Democratic Socialists announce Victorian campaign

By Susan Price MELBOURNE — Hoping to capitalise on the Howard Liberal/National Coalition victory and the spin-off from the Grand Prix, Premier Jeff Kennett has called a snap state poll for March 30. The Democratic Socialists are all geared up with their People Before Profits campaign. Di Quin, a student activist and part-time worker, will stand for Melbourne, and Dave Mizon, trade unionist and community activist, for Richmond. The Democratic Socialists are campaigning for a socialist alternative to the "user-pays" regime in Victoria. The Liberals have pushed through deep cuts in social services, and have launched a massive privatisation program. The latest public asset to be sold off was the Yallourn power station, for $2.4 billion. This is Australia's largest privatisation deal yet. The sale to British company Powergen will hand over control of both power generation and coal mining to private business interests. The Kennett government has also stitched up a deal with Transurban for the construction of the controversial $1.77 billion City Link tollway. Rumours are already circulating that construction will begin as soon as April. It looks very unlikely that the battered Labor opposition, led by John Brumby, will have any hope of winning the 18 seats it needs to defeat Kennett. Brumby has all but conceded defeat, saying that winning back six seats would represent a "good" result, 12 seats, a "very good" result and 18 seats "outstanding". The plan to privatise Victoria's public assets was set in place by Labor governments, starting with the sale of Loy Yang B power station under the Cain and Kirner leaderships in the 1980s. Mizon summed up the central thrust of the Democratic Socialists' campaign: "The capitalist austerity program, to which both the ALP and Liberal-Nationals are committed, will be stopped only by building a real, fighting opposition. The attacks on working people will be stepped up with the election of the Howard government. The Democratic Socialists reject the idea that society should be run in the interests of the minority of big business interests. This country is wealthy enough to provide a decent standard of living for everyone. "Brumby and the Labor Party pose no real opposition. Brumby has refused to commit a Labor government to reversing any of Kennett's cuts and sell-offs. "We believe that all privatised public assets should be renationalised without compensation, that the City Link tollway project should be cancelled We are for the massive expansion of public transport in Victoria, the reopening of all closed-down public schools and for an increase in funding of health and education." Mizon, an activist in the Save Albert Park Campaign, sees Kennett's attempt to capitalise on the Grand Prix as a cynical move. "The fact that the state government has stitched up the City Link deal with Transurban coincides with its belated sponsorship of the Grand Prix. This deal exposes the pro-big business agenda of the Kennett government, to the detriment of meeting people's needs in public health, education and employment." Kennett's contentious plan to scrap by-elections in safe seats has been shelved for the time being to reduce potential voter backlash. Democratic rights will be firmly on the Democratic Socialists' campaign agenda. Quin, an activist in the campaign against Kennett's voluntary student unionism (VSU) legislation, sees this issue as key. "Kennett is trying to sell this legislation as an extension of 'democratic rights'. However, it represents a concerted attempt to destroy student unions in Victoria. Aside from allowing for voluntary membership, the legislation prohibits student organisations from spending any money on so-called 'political' activities. These include student newspapers, elections, campaign literature and payments for student office-bearers. "The Democratic Socialists are demanding the immediate repeal of this undemocratic legislation, and will use our election campaign to build the movement against VSU. Only by involving the broadest number of students will we defeat VSU and regain students' right to be represented and defended." To help the Democratic Socialist campaign, call the campaign office on 9329 1320 or 9329 1277.