ARCHIVE | the Socialist Party was the CWI section in Australia until 2019

Australia saw yet another change of prime minister in late August. After a week of high drama, the Liberal Party booted put prime minister Malcolm Turnbull from office and installed Scott Morrison in a ‘party […]

Upwards of 60,000 people hit the streets of Melbourne, on May 9, in the biggest union protest in over a decade. Some estimates put the figure in excess of 100,000. Seeing the streets flooded with […]

Thousands of people gathered around the country this morning to watch the ABS chief statistician announce the results of the Australian marriage law postal survey. There was a huge turnout with 79.5% of eligible participants […]

It was announced today that the New Zealand Labour Party has agreed to go into coalition government with the Greens and the rightwing, populist NZ First party.

2017 marks the 100-year anniversary of what became known as the ‘Great Strike’ in Australia. Sometimes referred to as the ‘New South Wales General Strike’, this huge upheaval actually spread to all the eastern states […]

Shortly before the New Zealand election in September, the New Zealand Labour Party replaced its previous leader with the much more popular Jacinda Ardern. This led to an outpouring of support for Labour, dubbed ‘Jacindamania’. […]

Australians are being asked in a plebescite held by the federal government: ‘Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?’

The Australian Coalition government’s first budget since the 2016 federal election is a clear attempt to reset the political agenda. In 2014 the government attempted to introduce a raft of austerity measures, but many of […]

Liberal government and Labor opposition join forces to pass A$6.3 billion austerity measures

Time for the unions and social movements to push back

To fight anti-working class measures, we must build a socialist alternative

How should the labour and social movements respond?

A lesser evil?

How a community defeated the East-West toll road

Local community direct action secures victory

Federal government preparing the ground for their second budget

Only ‘minority’ to blame for society’s problems is ultra-rich 1%

Stand against racism & Islamophobia!

The days of Australia being cushioned from the crisis are fast coming to a close

Former Australian Labour Party (ALP) prime minister

Socialist Party leads successful campaign against Toll Road and for investment in public transport

Labour claim opposition to project but refuse to rip up contracts

Campaign brings public transport to forefront of political debate

Growing from an initiative of the Socialist Party (CWI in Australia) the #TunnelPicket campaign has gone from strength to strength

An interview with the maker of Utopia, John Pilger

Big business greed vs. community need

For an alternative plan of massive investment in public transport system!

One or other corporate party is no ‘choice’ for working people

Labor’s revival is as a rejection of both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott, not a welcome embrace of Kevin Rudd

Instability ahead regardless of election outcome

Australia’s federal environment minister Tony Burke gave the go ahead to Toro’s $270 million uranium mining project in the Wiluna region of Western Australia.

We shouldn’t let either of the major parties tell us that ‘tough decisions’ or ‘hard cuts’ are required.

Those who created the crisis should be forced to pay.

Socialist Party statement on the Australian political situation

An important community campaign is growing on Melbourne’s inner-city public housing estates.

Socialists increase vote and retain Stephen Jolly’s seat

Australia’s Labor Government worked hand in hand with the Liberal/National opposition to pass legislation to restart the offshore processing of refugees.

On July 1 the highly controversial carbon tax was introduced in Australia amidst overwhelming public disapproval.

Full union support needed to win dispute

Socialist Party members are involved in establishing a new campaign to fight against the increasing cost of living.

More ‘healthy’, ‘positive’ and ‘real’ representations of women in the fashion world and beauty advertising?

In the Australian Labor Party (ALP) leadership crisis Prime Minister Julia Gillard was able to fend off a challenge from Kevin Rudd, her former minister for Foreign Affairs and predecessor as Prime Minister. The underlying […]

Workers sceptical of Labour while new Mana party represents seed of an alternative

Workers set marvellous example despite union leaders weaknesses

Almost a third of Australian workers are employed in casual jobs. If you include labour hire and short-term contract work, insecure jobs make up 40% of the workforce.

Interview with Siritunga Jayasuriya, Sri Lankan socialist leader

Violence and intimidation from management and police

Most vicious attack on unions in 13 years

Review of “Too much luck” by Paul Cleary

Siritunga Jayasuriya, secretary of the United Socialist Party (CWI) Sri Lanka, has made a stinging public attack on the regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa while in Australia at the same time as the president.

Brutal assault as protesters hold their ground and block city streets

Attacks first tested on Aboriginal population now implemented on all

Premier of New South Wales (NSW) want to "take on" public sector

The weekend of May 6/7/8 saw members of the Socialist Party from all around Australia gather at Trades Hall in Melbourne for the annual National Conference.

