Socialists to stand for Brisbane council
By Jim McIlroy
BRISBANE — The Democratic Socialists have announced they will be running two candidates in the Brisbane City Council election. They are Graham Matthews for the Dutton Park ward, which covers the inner suburbs immediately south of the Brisbane River, and Coral Wynter for the city-based ward of Central.
Matthews is the Brisbane organiser for the Democratic Socialists and a long-time activist in the East Timor solidarity, anti-racist and other social justice movements. Wynter is a biochemist and has been involved in community, international solidarity and women's issues for many years.
"Our main theme is 'For a workers' alternative to Labor'", Matthews told Green Left Weekly on February 12. "The ALP administration under Mayor Jim Soorley is apparently well-entrenched in city hall, with the Liberals basically running a maverick right-wing populist candidate, Gail Austen, against him.
"Meanwhile, issues of public transport, the urban environment, homelessness and poverty, racist discrimination against Aborigines, and genuine democratic control of council are not being confronted", he said.
"The Democratic Socialists oppose the pro-developer, pro-big business policies of both the Labor and Liberal parties, and call for policies to put working people and the general community's interests before profits.
"We plan an activist campaign which will involve people in standing up for their rights", Matthews said. Polling day is March 25.
"The Democratic Socialists will be uniting with other progressive candidates to promote issues in the interests of working people, while strongly defending socialist policies to resolve the social crisis facing our community", Matthews concluded.
Among other progressive candidates so far announced are West End anarchist Brian Laver, running for mayor, community independent John Tracey, standing in the seat of Dutton Park, and a group of Community Alliance candidates contesting several council wards.