Keep Left

Friday 10 - 11 am

In English.

Broadcasting since 1991, and fearuing Left news and views.

Presented by Chris Gaffney, Bill Deller and Sigrid Borke.

Contact chrisgaffney@optusnet.com.au

Spoken Word CDs and journals available.

CRAM Article June 2007: Keep Left

As the name implies, Keep Left is committed to politics from a Marxist/socialist point of view. Going to air in May 1992 as a fortnightly, half hour program Keep Left evolved into a one hour, weekly show of which the most popular segment is the half an hour of talkback.

The current presenters are Chris Gaffney, Sigrid Borke and Bill Deller. Chris is the Secretary of the Victorian Labor College that sponsors Keep Left. All three have many years of political experience, union activism, study and activism from a Marxist and Trotskyist background. Some of the other early contributors involved in the show were Ken Howard, Wayne Wright and Gaylene Seadon.

People from far ranging backgrounds and nationalities ring up making for very lively talkback at times with callers agitated over many issues such as the war in Iraq, the MUA fight and the recent Israeli invasion into Lebanon. Local issues such as the impact on Australian workers of the Howard Government’s policies also generate much discussion and anger.

Bizarre conspiracy theories abounded after the 9/11 events in the USA. One caller felt convinced he was being watched by his neighbour, who he was sure was with ASIO or the CIA, and could we do something about it?

Another listener, in a well reasoned and quite succinct analysis, told us that we were “bloody commie scumbags" and then hung up. There are those who will not stop talking and those who hang up if they disagree with you, and some callers who attribute such powers to us that we're often blamed for all the faults on the 'left' or other events where workers have been betrayed. Mostly however the listeners help keep the program in touch with the real world of the working class.

Sometimes our criticism of Australian Labor Party policies can lead to misunderstandings when we attempt to point out they are as much of a part of capitalism as are the Liberal Party and that Labor Party policies in general will not advance the interests of the working class. While we fervently hope the Howard Government is defeated, we don't like peddling illusions.

On the whole, there is a lot of concern about events in Australia and the world with serious discussion and analysis from callers. We have kind listeners who call us 'scholars' and are full of praise as well as a regular contributor who greets us with “Good morning to the Three Musketeers”. Then there is Val from Footscray whose simple observations on the excesses of the capitalists are usually spot on and to the point, and of course Mimi with her first hand reports from Iraq.

All three presenters are firmly on the side of the working class at home and internationally, and as such we begin from what benefits workers. Bill Deller is a former terror of the Kennett Government who has earned his place in Hansard, while Sigrid has been active in the movement supporting refugees against the mistreatment and demonisation promoted by the Federal Government.

Keep Left has always promoted the college magazine 'Labor Review' which Chris edits. It is now into Volume 44 and contains excellent articles on religion, Australiana and world politics, with contributions from writers like Robert Fisk, John Pilger and other well known political observers. As Chris often lets listeners know, all they have to do is 'ring up for a copy and send two 50 cent stamps and he will post it to you'

With over 100 years of collective political experience behind them the Keep Left presenters aim to passionately promote discussion on international and local issues and explore how economic and climate change impacts on all of us. Without making it all too serious, the presenters welcome discussion on any topic at all whether we agree with it or not.

By Sigrid Borke, on behalf of the Keep Left team.