Prime Minister Gillard: “Tough choices” making working people pay for the clean up

New book on China’s environmental crisis

Big increased vote for Socialist Party candidate, Stephen Jolly

Victorians go to the polls on November 27. The Socialist Party is standing long time community campaigner and local Councillor Stephen Jolly in the seat of Richmond.

2010 Socialist Party National Conference resolution

The horrific living conditions faced by many Indigenous people are a blight on Australian capitalism.

It’s been 18 months since Victoria was rocked by the Black Saturday bushfires which left over 150 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed. But despite government commitments to improve firefighting facilities, serious questions remain […]

Construction unions have taken a step back from the action fearing fines – dispute was initiated by the workers themselves.

The Socialist Party (CWI Australia) has preselected Stephen Jolly to stand for the seat of Richmond in the Victorian State elections on November 27.

The recent disaffiliation from the ALP of the Victorian branch of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) is the most significant example so far of the tensions between the modern Labor Party and the more dynamic […]

The Australian Federal election held on August 21 delivered a hung parliament – the first in 70 years. Neither the Labor Party led by Julia Gillard nor the Coalition led by Tony Abbott won the […]

Workers need a party of their own!

Workers from the Kennon Auto factory in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Preston went on strike in early July. After being denied a pay rise for more than 3 years these low paid workers decided to […]

Kevin Rudd was dramatically ousted as Prime Minister this week. After a period of sinking popularity and public discontent, Rudd became the first Labor prime minister ousted before completing a first term.

Anthony Main is the Secretary of UNITE, the fighting union for fast food and retail workers, based in Australia

A socialist analysis

SBY government’s honeymoon spoiled

Socialist MEP condemns Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

No return to ‘good times’ will see workers ready to take action

Australia & New Zealand push neo-colonial agenda

One million unemployed forecast & anti-union legislation intact – Socialist solutions urgently needed!

Previous right wing administration’s anti-union ‘Work Choices’ repackaged

Will government plans to avert recession work?

A disaster worsened by capitalism

Voters’ wish for change represented only by the Socialist Party

Socialism is alive and well in Yarra.

Massive vote for socialist campaigner Steve Jolly beats Labour and Greens!

The real state of the Australian economy

New right wing coalition faces economic recession

Steve Jolly fights to retain Yarra Council (Melbourne) seat

$33 billion cuts announced

Opposition to the state Labor government’s plans to privatise the electricity industry.

Socialist activist from Pakistan addresses ‘Socialism 2008’

Real compensation needed!

Socialist Party wins support contesting Melbourne seat

Socialist Party to contest Melbourne seat

Thousands rally despite crack down on civil liberties

September 7-9 will see George Bush and many other world leaders attend the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum (APEC) in Sydney

Australian Labor Party gives Howard full support

Youth and socialists against pro-big business APEC summit

Draconian legislation and severe welfare cuts planned

37,000 workers face threat to jobs, wages and conditions

A successful showcase for fighting, socialist ideas

In the 1920s women workers were only paid about half of what male workers earned.

No support for war amongst Sri Lankan community

Greens fail to make promised breakthrough

Largest SP poll from public housing voters

Workers win pay parity across threes sites

Labor no alternative to rightwing Coalition – New workers’ party needed!

Over 500 Auckland workers fight for union rights

Unions need to step up strike action

Six years after their first military intervention, a second Australia-led military and police force has re-occupied East Timor.

The launch in Melbourne at the week-end of ’Unite’ – a new union for fast food and retail workers – has received huge publicity in Australia.

Australian government despatches troops to ’secure’ Dili airport

First serious setback for government’s new anti-union laws

Unions leaders finally call national protest action

In Australia, over the last year the Socialist Party (CWI Australia) has concentrated its political activity for working women in Victoria on fighting against the Industrial Relations legislation which will impact on the living standards […]

Lively discussions on union rights, new workers’ party, Malaysia, Aboriginal rights…

"Stand against racism, unite people to fight the conditions that breed racism"

Australia’s largest city of Sydney has seen days of racist violence on its streets and beaches.

Time to step up action against anti-worker laws – For a one day general strike!

Huge rallies protest against anti-union Industrial Relations laws

Melbourne lobby highlights role of US and Australian imperialism

Socialist Party Councillor leads opposition to government’s industrial relations

For workers’ unity across ethnic and religious divides

Results shows workers oppose 20 years of neo-liberalism

The ‘liberal-democratic’ political system of the Philippines is in freefall.

