Media Release Friday, February 07, 2003
The Socialist Alliance endorsed three candidates to run in the local council election on Saturday March 15. Candidates for the Maribyrnong City Council will be Justine Kamprad in Saltwater Ward and Lincoln Hancock in Sheoak Ward. Maurice Sibelle will contest the McKay ward in the Brimbank City Council election.
Alliance members voted to take their campaign against the war into the council elections. "We need money for child care centres not war," explained Sibelle who is a father of two pre-school children. "The Howard government has cut hundreds of millions from child care support while increasing the defence budget by billions," he claimed. "Local councils who have responsibility for providing child care need to take a stand on this the most pressing issue of the day. The war on Iraq is unjustified, even if the UN endorses it."
Kamprad explained that the Alliance was also concerned that the council was not taking a strong enough position in opposition to the federal government's mandatory detention policy. "We have a detention centre in Maribyrnong and we want it closed. The council should use its resources to build a campaign to turn the detention centre into a hostel for refugees," she explained. Hancock continued, "While we think that the war and refugees are most pressing issues of the day that does not mean we are not serious about local issues. We want pools in our local community that benefit residents not Sussan Corporation. We want our waterways protected from overdevelopment. We want better health services in the region and more affordable public housing."
"For too long Labor party members, who put the needs of their party and
big business ahead of residents, have dominated the councils in the west.
Today we are starting the process of building a genuine alternative to
Labor. If people don't like the Labor politician and don't want to vote
for the conservative they can support the Socialist Alliance," concluded
Sibelle. For more information or comments:
Socialist Alliance Office 9687 0789
Justine Kamprad 9687 7609 or 0422 720 216
Lincoln Hancock 9314 3890 or 0409 135 800
Maurice Sibelle call 9312 4740 or 0425 755 680.