Democratic Socialists to contest NSW elections

Wednesday, December 2, 1998 - 11:00

Democratic Socialists to contest NSW elections

By Tom Flanagan

The Democratic Socialists have announced four candidates for the NSW elections scheduled for March 27.

Standing in Port Jackson is John Percy, the national secretary of the Democratic Socialist Party and a founder of the socialist youth organisation Resistance in 1967. An activist for 30 years, Percy contested the seat of Sydney in the October federal election.

In Bligh, Marina Carman will be the candidate. Carman is a member of Resistance, vice-president of Sydney University Student Representative Council and helped organise this years' successful high school walkouts against racism. She led the Democratic Socialists' NSW senate ticket in the federal election.

Standing for the seat of Marrickville is Tuntuni Bhattacharyya, a doctor who specialises in women's and adolescent health. She has been active in the Sydney International Women's Day Collective and the Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor group. An advocate of the women's right to full reproductive choice, Bhattacharyya will be standing against health minister Andrew Refshauge.

Resistance member Stephanie Roper is the Democratic Socialists' candidate for Strathfield. She is a youth worker working with survivors of sexual violence. As an activist campaigning for women's and youth rights, Roper argues against cuts to women's services, education, housing and health care, and for real solutions to youth unemployment.

Unemployment is a key social problem that the Democratic Socialists' campaign will address. A solution that candidates will promote is a shorter working week with no loss in pay.

Other demands to be raised by the Democratic Socialists include an end to privatisation and the re-nationalisation of those public utilities already sold, protection of old growth forests and the repeal of all abortion laws to leave the choice to individual women.

In contrast to the state Labor government's "law and order" hysteria, Democratic Socialists will be arguing for social programs to counteract the causes of anti-social behaviour. "Police harassment of young people is part of the problem, not the solution", Roper points out.

Steelworker Geoff Payne will standing in Newcastle. Democratic Socialist candidates for seats in western Sydney, other regional seats and the NSW upper house will be announced soon.