BY JIM MCILROY
BRISBANE — "The movement to challenge corporate power is a growing and unstoppable force for fundamental change", said Adam Baker, one of the two Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) candidates standing in the Queensland elections on February 17. Baker is standing in the seat of South Brisbane and Coral Wynter will represent the party in Brisbane Central.
A participant in the S11 protests against the World Economic Forum in Melbourne on September 11-13, Baker is optimistic about the anti-corporate movement. "The S11 protests inspired thousands", he said. "There were people at S11 from the far north of Queensland who were inspired to travel to Melbourne to join the protests."
Along with other DSP members, Baker is involved in a coalition to organise the next major anti-corporate action — a workers' and student strike and a blockade of the stock exchange in Brisbane on May 1. This will coincide with similar actions interstate.
Wynter, who is involved in organising the International Women's Day march and rally in Brisbane this year, called on anti-corporate activists "to see the IWD march and rally as an important anti-globalisation event in the lead-up to May 1".
"Women's rights", she said, "are under attack from a reactionary backlash around the world so we have adopted the theme 'Women fighting for global justice' for the rally.
"With the Queensland ALP government having refused to repeal the laws criminalising abortion, the IWD rally will also raise the issue of reproductive freedom for all women."
Wynter explained that the DSP has a long history of activity in support of women's liberation. "Just last year DSP members were involved with other activists in organising actions against the GST on tampons, a demonstration against the anti-abortion forces, and several rallies and an occupation over the issue of single women and lesbians being denied access to IVF treatment. And we have been involved for many years in campaigns to decriminalise abortion."
"There is not much difference between the major parties so there's only one conclusion we can draw", said Baker. "We have to take action into our own hands in order to win progressive change."
Over the last 12 months, DSP activists have been involved in many campaigns in Brisbane, including protests against the privatisation of Telstra and against mandatory sentencing.
On the university campuses, DSP members have been involved in the campaign against the slashing of the Arts Faculty at the University of Queensland, and the campaign to improve campus conditions on Griffith University, where Baker was the Student Union education officer last year.
Wynter explained why it was important to vote for the DSP candidates. "A socialist parliamentarian could play a vital role by using the platform of parliament to give voice to extra-parliamentary struggles."
"After all, that is what Pauline Hanson did when she was in parliament", she added. "Hanson used her public profile as a parliamentarian to launch a series of campaigning meetings around the country to build the One Nation party and build a constituency based on racism and scape-goating."
According to Wynter: "It's important that we don't leave the terrain of electoral opposition to the right-wing, racist populists such as Hanson. We urge those who want to build such a progressive movement to join us in the Democratic Socialists, to help us in our election campaign, but in the longer term join us in the growing socialist movement."