Issue 1282

News

Ecosocialism 2020

Ecosocialism 2020, an online conference to be hosted by Green Left on October 24-25, will look at capitalist globalisation, the ecological crisis and campaigning for an alternative ecosocialist future.

Zebedee Parkes reports that communities across Australia have turned out in hundreds of locations to demand climate action and oppose the Scott Morrison government's drive for a gas-led economic recovery.

Newcastle unionists and anti-poverty activists protested federal cuts to JobSeeker at a snap action outside Centrelink, reports Steve O'Brien.

Cars and bikes took part in a convoy around Long Bay jail on September 19, calling for an end to Black deaths in custody and justice for David Dungay, reports Rachel Evans.

Members of the Thai community and supporters organised a solidarity action as another huge democracy protest gathered in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, reports Peter Boyle.

A group of federal Community and Public Sector Union delegates, members and activists have launched a campaign calling on the union to fight the federal public service pay freeze, reports Stanley Blair.

A new international campaign to free jailed Kurdish liberation movement leader Abdullah Ocalan was launched on September 23, reports Peter Boyle.

Sydney's Inner West Council has taken a stand against the push to lift the state’s 33-year-old ban on uranium mining, reports Markela Panegyres.

Unions have launched a plan to tackle the “broken” aged care system and protect workers at the front line, reports Jim McIlroy.

Analysis

Green Left speaks to Socialist Alliance member and local councillor Sue Bolton about the political context of the upcoming council elections, her record on council and the importance of putting forward socialist politics at a local council level.

Green Left is publishing this Ecosocialist Manifesto for discussion and further development at a series of Ecosocialism conferences in several cities next month.

Sarah Hathway, socialist candidate for Windermere Ward in the Greater Geelong City Council, is drawing attention to the forgotten suburbs in the Northern region of Geelong, writes Sue Bull.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is floating bringing forward billions of dollars worth of income tax cuts for the rich, arguing it will boost the COVID-19-ravaged economy. Jim McIlroy argues it won't help our economy and nor will the government's push for more gas. 

A showdown is looming in Australia between corporate media giants, with the federal government keen to appear as if it is taking a stand for media diversity. Jacob Andrewartha and Viv Miley explain.

Cairns City councillor Rob Pyne speaks to Green Left about campaigning for democratic socialism in Far North Queensland.

Refugee Amir Mirzaei was brought to Australia from Manus Island under the now-defunct Medevac law and he is still being detained. He asked Green Left to share his letter to the United Nations secretary-general.

Leonard Warwick, known as the “Family Court Bomber”, has finally been found guilty and sentenced to three life sentences. Sue Reilly writes about his misogyny and why he targeted the Family Court of Australia.

A new study by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority notes that water reform has largely failed to deliver for First Nations people, writes Tracey Carpenter.

Any hopes raised by former prime minister Paul Keating's appearance at the royal commission into aged care were dashed by his advocacy of a user-pays system, writes Suzanne James

Former PM Paul Keating's user-pays aged-care 'solutions' will not help, argues Jim McIlroy.

World

Portland’s mayor and the state's governor have not taken action to address the widely-shared grievances against law enforcement, preferring to deliver a movement deathblow aimed at protesters, writes Shamus Cooke.

Make Rojava Green Again joined the call by Fridays For Future to participate in the Global Climate Strike on September 25, issuing the following statement.

Fires destroyed the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos on September 10, leaving thousands of people without shelter. In response, the Global Ecosocialist Network adopted the following resolution.

Protests have erupted across the United States in response to the announcement that none of the police officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death will be charged, writes Malik Miah.

Two Kurdish farmers remain in hospital after suffering horrific injuries when they were tortured and thrown from a helicopter in Turkey’s south-eastern province of Van, writes Steve Sweeney.

Three years after the alleged forced disappearance of Argentinian activist Santiago Maldonado, the Benetton family continues to violate indigenous rights in Patagonia, writes Marcella Via.

Peter Boyle reports that at the conclusion of a 30,000-strong rally in Bangkok, the young organisers of a new democracy movement called for a general strike on the anniversary of the 1973 student uprising that brought down the Thanom Kittikachorn military dictatorship.

Lawyer Veronica Koman has received international support for her work exposing Indonesia's human rights abuses in West Papua, writes Susan Price. Now, an international fundraising campaign may have scuttled the Indonesian government's latest attempt to disrupt her work.

Bougainville's election has determined who will lead negotiations with the Papua New Guinea government over independence, and the future of the Panguna copper and gold mine, writes Susan Price.

The free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur will benefit EU multinationals, but poses serious disadvantages for industries in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, writes Veronica Ocvirk.

Culture

In Peace Crimes, journalist Kieran Finnane provides readers with an engrossing account of the resistance to the United States military facility at Pine Gap, writes Denis Doherty.