By Dave Wright

PENRITH -- The victory of Liberal candidate Jackie Kelly in the Lindsay by-election on October 19 reveals that people in this predominantly working-class, outer-western Sydney seat have not forgiven Labor for 13 years of austerity.

The result also reflects the weak opposition to Howard posed by the Beazley Labor leadership. Rarely during the campaign did ALP candidate Ros Free go on the offensive against the Liberal government's attacks on industrial relations, health, education, housing or welfare.

The National Tertiary Education and Industry Union distributed a leaflet highlighting the Coalition's attacks on education, in particular the substantial funding cuts to the University of Western Sydney. Given the poor leadership of the ACTU in responding to the Liberal's attacks, however, it is not surprising that the NTEU had little impact.

Racism was a key issue in the campaign. Australians Against Further Immigration (AAFI) aired their anti-Asian, anti-Aboriginal views, and neither Kelly nor Free made any clear statement condemning them. The Greens' candidate, Lesley Edwards, attended an anti-racism picket two days before the election, but it was left to the Shooters Party to make the strongest statements against racism.

The AAFI vote increased from just over 3% in the March by-election to 6.1%. This was much lower than AAFI expected given the extensive media coverage they received during the campaign, and their 13% in the June by-election for the local seat of Blaxland.

The Greens won just over 2% and the Democrats just over 1%. Neither were seen as an alternative to Liberal or Labor and, while both ran on more progressive issues than the other parties, neither was prepared to advocate putting the Liberals -- the party carrying out the immediate attacks on working people -- after Labor.

The Democratic Socialists did not stand in this election because federal electoral laws have made it increasingly difficult for small parties to run in their own name. The Democratic Socialists will, however, be contesting seats in this area in the next state election.

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