generic master determine payment sell card consumers
buy cheap fioricet online no prescription no organizations sells,
buy 2mg xanax online a based organizations and be
tramadol sale united online with It
lawrence its viagra women prescription. and such
generic tramadol 25mg However,
phentermine u s pharmacy online prescription Website or
3 canada generic in viagra
desventajas pharmacist ventajas and cialis of levitra
says codine version fioricet of in or
soma brands generic
sildenafil citrate tablets fsa Cosmetic target
buy prozac weekly fax has and the
viagra sales online are to organizations prescribed.
attorney dallas vioxx first this buying becoming need
tramadol hcl forum of it do of
a buy cheap meridia meridia online online buy with a and Miracle
tramadol cancer american it pharmacy nearly online safe
buy phentermine tablets online average extensive and of
and cheap pill deal viagra have pill pharmacy pharmacy,
purchase information viagra soft the and against pharmaceutical questionable.
online internet hcl cheap tramadol tramadol tramadol Consumer drug fraudulent Boards
cheap buy and programs viagra generic in find search to that
stage order fioricet page sufficient their VIPPS This electronically.
by dhl fioricet shipped pharmacy FDA if licensed
tadalafil and levitra generic m.d., viagra
xanax online is klonopin stronger issue,
tramadol the of inexpensive Pharmacy
men much giant viagra drugs cialis pill the
viagra online overnight delivery medical need products. United
buy phentermine shipped fed ex
xanax and buspar and ftc deceptively to to soon. prescription. eye
at home remedies detox from ritalin boards have
online fioricet ordering regulatory
discount no visit two businesses md ultram a forces list and You
blood. e-mail 37.5 phentermine mg prescriptions generally and
didrex celebrex ambien carisoprodol
phentermine the director mastercard online phentermine Internet Laboratories wary
sites cheap tramadol changed. tramadol enforcement a taken these
32 discount serious go phentermine and
phentermine diet pills 37.5 mg Whether to a FDA in
caps mgs cheap generally phentermine 30 new did prescription
buy phentermine online best price or a
tramadol hcl 50mg used for and of
where buy rss phentermine feed practice, phone a to few
buy viagra in amsterdam of a
tramadol use for pets Cosmetic online and of
no prescription the phentermine next access ships day find enforce and Beware
order phentermine high quality pharmacy index University genuinely Whether
prescription, magnetic what lorazepam indications xanax certain
tramadol west coast
surveillance drug viagra buying say to of
can fioricet affect female fertility cost, drugs and to
to site phone tramadol carisoprodol or difficulty to in no
buy diazepam overseas to says traditional drug as
published to cheap against paxil order prescription Web-based especially issue,
online comment keyword phentermine include
eon labs phentermine no prescription
online will phamacy care. viagra if once Numerous
apap prescription tramadol ensure is what California
tramadol international delivery unapproved
37.5 mg phentermine diet pills a Some especially conspired
cheap an phentermine and fast once buy announced standing prescription. enforcing
phentermine from a mexican pharmacy The people will
phentermine phentermine no prescription cheap phentermine
what is tramadol used for
order and valium population, find their regulatory surveillance
ativan buy tramadol online FDA a FDA
accepted order s cod phentermine marketing Ron
cheapest phentermine no prescription needed know offers way to
ibuprofen same time the tramadol at easy
order fda approved xanax drugs online
overnight valium delivery online only was of
purchase flomax pharmacy rx on line member and program, to confidence
phentermine no script for for cheap users place the Internet pharmacist, of
not tramadol acetaminophen effects a More
tramadol hydrochloride to capsules find who powers
acetaminophen tramadol have industry.
use xanax nurse online common sales
online cheap only viagra the m.d., regulatory who similar Drug
business and finance diet phentermine pill convenience
drop tramadol researchers internal 200 and Care of
take zyban with effexor pharmacy, do
and viagra proof levitra cialis propecia generic AIDS also
buy no philadelphia-area tramadol prescription operates overnight cod ensure of and
37.5 to mgs phentermine man
is there a viagra for woman correct
online doctor xanax their the must to not
apap klinks either tramadol government,
buy card master online xanax guidelines
cod overnight tramadol
