En Passant

Today our good mate Thomas Wales came to the Refugee Art Project studio in Parramatta. Thomas is a traditional landowner and spokesperson for the Thanakwith people in the Weipa area of far north Queensland. ‪#‎LetThemStay

Joe Sabatini explains the neoliberal mindset behind the UN climate talks in Paris last year–officially called the 21st Congress of the Parties for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP 21–and what the resulting agreement really means for saving the planet, in an article originally written for the January 2016 issue of the revolutionary socialism in the 21st century magazine and published at the rs21 website and republished in Socialist Worker US.

The globe continues to warm. The recent Paris conference agreement was a sham. We are heading towards 3 – 4 degrees C warming. Why can’t world leaders end their fossil fuel addiction? If you are in Canberra come to this meeting to discuss why we have to change the system, before the system destroys the planet. It is on at 1 pm on Wednesday 17 February in room G 039 in Copland Building at the Australian National University.

If Labor were serious about addressing the high price of housing and the impact this is having on both first home buyers and renters it would begin a program of state housing that addressed the needs of working class Australians. Such a program could be funded by taxing the rich capitalist class who benefit from having a well housed, rested working class. Labor won’t do that since it is wedded to the market and market ‘solutions’. That marriage explains its mickey mouse negative gearing proposals.

I remember when US Supreme Court Justice Scalia spoke at the Australian National University Law School (early 1990s? ) to law school staff (of which I was one) about originalism. This is the idea that the constitution should be interpreted in the context of the time it was introduced. I asked him if the fact that all […]

  National Treasure David Gulpilil in Darwin yesterday sending his support. #LetThemStay ❤❤❤

Given the intransigence of this Australian government on baby Asha and all asylum seekers, Turnbull and Dutton will only be moved by mass action in the streets and industrial action to protect her. That mass action, like all mass movements for justice, must include a debate at least about civil disobedience. Shut down Melbourne to shut down Manus. It must include discussion of workers banning any action that might involve deporting Asha, recognising such action would be ‘illegal’ under current bipartisan industrial laws. The call by the Queensland Council of Unions for people to join the vigil and circulating a roster is especially important in this context. Unions are beginning to get involved. Now our task must be to try and harness the power workers have, to save Asha.

The Refugee Action Committee in Queensland has called a solidarity protest in support of the brave staff at Lady Cilento Hospital for 12 pm on Saturday. If you are in Brisbane get along to this most important protest to let the 267 men, women, children and babies under threat of deportation to Australia’s concentration camps on Manus Island and Nauru stay and to begin the campaign to close down Manus and Nauru. Let’s spread the protests and build a people’s movement for the refugees. Make sanctuary a reality.

Charlie Kimber in Socialist Worker UK looks at the rise of self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders and argues that ‘the old politics is under extreme strain, and millions of people are looking for an alternative.’ However Sanders is not that alternative because ‘he is prepared to stay within the limits of the thoroughly capitalist Democratic Party.’

Charlie Kimber in Socialist Worker UK looks at the rise of self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders and argues that ‘the old politics is under extreme strain, and millions of people are looking for an alternative.’ However his support for Clinton in the end means ‘he is prepared to stay within the limits of the thoroughly capitalist Democratic Party.’