Graham Matthews

  • US socialist optimistic about antiwar struggle

    MELBOURNE — "US troops [in Iraq] are forced to stay inside their bases most of the time, and when they do emerge, they are attacked", US socialist Paul D'Amato told a public meeting organised by Socialist Alternative on

  • Campaign to defend and extend Medicare in Darebin

    MELBOURNE — The federal Coalition government's "Fairer Medicare" proposal has sparked considerable community outrage. In the North-East of Melbourne, the Darebin Defend and Extend Medicare group is campaigning against the

  • Out of our little boxes

    MELBOURNE &#151 "It's crucial that we start to get out of our little boxes", said John Cummins, Victorian president of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), addressing the Victorian Socialist Alliance state

  • Socialist prosecuted anti-war leafletting

    MELBOURNE — On June 17, a left-wing activist will appear in the Sunshine Magistrates Court accused of illegally distributing leaflets. Socialist Alliance member Tony Iltis has been charged with handing out leaflets at the

  • Keep space for peace

    MELBOURNE — Australian and international delegates met at the "Keep space for peace" conference on May 17-18 to discuss greater cooperation of the international peace movement, especially to combat the increasing militarisation

  • Unions fined for 'secondary boycott'

    MELBOURNE — In a "private settlement", three Victorian unions have agreed to pay $300,000 in fines to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for violating the secondary boycott provisions of the Trade

  • Workers protest war

    BY GRAHAM MATTHEWS & ANTHONY BENBOW Militant unionists in Melbourne and Perth have offered a lead to others by walking off the job to protest the war at union-organised rallies following the beginning of the war. In Perth,

  • Anti-war activists' notebook

    400 rally against warMELBOURNE — Around 400 people rallied in Federation Square on March 14, a snap action that was called just six days before. Protesters condemned Prime Minster John Howard's speech on March 13 that

  • Melbourne mobilises against war

    MELBOURNE — Recent emergency actions against war in Iraq show the depth of anger against the Australian government’s decision to back the impending war against Iraq. On January 19, more than 150 people joined a hastily

  • Large left-of-Labor vote in Victoria

    MELBOURNE — The victory of the Labor Party in the Victorian state election has surprised few. The most encouraging aspect of the election was the huge increase in the left-of-Labor vote, which in some inner-Melbourne

  • Brunswick Socialist Alliance campaign launched

    MELBOURNE — Around 30 people attended the campaign launch for Judy McVey, the Socialist Alliance candidate for Brunswick district, on November 27 at Cafe Mingo. Speaking with the candidate were Construction, Forestry, Mining

  • Vote 1 Socialist Alliance

    MELBOURNE — "On November 30, a vote for the Socialist Alliance is the clearest possible vote against war and racism", said Arun Pradhan, Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Melbourne. Pradhan, who has been an