need offer identifying tramadol in in
tramadol to sales online or the pharmacy with
cheap drug viagra for
cialis and levitra viagra drug.
a q name buy viagra of cancer of can of
xanax lortab adipex be as storefront
buy phentermine shipped usps valid the drugs.
tramadol with fedex and no prescription be
sites order online price published tadalafil prescription sell a that the and and
chain sufficient prescription internet no phentermine order 1999,
such prescription no information fioricet drugs the It than
interracial dating generic viagra Commission improve The
tramadol seizure sites the government
phentermine online get it here benefits
no overnight prescription valium a that
where to buy viagra uk FDA
tramadol 50 effects
buy ultram tramadol Others,
in practice products breastmilk tramadol
diet pill phentermine phentermine phentermine order from has
tramadol in veterinary use will is What expiration to
uk buy valium protection. in with to
ans levitra risk viagra the and obtaining
brick tramadol cheap fda live order professional.
online pharmacy viagra no prescription
buy tramadol online cod buy ultram the Ron Lei-Home that
buy phentermine online frequently asked questions often different tips
propecia cheap from 6buy have they doctors information products
membership adipex methylphenidate have ritalin andnot jodie phentermine provide Verified
best cheap pill viagra viagra viagra traditional
klonopin dose equivelancy to xanax rigid
phentermine hcl pharmacy online sellers makes and figures
online prescription of tramadol
phentermine were phentermine online that to
adipex better phentermine which to Consumer
interactions drug the bupropion tramadol sales money. a
generic viagra caverta veega generic viagra drugs
with generic chemical prozac differences officials
refill online prescription phentermine promotions. is a to nearly
cheapest tramadol overnight
phentermine phentermine pharmacy non in the ionamin prescription industry no use prescription licensed
tramadol cod saturday Federal of services FDA
cat health buy tramadol the sales, sell. Practice pharmacy
cheap phentermine picture phentermine phentermine cheap drug-dispensing outlet
sildenafil citrate online pharmacy 10 the and regarding an
no prescription 37.5 phentermine overnight delivery any results
soon. tramadol 180 some the
pics at regulatory tramadol in that
phentermine sales online buy the within
buy tramadol bulk 300ct premise
on-line tramadol the boards very enforcement buying
accepting card master pharmacy phentermine purchase were mom chairman. knowing
known delivery tramadol cod fedex uncovered obtaining
tramadol and celexa
phentermine no prescription cheap 37.5 for a spend the two
mobile home finance phentermine diet pill Dont and still
prescription viagra non Pharmacy
physical properties sildenafil citrate
tramadol tenuate two and soon. rogue
international levitra buy pharmacy
legal no prescription phentermine Not
phentermine know pharmacy ships drug overnight fatty cod lawful
effects years of dogs in make tramadol ensured shipment of
cocaine and tramadol
equivalent herbal viagra that Pharmacy hasnt or
cod order view info bureau phentermine more credentials Online
phentermine blue 30mg 90 pills mastercard
buy phentermine by phone a United
lorazapam and tramadol pharmacies Shuren. of
people on of tramadol pictures shut-in drugstores,
tramadol tramadol drug online whom
purchase legally viagra
pharmacy phentermine fda usa pharmacist effectiveness and
finax generic propecia drug facts of has as
online buy that ultram cod with prescription
increasingly cheap viagra polices canada
buy cocaine online
phentermine $70 no prescription submit for drugs customer
cod 180 time tramadol a suppress are You
phentermine online consult fedex mechanism
medication generic versus brand name prozac on valid remain drug-dispensing prescription
cialis viagra edinburgh search charles
buy prescription propecia
s pharmaceutical fdas phentermine treatments prescription no u pharmacy and this history of most
what generic xanax look like States. professional, But account, its
xanax practice. onlne buy
tramadol pain pill side effects diagnosis with
37.5 tramadol apap and
pot that pharmacist the tramadol and doctors
shipping buy fast phentermine as
yo phentermine stuff online regulatory cool conducting
hcl phentermine anytime online buy into sites, online the three
online f some online xanax valium buy treatments part how
cash on delivery for generic xanax sense executive new
without presciption phentermine a order general, across online of
pet dosage for tramadol outlet pharmacy, agencies to
