LL:DDV: Election Night at New International Bookshop
6.00 pm, Saturday 10 November, at the bookshop Election Night Party Dance on the grave of the Howard government. Watch the result unfold on our big-screen TV, and listen to the thoughts of our commentary panel (Sean Dooley, V. J. Baxter and Trades Hall's Jacob Grech). And, if the 'prime minuscule' (to quote Rod Quantock) wins again, we'll have a well-stocked bar in which sorrows can be drowned. Free entry. Barbecue and other food. from Jacob Grech -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:INFO: An anarchist anti-election campaign
Anarchist campaigner and publicist, Dr Joe Toscano is launching his anti-election campaign.. ** * *** * *MEDIA CONFERENCE** * *** * * DATE : THURSDAY 1ST NOVEMBER, 10.30AM VENUE : Forecourt Australian Electoral Commission, 2 Lonsdale St, Melbourne TOPIC : Direct Democratic Activists Will Be Converging Outside Polling Booths Across The Country On Saturday The 10th Of November Victorian Senate Candidates Dr. Joseph Toscano and Mr. Stephen Reghenzani and a number of their supporters will be holding a media conference on the 1st of November to launch their I DIDN'T VOTE - ASK ME WHY? I VOTED INFORMAL - ASK ME WHY? Election day campaign. Democracy should be much more than casting a ballot every three years. The people involved in a decision should be able to make that decision - DIRECT DEMOCRACY. On election day we encourage all those Australians who will not be voting or will be voting informal, because they have no faith in the parliamentary system to stand at least six meters from the entrance of polling booths, holding up signs or wearing badges that state:- I DIDN'T VOTE - ASK ME WHY? I VOTED INFORMAL - ASK ME WHY? On the 10th of November, political and social activists who are no longer willing to support the myth that power lies in parliament and who believe that parliamentary democracy is nothing more than two minutes of illusory power will be taking the message that people involved in a decision should make that decision - DIRECT DEMOCRACY directly to the Australian people. Written and authorised by Joseph Toscano. Victorian Senate Candidate. 205 Nicholson Street, Footscray. Parliamentary democracy - two minutes of illusory power - why vote? I am 49, I have NEVER voted at a Local, State or Federal election and am not on the Electoral Roll, but I am standing as a SENATE candidate for Victoria at the Federal elections on the 10th of November, 2001. Although I am standing as a Senate candidate, I DON'T WANT your vote and WILL NOT be VOTING at the election. I am standing because I'm very concerned about the shortcomings of the parliamentary system and want electors to think about why they bother to participate in the parliamentary farce. Parliamentary democracy is nothing more than two minutes of illusory power. Every three years Australians are forced by legislation (Section 245 Ð Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 Ð 'It shall be the duty of every elector to vote at each election') to give BLANK CHEQUES to PARLIAMENTARIANS to make decisions for them for the next three years. Irrespective of what they are promised a politician can legally change their mind while they are in parliament and an elector can do nothing about it till the next election. Even this scenario is an illusion because REAL power does not lie in parliament, it lies in the boardrooms of national and trans-national corporations. What parliament can or cannot do, is not only prescribed by the Australian Constitution, its power is limited by the needs of an economic system, it does not control. I am no longer willing to tolerate this SHAM and encourage Australians to seriously think about why they are participating in and supporting a system of government that makes a laughing stock of democracy. The more people who don't participate in this election, the greater the pressure that will be placed on the government for reforms that puts democracy back into the political and social equation in this country. I want to live in a society which is based on DIRECT DEMOCRACTIC principles where the people involved in a decision make that decision. In a society based on direct democratic principles, people appoint or elect recallable delegates to coordinate decisions for them, they don't elect representatives to make decisions for them. I want to live in a society where wealth is held in common, as everybody who runs a household knows, if you don't control the financial strings, it doesn't matter what decisions you make, you can never bring these decisions to fruition if you don't control your economic destiny. On the 10th of November, I have decided NOT to exercise my constitutional right to vote. I encourage Australian electors to consider my stand when they go to cast their ballot in the election. If parliamentary democracy is as we're told the pinnacle of human achievement, why does the Australian State force people to vote, you'd think that people would flock to the polls every time an election was called. I have teamed up with another Senate candidate for Victoria, Mr. Stephen Reghenzani, for this election. Mr. Reghenzani is on the electoral roll, but will be voting informal at the election on the 10 th of November. He encourages those people who are dissatisfied with the parliamentary system to vote informal at this election, to show their dissatisfaction with parliamentary rule. Just in case you think what you have read are the rantings of a telephone box minority, think again. 14% of electors didn't vote (9%) or voted informal
LL:INFO: Voting Socialist Alliance in the Senate
Dear comrade, The Socialist Alliance is standing tickets in the Senate all over the country, in every state and territory except the ACT. But because our party registration had not been completed by the time the election was called, our party name is not on the ballot paper. So, in Victoria, if you want to vote NO to war, NO to racism, YES to people before profit and therefore for the Socialist Alliance: Vote Group Q (the ticket on the right of the ballot paper headed by Alison Thorne). To check out our policies, visit www.socialist-alliance.org * In the interests of an informed electorate, please forward this even if you are voting for another ticket. * -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: Northside AntiWar Coalition
