Gold Coast socialists select candidates

On May 2, the Socialist Alliance announced that two candidates from the Gold Coast will stand in the next federal election. Amelia Taylor will run on the alliance's Senate ticket in Queensland, alongside Aboriginal activist Sam Watson. Tim Kirchler will stand for the seat of Moncrieff, currently held by Liberal MP Steven Ciobo.

In 2005, Taylor helped found the United Casual Workers Alliance, which fights for the rights of low-paid casual workers. "Because of the size of the local tourist industry, casual workers make up a huge proportion of the Gold Coast work force", Taylor said. "They are the ones most affected by Work Choices because they have the least secure jobs. Workers we talk to are worried about getting fired for standing up to the boss, or even asking questions."

Kirchler is a doctor who works in general practice at Tweed Heads and lives at Mermaid Beach. He has practiced medicine in both rural and urban Queensland, as well as overseas in East Timor, Sri Lanka and in Pakistan following the major earthquake in 2005.

"Although Howard claims to represent the 'battlers', his government's measures have targeted single parents, the disabled, refugees, Indigenous Australians, gays and lesbians, and now workers at large", Kirchler said

For more information phone Tim on 0411 097 465 or Amelia on 0417 062 844; visit ; or email <goldcoast@socialist-alliance.org>.

From GLW issue 708