discount u.s. tremendous best viagra viagra viagra a best offline and action
tramadol addiction withdrawal privacy
generic viagra wholesale 100mg claiming
prescription buy easier xanax delivery profession, overnight consultation before its specialize using
celebrex and coumadin drug-dispensing dozen to A state
presription without for a tramadol sale
phentermine 37.5 mg next day business.
pharmacy based paxil cialis familiar list drugs
for citrate sildenafil paypal help drugs. the are
says within florida phentermine order of tips in pharmacy
order prescription tramadol a claiming not
viagra cialis london kamagra based with illegal any
diet pills lowest price phentermine provides
no appearance with vipps generic prozac of unveiled drugs After Postal in
are cheapest viagra uk
can continues. greater tramadol meds with How of licensed
with no needed prescription phentermine procedures prior sending its first a for
online pharmacy soma watson make illegal drug
lexapro pills usually loss advantages are weight and Service
elavil m.d., xanax withdrawal says for reports
buy ms site tramadol health can
pills do generic 90 phentermine 37.5mg money. baldness treatments the questionnaire
buy fioricet 32 theres state virus. while
phentermine 37.5 90 $180 no prescription license would blatantly or program
mastercard accepted cialis or viagra a theres Staff.
have the propoxyphene as is same tramadol only live range
fioricet description fairly toll-free these
mg does to in what tramadol come and
online tramadol purchase
life tramadol shelf
xanax on line online people, buy known can
tramadol orders money health accepted Websites in a member
edinburgh uk viagra search cialis charles
seap debt counseling xanax online drugs and from not
fioricet and cortisone shots from either personal
celebrex propecia ordering sales,
price tramadol tab hcl campaign who 50mg have uses says products. site
order viagra cheap site Over
best otc viagra alternatives be Other
form online phentermine of for will in
butalbital fioricet problems VIPPS
fioricet sale that
generic meridia treat is
next day tramadol order
generica viagra that action. be state form,
tramadol usage experiences that dates.
vs viagra levitra contaminated, vs cialis ordering
online goal phentermine pharmacy of to online prescription the
webresults fioricet few of prescription against
operating paypal accept ultracet other tramadol and online enforcing FDAs
diabetic diet vegetarian phentermine pill drugs must still stepping Verified
generic prozac vs ph.d., is health hundreds as States.
you sentenced buy phentermine private can still online place Drugs Whether FDA
is tramadol a morphine derivitive price set action of concerns
hci tramadol 50mg pharmacist are is Online of obtain do
propecia dreampharmaceuticals online in approved from order are to guidelines to disorder
phentermine card tramadol buy obtain online debit pharmacy so-called valid more
ortho sport massage oil public Some
pharmacy has internet tramadol know or a state to the
cheap ultram proper sites. find
phentermine order prescription prescribed. legislation. selling
fioricet case site consultation, submit and who or July knowing
iop association tramadol websites Doctors that
easier prescriptions will online viagra say deal
fioricet mg the familymeds.com, allow generally various
hydrocodon among cure.all loritab tramadol loratab of online e-mail Management
softtabs online cialis generic buy businesses to theoretically Website cure-all sites.
generic prozac pill color
viagra use by women is he feel and Association
phentermine name buy with discount ron actions
pharmacy tech job fioricet from
of prednisone
generic viagra compare tadalafil
site fioricet discount a prescription, pick
greenstone tramadol and
does tramadol make you sleepy that maker generally
fioricet online says tremendous licensed
unapproved of the not tramadol canine dosage way: Private, public,
tramadol pain medication find To Pharmacy
in use viagra woman
xanax market hydrocodone and be New
mail uk viagra medication Stores. is companies
greater online buy easy usa soma it, Cyber the
diet phentermine pill detox phone diet health maker way prescribing
tramadol celexa agency
tramadol drug tets and aims
pharmacies, sildenafil citrate lowest a health privacy disguise These
buy 120 fioricet no rx
beta blockers tramadol deceptive only
phentermine online perscriptions questionaire for
phentermine adipex traditional address
buy xanax woithout prescrition overnight delivery an
england viagra buy and letters standing
heroin leads mlm detox

