SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WHAT IS SOCIALIST ALLIANCE?

PEOPLE
& PLANET
FOR THE SENATE The Socialist Alliance is an anti-capitalist, activist party. We
Margarita Windisch stand candidates in elections at every level of government,
“I have lived in Melbourne’s west for the last 10 but unlike other parties we don’t see parliament as the main
years. I am a social worker and currently teach vehicle for social change. Election campaigns for us are part
community welfare in Footscray. of our year-round work campaigning in workplaces and

BEFORE PROFITS
“My political activism began in 1990 when the communities.
ALP government sent troops to Iraq. It became clear that the We help to build movements capable of bringing about the
Labor and Coalition parties were two sides of the same coin; change we need: change that benefits ordinary people and
political machines prepared to sacrifice the environment and the environment, and that can lead to a democratic, socialist
ordinary people in order to serve the rich and powerful.
Sharon Firebrace
society, run by and for working people.
We’re committed to helping build a political alternative FOR THE SENATE
“I am a Yorta Yorta woman from Echuca. I have
that puts people and planet before profit. Our future depends
on it. Margarita Windisch,
been involved in campaigns for indigenous
rights since the 1970s. Socialist Alliance politicians pledge to Sharon Firebrace and
“I used to be a member of the Labor party. I only take the wage of an average worker
am disgusted that the Rudd Labor government has retained The Socialist Alliance candidates for the coming federal elec- Ron Guy
so many of the Howard government’s policies towards indig- tion are not professional politicians. They are socialist activists
enous people, refugees and unions. I’m campaigning to end who fight for justice, democracy, peace and environmental sus-
the discriminatory Northern Territory intervention.” tainability. If elected they would take only an average worker’s
Ron Guy wage, donating the balance to struggles for a better society.
“At the age of 18, I became a union delegate. I
am currently an Australian Workers Union del-
egate in the petrochemical industry. Get active: get in touch!
“I was involved in the campaign against Campaign Office Resistance Centre,
WorkChoices in 2005-2007. I am disappointed that the La-
5th floor, 407 Swanston St, Melbourne
bor government has retained the draconian Howard-era
Australian Building and Construction Commission which P 9639 8622
treats building industry workers as worse than criminals. E victoria@socialist-alliance.org
“As a unionist, I am concerned about social justice, and am
involved in solidarity with the people of Western Sahara”. www.socialist-alliance.org
In the lower house in Victoria we are standing Ben socialistalliancemelbourne.blogspot.com
Courtice in the seat of Gellibrand, Trent Hawkins in the
seat of Wills and Sue Bull in the seat of Corio.

PREFERENCE POLICY
We urge voters to vote 1 Socialist Alliance, give a second
preference to the Greens and then preference Labor before
the Liberal-National Coalition and other right-wing parties. Authorised by Dave Holmes, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, Melbourne 3000.
Printed by Foremost Print Solutions, 65 Rushdale St, Knoxfield 3180.
www.socialist-alliance.org
FOR THE MILLIONS NOT THE MILLIONAIRES
POLITICS TODAY is marked by growing disillusionment with This makes government claims that they “can’t afford” to from 62.7% to 54%. In today’s dollars,
the politicians who were elected on the slogan of ‘change’ but arrest climate change or provide free universal health care $2.2 trillion dollars has been shifted to
have delivered no real change. ring hollow. profits!
Scientists warn that time is running out to shift away from The 11 Australians who made the Forbes 1000 world’s richest What’s the solution?
the carbon dependency that a profits first system relies on. list for 2010 have a total net wealth of $25.7 billion—more than We have to organise in
Society has the knowledge the tools and the wealth to live in the net wealth of the country’s 800,000 poorest households. workplaces and com-
an ecologically sustainable and socially just and equitable way. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto pay just 13% tax, while most munities and build a
We’ve just witnessed the biggest public bailout of the capi- workers pay 30% or more in effective tax rate. political alternative to
talist system in history! Trillions of public money has been Profit share of total income in Australia has increased from fight for the change
shelled out to bail out banks and bankrupt governments. 16.9% to 27.7% since 1974-75 while wage share has decreased we need.

WHAT SOCIALIST ALLIANCE STANDS FOR

n Climate change Bring the energy sector back into pub- n Housing Cap rent and mortgage repayments at 20% of n Democratic rights Scrap ‘anti-terror’ laws. Adopt a
lic hands. Immediate and large-scale public investment income and introduce rent control laws. Massively boost Bill of Rights. Marriage rights for same-sex couples. Full
to ensure 100% renewable energy by 2020, as is demon- public housing stock and social housing programs. rights for trans and intersex people
strated in the Beyond Zero Emissions Zero Carbon Plan. n Health Boost funding for preventative health care, men- n Women’s rights Introduce genuine pay equity. Remove
Nuclear power is not the answer. tal health and public hospitals. Expand community-based abortion from the criminal code. Strengthen laws against
n Refugees and migrants Honour Australia’s UN refugee healthcare networks. Provide free dental care. End subsi- sexual harassment. Increase childcare places at affordable
convention obligations. End deportations and mandatory dies to private insurers. Expand disability services. or free cost to parents. Introduce 12 months’ parental
detention. Close the detention centres, including the ones n Public transport Public works program to build and leave scheme, to be paid for by a levy on employers.
at Christmas Island, Maribyrnong and Broadmeadows. massively expand public transport and rail freight infra- n Youth rights Increase the youth allowance. End youth
Increase the refugee intake. Let asylum seekers into Aus- structure. Build high-speed intercity rail. Make public wages. Boost funding to youth services. Make tertiary
tralia and process claims here – not in the Pacific, Indo- transport free and frequent. education free. The right to vote. The right to vote at 16.
nesia or East Timor. Stop using new migrants as a money n Poverty and unemployment Lift all welfare payments n Public ownership Stop privatising government services.
making venture. Give migrant workers on temporary vi- above the poverty line. Increase the minimum wage. Take back into public ownership those that have already
sas (TPVs) the full rights of permanent residents. Make goods more affordable by scrapping the GST. Cre- been privatised.
n Indigenous rights Negotiate a Treaty with Indigenous ate jobs through expanding social infrastructure. Increase
people. Repeal the Northern Territory Intervention laws; support for carers. And how would we pay for this?
abolish welfare quarantining. Compensate for stolen wag- n Anti-war Bring troops back from Afghanistan. End mili- We would: return the company tax rate to 49%; cut public
es, property theft and stolen children. tary commitment to Iraq. Isolate apartheid Israel. Pay subsidies to private education and private health; cut subsi-
n Workers’ rights Recognise the right to strike and other reparations to Iraq and Afghanistan to assist with rebuild- dies to the mining industry; slash the defence budget; fund
workers’ rights in law. Abolish the ABCC that treats build- ing. renewable energy by taxing the corporate polluters and
ing workers worse than violent criminals. Abolish billionaires; abolish negative gearing; tackle tax
all other Howard-era anti-union laws. Introduce Details of policy at www.socialist-alliance.org or & 9639 8622 evasion by corporate rich; end privatisation and
industrial manslaughter laws. public-private partnerships.