MELBOURNE — More than 80 people attended a double-header launch on October 28. The Melbourne west district of Socialist Alliance launched its campaign for the Maribyrnong Council elections and new activist band The Conch gave its first ever performance in support of the campaign.

The alliance is calling for a council that “stands up to the Howard government”, opposing Howard’s attacks on workers, fighting to end mandatory detention of asylum seekers and campaigning to bring Australian troops home from Iraq.

The alliance is also calling on the council to establish a workers’ organising unit to link workers in the area with their relevant unions and help them campaign for better wages or conditions.

Ben Courtice, a metalworker, member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and supporter of the Justice for Jack campaign, will contest the northern ward of Bluestone. George Papanastasiou, economics lecturer at the Victoria University of Technology and Latin America solidarity activist, is running in the southern ward of Sheoak.

Karl Miller

From Green Left Weekly, November 2, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

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