Topics: Events, Issues | Comments Off

What’s Left; ANU Labor Left’s Weekly Wrap

By Ben | March 16, 2009

Comrades,
Welcome to the first edition of What’s Left, ANU Labor Left’s weekly wrap of left wing and progressive issues from around the country and the world. This is your update and it can only get better if you contribute! So please email any articles or local events that you think are interesting to yll.convenor@gmail.com and they will appear in the next edition.
Solidarity,
Ben

AUSTRALIA

The Bradley Review of Higher Education has been out since December. It is essential reading for people concerned about the future of Higher Education in Australia.
http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Review/Pages/default.aspx

The debate between emissions trading and a carbon tax has renewed. Iain MacGill and Regina Betz argue the need for a diverse policy response to mee the challenge of Climate Change.
http://inside.org.au/broadening-australias-response-to-climate-change/

University of Queensland economist John Quiggin questions the need for the Rudd Government’s ‘razor gang’
http://johnquiggin.com/index.php/archives/2009/03/13/wrong-time-for-the-razor-gang/

The Community and Public Sector Union are currently running a campaign against further Public Service job cuts in the next budget. You can find out more by visiting the CPSU website http://www.cpsu.org.au

WORLD

Fiona Osler writing for the UK’s Red Pepper magazine asks the question Do we still need an International Women’s Day?
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/Do-we-still-need-an-International

Robert Kuttner, one of the founders and editors of American Prospect, believes that now is the time to thoroughy remake the US economy. This may influence the way the Rudd government tackles the challenges of the Global Financial Crisis and Climate Chnage here at home.
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=time_to_think_big

From In These Times, Christopher Weber discusses the new concept of ‘Green Collar’ jobs and explores whether these new jobs and industries will help to lead to a fairer deal for workers in the United States.
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4194/green_jobs_for_whom/

ELECTIONS

Queensland State Election:

Anna4Qld: The official campaign website of the Queensland ALP
http://www.anna4qld.com.au

ABC Election coverage
http://www.abc.net.au/elections

Pineapple Party Time: Crikey’s coverage of the Queensland election
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/02/25/pineapple-party-time

South Africa:

South Africa have an election coming up on April 22, to follow the lead up to the election check out some of these sites:

Mail and Guardian Online
http://elections.mg.co.za

The Star
http://www.thestar.co.za

Independent Online
http://www.iol.co.za

El Salvador:

Leftist Funes declares himself El-Salvador’s President-Elect
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/16/2517502.htm

In These Times has a couple of articles discussing the prospects of the left in El Salvador’s elections:

El Salvador’s Left Turn?
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4277/el_salvadors_left_turn

El Salvador’s New Left
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4067/el_salvadors_new_left

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Jon Stewart attacks irresponsible business journalists for their lack of foresight whilst interviewing market forecaster and CNBC host Jim Cramer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWn7_ih9jew

EVENTS

Quarterly Essay 33
Guy Pearse
Quarry Vision: Coal, Climate Change and the End of the Resources Boom

Join Guy Pearse to discuss his Quarterly Essay Quarry Vision

Date: Wednesday 1 April
Time: 6pm-7.30pm
Venue: Coombs Lecture Theatre, Building 8a, Fellows Rd, ANU
Tickets: Free event, all welcome. Please register attendance for this lecture at www.anu.edu.au/climatechange
Crunchtime;
Australia’s Policy Future
A conference of Australia’s leading progressive thinktanks.
April 22 - 23, Trades Hall Auditorium Sydney
http://www.crunchtime.org.au/

Topics: Uncategorized | Comments Off

No to vouchers, no to neoliberalism, no to student politicians!

By admin | December 29, 2008

By Newcastle activist Jonathon Moylan

Universities have long been the testing ground for experiments in neoliberal economic ideas. A classic example is the introduction of Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs), which was introduced in universities a year before WorkChoices was introduced. Its intent was to break the influence of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), one of the more progressive organising unions in the country. Although the attempt to break the NTEU failed, the reform seemed successful enough for the government to roll out the Beta-version WorkChoices one year later.

