Socialists run for Maribyrnong Council

The Socialist Alliance will run candidates in two wards for the November 26 Maribyrnong City Council elections — George Papanastasiou for Sheoak ward and Ben Courtice in Bluestone ward.

The Socialist Alliance has two branches in Melbourne's western suburbs, and they will both be working on the Maribyrnong council elections. Their members intend to bring the Socialist Alliance's street-campaigning activist approach to the election campaign, using it to raise issues such as the victimisation of Muslims in the name of the “war on terror”.

Socialist Alliance members have played prominent roles in the campaign to defend western suburbs resident Jack Thomas against terrorism charges.

While the ALP-led Maribyrnong council has made statements opposing the Maribyrnong immigration detention centre, the socialists hope to build public momentum for its closure through their election campaign.

Last February, the council organised a public forum on the immigration department’s plan to spend $7 million to expand the detention centre. The meeting adopted a resolution from the Socialist Alliance calling on the council to oppose the centre’s extension and supporting its closure.

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