'Broad Left' sinks left motions

BY SARAH CLEARY

PERTH — The NUS West state conference was held here on November 26. The Labor Party right faction, Unity, had the majority of delegates.

Annette Haeker, former Murdoch University education vice-president was elected to the position that includes the responsibilities of sexuality officer despite the fact that she is opposed to open displays of homosexuality. She voted against the formation of a sexuality collective on Murdoch in 1999.

The "Broad Left" formation within NUS consists of the Greens, the National Organisation of Labor Students, Resistance activists and independent activists. It met prior to the NUS conference.

At the Broad Left meeting, Resistance activist and Curtin University NUS delegate, Jane Armanasco, moved that NUS endorse and build the May 1 global strike against corporate tyranny (M1). Greens WA member and former Murdoch Guild president Alison Xamon argued against the motion. She said sections of the trade union leadership in Western Australia refused to support M1 because it was "dividing" the movement by cutting across the trade unions' march traditionally held on the first Sunday in May.

Armanasco argued that it was a positive thing to have a number of events around May Day. She pointed out that M1 would build upon the success of the September 11 protests in Melbourne.

Similarly, the Broad Left refused to endorse the motion of support for the struggle of the Palestinian people. Xamon did not support the motion because she said she did not want to appear to be anti-Semitic.

From GLW issue 431