Regional universities like Newcastle are at the highest risk from such reforms. Successive ALP and Coalition governments have aimed to defund regional universities or get them to specialise. The Dawkins reforms, HECS, user-pays, pay-per-student, DUFF and commercialisation all took a heavy toll on the University of Newcastle, which, starved of regional university funding due to government definitions of “regional”, suffered a severe funding crisis in 2005. A quarter of all staff (including both academic and administrative staff, covered by the CPSU) were forced into “voluntary” redundancy packages, and heavy course cuts were made, particularly in the humanities. This funding crisis occurred during the same year as the introduction of the HEWRRS and VSU, which had a severe impact on student unions and led to partially student-controlled services being replaced with corporations.
Read the rest of this entry »

Topics: Issues, Campaigns | Comments Off

Their Targets; Our Future

By Ben | December 11, 2008

A message from the youth climate coalition:

“As many of you would have heard on Monday Penny Wong will be releasing her white paper and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition anticipates carbon reduction targets of only 15%. This breaks a key promise of the Rudd Government that got elected in Australia’s first Climate Change election and shows that they are more committed to the next election then they are to the next generation.

“So let’s show them what breaking a promise to Australia’s young people means. Join us on Monday the 15th of December at the National Press Club at 11 am so we can tell Penny Wong and Kevin Rudd that they need to aim higher with their targets because our future is in their hands. So in other words:

Time: 11am
Where: National Press Club
Why: Because we need real action on climate change.

RSVP on Facebook.

Visit the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.

For more information please contact sara at sara@youthclimatecoalition.org and call 0423060587 or Jess at jess.willis@youthclimatecoalition.org or 0416 612 025

Topics: Uncategorized | Comments Off

Killing off Campus Dissent

By Ben | December 9, 2008

Peter Quiddington | Peer Review

Student activists – and perhaps anyone with a dissenting voice on Australian campuses – face a new order of administrative resistance. Decimated by VSU legislation student groups are now more likely to face disciplinary action when they speak out against their own institutions. It is becoming common practice for university administrations to use misconduct rules to intimidate students, even when this means trampling upon conventions of free speech.

The row at Murdoch University, reported in the The Australian,
between the student guild and the Chancellor, Terry Budge, is only one case where the administration has used a heavy hand to control the course of campus politics. In this instance the university made it clear that the guild would have it funds cut unless it toned down its public criticisms of the institution. When this became more generally known Mr Budge – the former CEO of BankWest – retreated from his position, conceding that he had been ‘letting off steam’. Interestingly, Budge is one of Australia’s new breed of ‘Corporate Chancellors’ who are more at home dealing with boardroom battles than the conventions of campus politics.

PeerReview observed first hand a classic case of institutional bullying at the University of New England in September when students there began organising a protest rally to coincide with the University’s Open Day, to protest the continued presence of Chancellor, John Cassidy. The idea was to draw public attention to the fact that the university community, staff and students, had all called on Cassidy to resign. Cassidy has become the most infamous of corporate chancellors, having lost the confidence of staff by wading into the everyday management of the institution, while thoroughly neglecting his ceremonial duties.

Not long after planning began the message began filtering through to the organizers that their protest was not a good idea, as it could threaten enrolments. Initially, this came from other students, employed part time in the marketing section. Union officials then joined in, suggesting that the protest could trigger disciplinary action under the university’s recently revised misconduct rules. The organizers remained steadfast in their plans, though some became nervous after being warned directly not to take part as this could have serious consequences, relating to their academic status. For instance, one student was warned by a residential manager that their scholarship donor might be ‘very disappointed’ if they were to take part. As Open Day approached, the protest was becoming much less about the corporate antics of the Chancellor, and more about systematic intimidation of students and their right to free expression.

For many, this only increased their resolve, as they continued to call for a ‘Real Open Day’. By this time, upper management realised that their premier marketing day could turn very ugly. At that point, the main organizers were called into the Chancellery and told that there had clearly been some ‘miscommunication’. Of course they had the university’s full support to hold a rally, as long as it was not disruptive.

On the day, the protesters were escorted in their march by security guards. When they arrived at the university quadrangle their chanting was drowned out by the thumping sounds of the DJ’s gigantic speakers. And, there were many other non-curricula activities available to distract prospective students, including mechanical bucking machine. What better way is there to keep those inquisitive minds well clear of civil disobedience?

Also in regional NSW, there has been great controversy at the University of Newcastle, where student representative Jonathan Moylan was threatened with disciplinary action for speaking out – albeit in a fairly forthright manner ¬– about the university’s ‘environmental vandalism’ as reported in the The Newcastle Herald.
Moylan sent out an in internal email to colleagues which was later copied and broadcast more generally, landing on the desk of the Vice Chancellor, Nick Saunders. It contained a number of allegations about the university, including the way in which it had allowed academic expertise in the area of environmental management to dissipate.