Medium-sized rallies are being organised on an almost daily basis in the Philippines with the aim of driving the pro-US President Arroyo from power.

Workers need a political voice

Workers show anger at Industrial Relations legislation

Possibly over 100,000 workers marched through Melbourne on 30 June, against the imminent attacks of the Federal Government of John Howard under the new Industrial Relations legislation.

The last day of school in Melbourne, Friday 24 June, before the mid-year break, saw a 500-strong student strike and demonstration against the John Howard government in Melbourne.

‘Councillor’s Diary’ website launched

Determined mass opposition needed to save health service

Unions must strike against John Howard anti-workers’ policies

Campaigning work of a Socialist Party councillor in Melbourne

Unions call for strikes against government’s industrial relations ‘reforms’

Massive response from ordinary people in Australia to the disaster puts corporate Australia and Government to shame.

The Socialist Party is proud to announce that Stephen Jolly won a seat in Langridge Ward in the Yarra City Council elections on Saturday.

Howard didn’t win it…Latham lost it!

Workers need a socialist alternative

Joe spoke directly to almost 2,000 workers and shop stewards during his brief tour, plus four Socialist Party public meetings in three States, did media, met with union executives, and had an official welcome by […]

Joe Higgins, Socialist Party TD (member of Irish Parliament), is currently visiting Australia at the invitation of the Socialist Party (CWI in Australia).

Political vacuum on the left will not remain unfilled

As early as August, Australian troops will be deployed to Papua New Guinea (PNG). It represents the latest advance by Australia as an infant imperialist power. As foreign minister Alexander Downer said, “It is one […]

Fifteen years after the massacre we remember what the workers and students were fighting for.

In 1999 John Howard sent Australian troops to East Timor, allegedly to protect the masses from the murderous Indonesian-backed militia. This invasion was also supported by the Labor Opposition, the ACTU, the mass media and […]

The Socialist Party-initiated Unite campaign and workers at the massive US multi-billion dollar Borders Books company have won a massive victory!

Builders Labourers fight deregistration, 1981-94, by Liz Ross.

A socialist analysis of the gangland wars and police corruption in Victoria

As over 120 Millon Indonesians went to the polls on April 5th they were faced with a stark choice. Of the two major parties on offer was incumbent Democratic Party of Indonesia led by President […]

New South Wales Labor government starves public sector of funds

After 8 long years the wait is almost over.

Unions urged to take up concerns of casual workers.

Reports from around the world part 1

Arrests are continuing after tensions between police and Aboriginal youth in Sydney’s inner city suburb of Redfern broke out into open clashes on the night of 15 February following the death of a young Aboriginal […]

Goodbye Lenin is a political love story set in East Germany (GDR) around the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

It took me a long time to prepare this – The Politics of Hip Hop- because it’s such a massive subject. I mean, where do you start? Everyone that I spoke to about it had […]

On June 26, the Australian federal parliament passed the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Bill 2002 (ASIO Bill). This bill, introduced by the right wing Liberal government of John Howard, marks the end […]

Introduction

Less then 6 months after Australian Government joined the US in the War on Iraq, Prime Minister John Howard is about to launch his own ’Coalition of the Willing’ in what can only be described […]

Aceh

Last Friday night, 28 March, the Socialist Party (SP – CWI in Australia) led a demonstration of over 500 outside a Liberal Party function where the Prime Minister, John Howard, was guest speaker.

Three thousand mainly school students, after leaving school to strike against the war, marched through Melbourne on Wednesday 26 March against the war on Iraq. The numbers were slightly down on the last school student […]

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Sydney, Sunday 23 March, in yet another huge anti-war rally.

As the bombs started falling on Baghdad on March 20, over 50,000 people gathered spontaneously in Melbourne, Australia, for the first of many rallies to come.

Yesterday’s anti-war rally in Melbourne was the biggest demonstration in the history of Australia. Over 200,000 people rallied outside the State Library at 5pm to hear speakers and then they had to wait over an […]

Members and supporters of the Socialist Party (Australian section of the CWI) joined with the Victorian Peace Network to hold a protest outside the outside the Army Recruiting Office in Bourke St, Melbourne on 17 […]

Eighth CWI World Congress

Within 48 hours of Labour being re-elected in a landslide, Victorian unions (many of whom played a key role in mobilising to get Labour in power) were being rebuffed by Labour leader Steve Bracks in […]

The Australian section of the CWI, Militant Socialist Organisation (MSO), won 12.25% of the vote in the Richmond Constituency (Melbourne), as part of the Victoria State-wide elections. Today’s results show that 28,263 people voted in […]