BY CHRIS SLEE & GRAHAM MATTHEWS
MELBOURNE — On June 30 Socialist Alliance activists took their campaign in the federal electorate of Aston to the streets to protest the first anniversary of the GST. The Aston by-election, to be held on July 14, will be the first election contested by the Socialist Alliance.
The 60-strong Socialist Alliance rally assembled outside the Liberal Party's Aston campaign headquarters to hear speakers, including Victorian Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state secretary Craig Johnston. The AMWU's Victorian State Council has passed a motion in support of the Socialist Alliance. Johnston condemned the social impact of the GST, particularly on low-paid workers and welfare beneficiaries. The rally was also addressed by Socialist Alliance candidate Josephine Cox.
The rally was confronted by a small group of young Liberals, who heckled the crowd until silenced by figures illustrating the massive cuts in company tax, and income tax on the highest incomes, carried out by Liberal and Labor over the last 18 years.
At the conclusion of the rally the crowd was entertained by the Anti-Capitalist Theatre group, who performed a parody of John Howard and Peter Costello.
Earlier in the week, on June 27, a Socialist Alliance meeting at the Rowville Community Centre attracted 20 people, three of whom joined the Socialist Alliance after the discussion.