It was a predictable move. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's popularity was sliding in the lead-up to a federal election. Rudd and his ministers needed an issue on which they could appear to be the “good guys” without denting the interest of the country’s filthy rich elite. Health reform, of course, that's the ticket!

The beauty about health reform is that it sounds good to lots of people and, most importantly, it makes unpopular (mainly Labor) state governments Rudd's target.

]]> http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=913 [If your organisation would like to add their names to the statement, please email international@prp-indonesia.org.]

March 8, 2010 - We, the undersigned progressive, anti-war, anti-neoliberalism and anti-imperialist organisations in the Asia-Pacific region, call for a wave protests to meet US President Barack Obama's planned visits to Guam, Indonesia and Australia in March 2010.

While President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, in fact his administration is escalating US-led military aggression all around the world and continuing the Bush administration's so-called “war on terrorism” -- which is in reality a return to colonial military occupations in the Third World justified by lies and a campaign of fear and racism. The war-like policies of the US serve to protect and advance its economic exploitation and domination all around the world.

Australia's second Climate Action Summit will be held in Canberra this weekend, March 13-15. Since the groundbreaking first conference in 2009, an ongoing national network of over 100 grassroots organisations has been set up, further strengthening the movement.

Check out the links below for information about the summit, and ongoing discussions in the climate movement.

Pip Hinman
6 March 2010

United States President Barack Obama’s planned stopover in Australia on March 23 is scheduled to take place around the time of the seventh anniversary of the illegal invasion of Iraq on March 20.

The visit aims to underscore the close relationship between the world’s biggest military superpower and its Australian deputy in the Asia Pacific. It provides an important opportunity to protest the US’ (and Australia’s) war policies.

Continue reading for details of rallies in your city.

It is with a great deal of sadness that we in the Socialist Alliance mourn Alistair Hulett’s recent death from cancer in his beloved Glasgow. It was much too soon for this comrade to die - he had so much ahead of him. Some of us remember Alistair performing in the 1980s at the “Sando”, Newtown’s famous Sandringham Hotel in King Street before it was gentrified. He became famous for the ...]]> http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=905 Solidarity Statement for The Struggle of Burma's Working Class

Signed by: Working Peoples Association (Indonesia), Singapore Democratic Party, Socialist Party of Malaysia, Socialist Alternative (Australia), Confederation Congress of Indonesia Union Alliance, Socialist Workers (New Zealand), Socialist Alliance (Australia), Young Democrats (Singapore), Partido ng Manggangawa (Philippine), Congress of South African Trade Unions, Partido Lakas ng Masa (Philippine)

Workers ...]]> http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=904

February 12, 2010

The Socialist Alliance supports the struggle of the Iranian people against the Ahmadinejad regime. The regime is attempting to silence the movement for democratic dissent through imprisonment, murder and control of the mass media.

The Socialist Alliance is helping to organise protests when United States President Barack Obama visits Australia in late March.

"The President took the Nobel peace prize, but he hasn't delivered", national anti-war spokesperson for the Socialist Alliance Pip Hinman said today.

February 4, 2010

"Tony Abbott’s 'climate policy', like Labor's, means the good news for corporate polluters just keeps getting better", Socialist Alliance National Environment Coordinator Simon Butler said today.

"It replaces the completely feeble carbon price stick of Labor's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) with an even worse bribe-the-polluters carrot.

Related Links

Saying sorry means you won't do it again

National Day of Action, February 13: Tell Rudd to stop the NT intervention!

In his February 13, 2007 Apology to the Stolen Generations, Kevin Rudd committed his government to, "a future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again".

But the Rudd government's policies in the Northern Territory are a continuation, not a break with, the Howard government's racist Intervention.

This $1.5 billion disaster has seen Canberra take control of Aboriginal lives and land, but without building a single house. Communities that refuse to sign 40-year leases over their land will never receive housing.

Income quarantining is leading to greater poverty and community breakdown. Reports of domestic violence are up 61%, substance abuse up 77% and 13% more infants have been hospitalised for malnutrition.

The Socialist Alliance supports the February 13 National Day of Action against the NT Intervention, and calls on the Rudd government to scrap it immediately.

Stop the NT Intervention!
End the income quarantine - stop the national expansion!
Land rights, not leases!
Self-determination, not assimilation!
Aboriginal controlled housing, jobs and services for all communities!

Click here for details of the February 13 NDA in your area

This week and next, Socialist Alliance members are traveling to the Alyawarr people's protest camp outside Ampilatwaja community in the Northern Territory. Along with other unionists, we will be taking part in an exciting project, building a house in the camp.

The Alyawarr people walked out of their neglected, under-resourced community - which had been compulsorily acquired by the federal government as part of the NT intervention - in July last year. They say they have no intention of going back until their demand to end the intervention and start proper consultation in met.