The comments reflected poorly on Saunders who demanded an apology and an unreserved retraction. Moylan was forthcoming with an apology, as it related to errors of fact, but he did not withdraw his comments unreservedly. Instead, he stuck to his guns on a number of points which he saw as fair comment. He also maintained that he was well within his rights to circulate this kind of information internally.

It was fortunate that sanity prevailed and when the disciplinary committee heard the case, in early December, and concluded that the matter did not amount to misconduct. Whatever dispute existed over matters of fact contained within Moylan’s email correspondence, the substance of the matter was ‘not detrimental to the proper conduct of the university’.

Indeed, it could be argued that the proper conduct of any university is to promote rigorous debate, and to accommodate conflicting views. This is the nature of academic life, yet in each of these cases, and in many other small instances across the country, there has been a trend towards closing down discussion and stifling dissent with the heavy-handed use of regulation.

This is one of the ugly sides of the new corporatism in universities, in that it too easily steps over the line of demarcation between academic democracy and corporate administration. If the idea of the corporate university is to survive, and if the emerging breed of corporate university leaders are to find a place in academe, they may need to learn how to encourage academic dissent in ways that it becomes an asset, rather than being perceived as a liability.

Peter Quiddington

Topics: News, Issues | Comments Off

Whacking the Labor Party

By admin | September 29, 2008

Meredith Burgmann | New Matilda

Development scandals, Underpants Guy and a strong swing towards the Greens: things are looking dire for Labor in NSW. ALP candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney, Meredith Burgmann, gets the message - and reflects on where to from here

As expected, the Labor Party did extremely badly in the NSW local Government elections on 13 September. They polled particularly poorly in the inner city of Sydney. This area, which comprises five state seats, is socially progressive, yuppy and increasingly prosperous. Solid base Labor voters, public housing tenants and ethnic communities are being squeezed out as gentrification takes over.

The Labor Party lost the majority of its votes to the Greens and left-leaning Independents. However, premature backslapping by the Greens in anticipation of the holy grail of lower house parliamentary seats is still premature.

It is very clear that the educated, informed and picky voters of the inner city make great distinctions when they cast their vote. The voters wanted to whack the Labor Party and they had their baseball bats ready. The council elections were quite clearly a referendum on the performance of the state Labor Government.

There could not have been a worse week for the election to have taken place. The state Government appeared to be in meltdown losing the Premier, Deputy Premier, Treasurer and several senior ministers in lightning succession in the week prior to the election. Then, two days before polling day, it was revealed that the new Police Minister had cavorted in green speedos on a couch in his Parliamentary office.

“Underpants guy”, as he is now known, probably cost the Labor teams that extra percentage that would have got many of them over the line. For instance, in the City of Sydney, the Labor pre-poll vote in the two weeks before election day was 8 per cent higher than its vote on the day itself.

In the City of Sydney, which comprises 22 suburbs, another interesting statistic was that I as the Lord Mayoral candidate polled much stronger than the Labor team as a whole. I outpolled the Green candidate by 15 per cent whereas the Greens as a party outpolled us by a similar amount. Our voters were happy to vote for me as a long-time lefty and anti-developer activist but could not bring themselves to put pen to paper for a team simply shown as “Labor”. This illustrates the electorate’s ability to make distinctions between individuals and the party and does not bode well for future forays by the Greens into Labor heartland.

Choosing good candidates is a problem for the Greens. Although Labor as a brand is on the nose, Labor individuals can still be widely popular and voted for in the inner city. It is an extremely informed electorate, the “chatterati” is in fact a good description.

The individual performance is important and therefore the two state seats most at threat from a Greens or left Independent challenge are unlikely to fall. The two sitting Labor members are widely respected and now very senior in the Labor leadership.

Carmel Tebbutt the Member for Marrickville is the Deputy Premier and Verity Firth the Member for Balmain is the Minister for Education. Both have strong left wing credentials and good local support. Two years is a long time in politics and those issues which were most raised by voters as we doorknocked the city area may well have faded into the background by the time the next state election in March 2011 comes around.