Fellow Activists, Following a fantastic launch of the Northside Antiwar Coalition last Wednesday night with many new faces, activists hit the Northside with leafletting and postering runs over the weekend. Over 600 leaflets for the upcoming November Peace Rally were handed out by 6 people in Chatswood mall alone. This was also in just over 1 hour with many people also signing a petition against retaliation and some left their name to get involved in the campaign. Attendants at the launch also committed to leafletting in Brookvale,Crows Nest, Chullora, Hornsby and Lane Cove during the week. This is a fantastic start and shows that there is real opposition against the war. We are once again meeting this Wednesday to see where else we can leaflet for a final drive before the Sunday Sydney-wide rally as well as co-ordinate anti war activities going forward on the Northside. Meeting details are:- 7.30 Wednesday 31 October, at the Dougherty Centre, 7 Victor St, Chatswood. If you are appalled by the shocking images shown daily of innocent civilians being killed by US bombs then please get along to our meeting and help build the opposition. This war can and must be stopped. If you are unable to attend but are able to help leaflet or poster your local area then let us know and we can arrange to drop off some materials. For more info contact Anne 0404 090 710 or David 0408 425 225 Kind Regards David http://nowarsydney.tripod.com/ -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: RALLY FOR PEACE SUNDAY NOV 4 12 NOON
WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER Bombing and invading one of the poorest countries on earth, a country which since the late 70s has known nothing but war, will do nothing to eliminate terrorism. It is more likely to ensure that the appalling events of september 11 happen again. There is a real danger that the world could descend into a spiral of increasing violence. On Sunday 4 November at 12 noon, at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park North, a rally for peace will take place. Come and show your support for a peaceful world. Network Opposing War and Racism (NO-WAR) meets wednesday nights, 7pm, level 4 in the University of Technology, Broadway, Sydney. Contact: Friends of the Earth 9267-6222 Australian Anti-Bases Committee, 9212-0800 Tom 0408-619-152 Keara 0408-443-013 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: 2nd Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference
GLOBAL REVOLTGLOBAL LINKS 2nd Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference March 29-April 1, 2002, Sydney, Australia DISCOUNTS FOR REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED IN 2001: AUD$100 for waged, AUD$50 for unwaged/part-waged, and AUD$30 for high school students Please register on-line at: www.global-revolt.org For all those concerned about the destructive impact of neoliberal globalisation; for all those active in the anti-corporate/anti-capitalist movements; for all those campaigning against Bush and Blair's war on the Afghan people; for all those who want to see a stronger, united, internationalist leftthe 2nd Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference is not to be missed. Join a diverse range of activists from all around the world in discussions of how we can advance global solidarity, coordinate the struggle against the war, and build stronger links for the cause of fundamental social change on a global scale. Official participants so far: * Dita Sari, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Indonesia and Chairperson of the Indonesian National Front for Workers' Struggle (FNPBI), * Farooq Tariq, General Secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan, * Sonny Melencio, Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Labor of the Philippines, * Wilson Fortaleza, President of Sanlakas, Philippines * Victor Briz, President of BMP, Philippines * Powes Parkop, a leader of Melanesian Solidarity, Papua New Guinea * Maung Maung Than, Free Burma Action Committee * Dr Nasir Hashim, Chairperson of the Malaysian Socialist Party * Satya Sivaraman, radical Indian TV documentary producer, * The Seraiki National Party president Abdul Majeed Kanjoo, from Pakistan, * Alain Krivine, a leader of the French Revolutionary Communist League and a member of the European parliament, * Alex Callinicos, British Marxist intellectual, from the Socialist Workers Party of Britain, * Boris Kagarlitsky, Russian Marxist writer and political commentator, * Ram Seegobin, leader of Lalit, the principal revolutionary socialist organisation in Mauritius, * Dale McKinley, South African Marxist and activist, * Malik Miah, Barry Sheppard and Caroline Lund from Solidarity in the US, * Ahmed Shawki and Paul D'Amato, leaders of the US International Socialist Organisation, * Luis Balbao, from Unión de Militantes por el Socialismo in Argentina. * The Portuguese Left Bloc * The Communist Party of India (Liberation), * The Power of the Working Class in South Korea, * The Socialist Party of Timor, * The Communist Party of Nepal (UML), * The Labour Left Collective from South Africa, and * The Turkish Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP). * The Cuban Communist Party is unconfirmed but has indicated keen interest, as has * The Scottish Socialist Party. * There's also been interest from left parties and anti-corporate activists from many other countries, including Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, New Zealand, Cyprus, Denmark, Canada, Norway, Germany, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Israel, Palestine, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan and Nicaragua. * Australian participants include the Democratic Socialist Party, Resistance, Green Left Weekly, ASIET and the International Socialist Organisation, as well as a wide array of activists from the anti-war, global justice, women's, trade union, refugee rights and other movements. A Call to Participate A new spirit of resistance, renewal and cooperation is alive among the left around the world. Even in the face of the September 11 tragedya cruel act that has nothing to do with the struggle for a better worldthe international left has been galvanising against Bush and Blair's hypocritical exploitation of the tragedy for their own terror on the Afghan people. Even before the bombs began raining down, thousands mobilised across the world to voice their opposition. These multiplied once the war began. The anti-capitalist left has been at the forefront of many of these mobilisations. This follows a decade of rethinking and reorganisation by the left in many countries, which has been greatly invigourated by the global movement against neoliberal globalisation since Seattle 1999, culminating in the upheaval in Genoa this July. Certainly the capitalist neoliberal offensive of the last 25 years has inflicted heavy defeats on the working class internationally; certainly the social and political universe has changed a lot during the course of the 20th century; and certainly many who used to be on the left have given up the struggle. But after the wave of confusion and despair following the
