CANBERRA — "Ideas to change the world" was the theme of the inaugural socialist ideas conference, held at the Australian National University on July 10.
The conference brought together 60 socialists and activists to discuss imperialism, international solidarity, trade union struggle, racism, the environment and socialism.
Speakers included East Timorese ambassador Jorge Da Conceicao Teme, Venezuelan ambassador Leonel Vivas, Seeing Red editors Humphrey McQueen and Alastair Greig, and Sydney-based Palestinian activist Rihab Charida.
Greig and McQueen gave a powerful presentation on the "quagmire" in which the US rulers now find themselves in Iraq. Teme presented a workshop on East Timor's struggle to secure a just share of revenue from oil in the Timor Sea.
Tim Gooden, assistant secretary of the Geelong Trades and Labour Council and Sue McKay, a Community and Public Sector Union delegate, addressed a workshop on building fighting unions. Workshops also took place on the Save the Ridge campaign and the refugee-rights movement.
In the final session, Socialist Alliance candidate for the federal seat of Fraser James Vassilopoulos, ACT Greens member Kathryn Kelly, and Socialist Alliance national co-convenor Raul Bassi addressed the question "Building alternatives: is a socialist future possible?" Vassilopoulos called on conference participants to support the national "End the lies" rallies planned for the Sunday prior to the federal election.
Nick Everett
Protesters greet Howard
MELBOURNE — PM John Howard was met by more than 100 protesters when he attended a function at Federation Square on July 14. Protesters attacked Howard for logging in old-growth forests, for the federal government's failure to embrace renewable energy, and for Australia's participation in the ongoing occupation of Iraq. One protester was arrested for throwing a projectile at Howard.
Graham Matthews
Wilkie launches campaign
SYDNEY — Andrew Wilkie, Greens candidate for PM John Howard's seat of Bennelong and former analyst with the Office of National Assessments, launched his election campaign in Epping on July 13. Wilkie has also just released a book, Axis of Deceit.
"All foreign troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible", Wilkie told the launch, "and we should provide significant aid for Iraqi national reconstruction".
When pressed about the possibility of troop withdrawal leading to civil war in Iraq, Wilkie replied: "The likelihood of civil war is being exaggerated by the Bush administration and the mass media but the war has created a mess and any solution to it comes with risks."
Wilkie was applauded when he argued that "the critical factor in Iraq is what the Iraqi people want, and they want the troops out".
Chris Atkinson
From Green Left Weekly, July 21, 2004.
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