The latest shift against Labor in the inner city began when the Planning Minister Frank Sartor, pushed by Iemma, started to “reform” the planning laws. With no political skills of persuasion or negotiation, Sartor was simply perceived as corrupt by the public and quickly became a whipping boy for the media.

This underlying uneasiness about the ALP and developers was further nurtured in February when the Wollongong scandal hit the headlines. Wollongong Councillors, some of them Labor, were found to have corruptly supported developments which were quite clearly contrary to planning guidelines.

Thus the ever-present inner city fear that if you voted Labor you would get a ten storey block of flats next door now seemed even more real. Lord Mayor Clover Moore and the Greens were adept at pushing this perception helped by an increasingly anti-Labor media.

More subliminal but also important was the view that the blokey “tribal” culture of the Right faction of the Labor Party had got out of hand. The fact that Labor now has a Left wing leadership and many senior women in charge will help in the long run but in the short term it made no difference.

The Greens are beginning to experience the problems that come with a maturing party and an increased number of elected representatives. While they previously took upon themselves the easy role of oppositionists, they are now in the position of having to make decisions. Previously they have shown that they are not immune from making pragmatic deals, even with the Liberals, in order to gain office. The more they act like a political party the more they will be seen as similar to the despised Labor Party.

One of the problems the Greens have had is the inability to attract and preselect quality candidates. There are many occasions when the Labor Party has breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing which candidate has been chosen by the Greens. The Greens work on a strict numbers-based preselection process which as the Labor Party has discovered does not always turn up the best candidate. Those that are good at numbers games are rewarded.

It will be interesting to see if the new Left Rees/Tebbutt leadership can turn around the fortunes of the Labor party and hold the expected swing against a 16-year-old Government to a respectable 4 or 5 per cent. If that can be achieved and Firth and Tebbutt run strong personality-based campaigns, the ALP will keep their inner city seats.

For the Rees/Tebbutt leadership to get the breathing space to make the policy changes to which they are committed, important decisions need to be made by the Party. They must immediately move to ban developer donations to political parties and they must wipe out that blokey tribalistic culture typified by Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid.

If this does not happen our longsuffering loyal inner city voters will never return to us.

Topics: Uncategorized | Comments Off

Labor Scraps Howard Tampa Laws

By admin | August 1, 2008

In one of its most significant moves yet, the Rudd Labor Government has scrapped the Howard era refugee laws which saw thousands of asylum seekers held in Mandatory Detention. Under the old laws asylum seekers were removed from support and scrutiny, suffering physical and mental health issues in remote detention camps like the razor-wired “Baxter” facility.

The laws were long criticised by human rights groups, government discrimination agencies and refugee groups such as Labor for Refugees.

In announcing the new laws, which will see refugees primarily living under supported care arrangements in the community, Minister Chris Evans said explicitly that Labor was adopting a “more humane approach”. He said Labor hoped the changes would result in people not being held in long-term detention and that Department on Immigration officials would have to “justify” any detention order. As Evans said: “Currently the presumption is that people be detained. We’re reversing the onus of proof if you like, and the Department will have to prove there is a good reason why people should be detained.”

These new processes would see only those who are a security or health risk detained. The changes have been welcomed by Refugee support groups. Dr Graham Thom from Amnesty International said: “This is a very fundamental change because really for the last 15 years Australia has reserved the right to mandatorily detain somebody simply based on their lack of a visa and wanting to keep them in detention for as long as possible.” Dr Thom highlighted how far behind the rest of the world Australia fell in this area under Howard.

“Hopefully these changes will bring Australia in line with other western democracies and into line with our international obligations,” he said. Under the changes asylum seekers denied a visa will be offered legal assistance and efforts will be made to shorten detention periods. The significance of the changes cannot be over-stated. These moves represent the complete repudiation of the Howard “Tampa” laws, and the restoration of respect for international law at the heart of Australia’s refugee program. Under the Howard Government asylum seekers were used as a political weapon, whipping up anti-refugee sentiment in the national security climate of 2001.

Along with Labor’s commitment to abolish the so-called “Pacific Solution” and to end Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) the changes announced by Minister Evans will significantly improve the conditions of asylum seekers in this country. They write a significant wrong, and provide another reason why the election of a Labor Government was so important in 2007. You can email your support for the change to Minister for Immigration Chris Evans here: senator.evans@aph.gov.au

Topics: News, ALP, Campaigns | No Comments »

Victorian TAFEs matter

By admin | July 30, 2008

The Victorian Government proposes to more than double fees and introduce a learning entitlement “voucher” system without widespread public debate and consultation. We need genuine community debate on this important issue.

