CPA: `vote for progressive candidates'

ADELAIDE -- MICHAEL PERTH is the Communist Party candidate for Port Adelaide. He spoke to Green Left Weekly's JOHN NEBAUER.

Perth joined the Communist Party in Ireland in 1968. “My mum had two jobs to support us, and I saw a lot injustice and hardship. I saw there was something wrong with society.

“I was working on a building site and met a few Communist Party members on the job who were active in the union and in other struggles. I was going along to a lot of demonstrations at the time as well, especially against the Vietnam War. I moved to Australia in the mid-1970s, and I joined the Socialist Party of Australia, which is now the Communist Party of Australia.”

Perth told Green Left Weekly that the CPA's aim in the election campaign is to show that the party is still around and that socialism is still relevant.

The CPA is opposed to the proposed Hindmarsh Island (Kumarangk) bridge and is suggesting another bridge be built in Port Adelaide instead. “We're also calling for a vote no to racism, so people should put One Nation last. We support multiculturalism”, Perth said.

“We want to see the government put effort into real job creation, particularly in suburbs with high youth unemployment. We're also opposed to economic rationalism. We oppose privatisation and the casualisation of the workforce. We oppose the GST.”

In the lower house, the CPA is asking its supporters to give their preferences to the most progressive candidates, followed by the ALP, the Liberals and One Nation last. “In the Senate, we call on people to give their vote to the most progressive candidates.”

The CPA is also standing Denis Doherty in the seat of Sydney.

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