BY KATHY NEWNAM
ADELAIDE This is an occasion we should all be rejoicing about, was how veteran socialist Norm Taylor began his address to the launch of the Socialist Alliance here on May 21.
The alliance was urgently needed, Taylor argued, pointing to the growth of poverty throughout the country, and while it would have been nice to be launching the alliance with 1000 people rather than 35. Thanks to the youth, [the alliance] is likely to grow, he said.
Feminist and Latin American solidarity activist Monica Chiappe spoke of the importance of including people from non-English speaking backgrounds, while Democratic Socialist Party activist and union militant John McGill described how the Socialist Alliance would help give a voice to the struggles of working people.
While one participant noted that the Alliance won't cruise to success on the back of the anti-corporate movement, those present felt strongly that the alliance would be a positive boost to the new movement and would tap into the widespread disillusion with mainstream politics.
The old baggage doesn't matter to the new generation, noted long-term activist Jeff Richards in commending the launch of the Socialist Alliance. It is a good moment in history to have an alliance.