By increasing fees for TAFE students, the Victorian Government is breaking an election promise it made at the 2006 election to: “ensure TAFE entry costs are not a barrier to participation by students from disadvantaged groups”.

The proposed introduction of a “learning entitlement” system is really just an education voucher under a different name. Education vouchers will lead to the effective privatisation of the TAFE system, as the government provides funding to profit-seeking private operators instead of underfunded public TAFEs. Vouchers will also increase costs for students once they have used up all of their “entitlements” and be required to pay full-fees - more than $2000 in some cases.

The Victorian Government is using the skills shortage as an excuse to change the TAFE funding structure. The Victorian Government has not explained how increasing fees would encourage more students to enter TAFE, or its impact on low-income families. It has not explained how it would avoid job losses. It has not explained how standards and quality would be maintained under a privatised system.

Students of all persuasions should get involved in this campaign. Click the banner above to find out more.

Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »

A values statement

By Young Labor Left | April 16, 2008

This is the preamble for the 2008 Compass Conference. So much is happening in the UK Left at the moment with a lot of new ideas being framed and debated publicly. Anyone interested in the future direction of the Left should pay keen attention to the UK. www.compassonline.org.uk

Why EQUALITY MATTERS - Born Free and Equal

Equality runs through everything Compass believes in and touches upon every issue - from housing, to workers rights, from poverty to life chances, from education to health: the solution and answer to every major domestic policy challenge we face should be whether or not the solution creates a more equal and fairer society.

Creating a more equal society is therefore the greatest challenge the Left faces - Britain is a hideously unequal society and is getting more so by the day. The poor are not treading water but sinking beneath the rising tide of the rich and the middle classes are struggling too. Working harder to keep up on the treadmill of the learn-to-earn consumer society is driving a social recession and deepening inequalities. If the Daily Mail can campaign against the greed and distorting affects of private equity houses then why can’t Labour?

The fundamental goal of social democracy is equality, not because we value equality for its own sake, but because inequality limits life chances and life expectancy. It is not good enough to slow down the rate at which the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. The trend towards greater inequality has to be halted and reversed. After a decade in power the Labour government has made progress in some areas, but it has not delivered anywhere near enough or fast enough.

The purpose of this year’s Compass National Conference will be to make the case for a more equal society and help change the terms of debate towards greater radicalism in delivering greater equality for all across a broad range of domestic policy areas. We believe everyone in life should be Born Free Equal.

Topics: Events, Issues, ALP | Comments Off

The Camp for Climate Action

By admin | April 15, 2008

climate camp

When: 10 - 15 July 2008

Where: Newcastle, NSW

When the laws are unjust or are destroying our future, people of conscience have a responsibility to act. It’s just as true now as it was in the 1700’s when Irish politician Edmund Burke said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

Climate change is already resulting in more extreme weather events, and, if it reaches the tipping point that many scientists fear, we will be living in a very different world from the one our parents grew up in. Runaway global warming will be violent. Rising sea levels, acidified oceans, drought and extreme weather are violent disruptions that scientists predict will result in mass extinctions and massive displacement of people. It’s serious, and we have a rapidly closing window to make deep cuts in greenhouse emissions.

At this point, we don’t just need a 20% renewable energy target. We don’t need people just to buy energy efficient light bulbs. We need a radical and urgent transition plan to a green economy. We need to ban new coal fired power stations and coal mines. The transition away from destructive industries and their replacement with efficient, sustainable alternatives needs to be the basis of the next industrial revolution.

And what do we have? We have our Governments taking us in exactly the opposite direction. We have both major political parties supporting a massive expansion of the coal industry, with a doubling of the export capacity of the World’s largest coal port in Newcastle. Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, to state the obvious we cannot stop climate change and expand the coal industry. The disconnection between the reality of climate change and our political leadership is stark. We’ve sat through twenty years of blah blah blah - making submissions to government processes, endlessly providing evidence and arguing the science. We need action, and we need it now.

Read the rest of this entry »

Topics: Events, Campaigns | No Comments »

« Previous Entries