HOBART — At the next Tasmanian state election, the word "socialist" will appear on ballot papers for the first time since 1976. The Socialist Alliance was registered by the Tasmanian Electoral Office on May 16 and is one of only six registered parties in the state.
"We are very proud to announce our successful registration and we are looking forward to a vigorous campaign in the coming state election", said Socialist Alliance spokesperson Alex Bainbridge. The Socialist Alliance is likely to stand candidates in Denison, Franklin and Bass electorates.
"Premier Jim Bacon's Labor government is thoroughly committed to economic 'rationalism' — just like the Liberals — which is a complete disaster for workers, pensioners, students and the unemployed", said Bainbridge, who was a Socialist Alliance Senate candidate last year.
"The fact that we have been able to achieve electoral registration in Tasmania, which requires that more than 100 Socialist Alliance members agree to have their names and addresses published in the three daily newspapers, is a testament to the growing support for a radical alternative in this state", said Bainbridge.
Although socialists have run in previous state elections, this has seldom been officially recognised by the electoral office. The only exception since party registration was introduced was the 1976 election campaign by the Socialist Workers Party (now called the Democratic Socialist Party).
John Tully, one of the SWP candidates in that election, welcomed the Tasmanian registration of the Socialist Alliance. "I am delighted that after 25 years socialists are once again recognised on the ballot in Tasmania", said Tully, who is now a member of the Socialist Alliance affiliate Socialist Democracy in Melbourne.
"The Tasmanian election will be the first state or federal election that Socialist Alliance has contested with our party name on the ballot paper", said Bainbridge.
"The formation of the Socialist Alliance last year was a major step forward for Australia's previously divided socialist movement. The alliance was founded by eight separate socialist parties but the alliance's total membership — almost 3000 nationally — is more than triple the membership of the original eight groups", said Bainbridge.
[Kamala Emanuel is the Tasmanian convenor of the Socialist Alliance.]