[The following is a slightly abridged version of a letter addressed to “all left parties and individuals” posted on the internet on January 25. It was signed by John Percy, national secretary of the Democratic Socialist Party, and Peter Boyle, the DSP's national election campaign organiser.]

Dear comrades, a federal election is fast approaching and all the major parliamentary parties — including the Australian Labor Party — are even more firmly committed to the reactionary political agenda of social austerity, privatisation, tax “reform” for the rich and attacks on the rights of indigenous Australians, refugees, women and other oppressed groups. We wish to propose urgent discussions between all serious socialist parties and individual socialists about fielding Socialist Alliance candidates around the country, in upper and lower houses of Parliament.

The success of the S11 blockade of the World Economic Forum in Melbourne last year has given a new confidence to the radical left in this country.

In Britain, following the success of the London Socialist Alliance, most of the active left (including the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party) is united in Socialist Alliances for the next national elections. To the north, the Scottish Socialist Party has achieved a higher degree of left unity.

In Australia, socialist candidates from a number of parties have attracted votes between 5-12% in several seats in recent years. Loose alliances and non-aggression pacts have been formed in Melbourne and Perth.

We would envisage holding discussions over the next couple of weeks at the national and local levels and proceed to organising a series of public meetings around the country to launch and build a significant campaign.

Please get in touch with us as soon as possible if you are interested in discussing further.

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