Socialist Alliance Policy Dossier to September 2009

8/14/2019 Socialist Alliance Policy Dossier to September 2009

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POLICYDOSSIERCOMPILATION OF SOCIALIST ALLIANCE ADOPTED POLICY

CURRENT TO SEPTEMBER 2009

This dossier contains the complete set of policies that have beenformally adopted by the Socialist Alliance since its founding in

2001. It does not include all applications

of policy. For these, see

the minutes of six National Conferences of the Socialist Alliance,as well as the minutes of its National Executive (available athttp://socialist-alliance.wikispaces.com).

1. Preamble to Socialist Alliance Platform p. 32. The Socialist Alliance platform p. 43. Education p. 74. Housing p. 85. Charter of Worker and Trade Union Rights p. 96. War in Iraq p. 137. Globalisation and Privatisation p. 14

8. West Papua and Aceh p. 149. Colombia p. 1510. Palestine (2008) p. 1511. Cuba p. 1611. Venezuela (2008) p. 1613. Welfare Rights Charter (2008) p. 1814. Womens Rights (Gender Agenda) p. 2015. Public Transport p. 2416. East Timor p. 2517. Australias Role in the Region p. 2518. Immigration and Refugee Rights p. 26

19. Environment p. 2720. Health Care p. 2921. Equality for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people p. 3222. Charter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rights (2008) p. 3323. Policy on the ban on the Hijab p. 3924. Unions in the Armed Forces p. 4025. Voting age p. 4026. Indonesia p. 4027. The right of self-determination for the Tamil people (2008) p. 40


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28. Philippines p. 4129. Energy Policy Framework (2008) p. 4130. Water (2008) p. 4331. Climate Change Charter (2008) p. 4632. Bolivia (2008) p. 5633. Western Sahara (2008) p. 57

34. Australian Building and Construction Commission (2008) p. 5835. Fair Work Bill (2008) p. 5936. Attitudes to worker and union candidates (2008) p. 5937. Perspectives for building Socialist Alliance and left regroupment (2008) p. 6039. Seasonal Workers (2008) p. 6240. Tibet (2008) p. 62


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Socialist Alliance aims to provide an answer to the millions of working people seeking aworld free of war, poverty, bigotry, and environmental destruction. War and misery are thedefining characteristics of capitalism.

1. Preamble to the Socialist Alliance platform (2001)

The current invasion of Iraq by imperialist forces, including Australian troops, means not

only mass murder in the Middle East, but increasing attacks on the wages, services and livingconditions of working people in this country. The Socialist Alliance is opposed to the war onIraq and stands with the Iraqi people against the occupying force which seeks to rob them oftheir sovereignty and resources. In order to afford their war, Australias millionaires and theirpolitical allies intend to make the working majority pay for a conflict with which we profoundlydisagree.

The tremendous wealth created by our collective labour should not be squandered by thetiny ruling minority. The redistribution of their undeserved gains would go a long way toalleviating the crises in health, welfare, education and housing that plague our society.

The reorganisation of industries to permit worker and community control and the reversal ofprivatisation would create tens of thousands of jobs. Real democracy would unleash thecollective creativity of working people, so necessary to repair the damage to our communitiesand environments caused by decades of economic rationalism and the ruthless pursuit ofprofits.

Injustice and capitalism are inextricably linked.

Nationalism, sexism, racism and homophobia are the preferred tools of the ruling class,used to divide working people from each other and so divert us from our common struggleagainst exploitation. The Socialist Alliance is totally opposed to all forms of bigotry and willchallenge it wherever it appears. For this reason, the Alliance stands with Indigenous peoplein their centuries-long struggle to reclaim their land, and with all those fleeing persecution andpoverty to seek a better life in this country.

The Socialist Alliance seeks to stand candidates in elections at every level of government.We intend to offer an alternative to both Labor and the Greens. Having embraced the policiesof corporate globalisation, Labor has long ceased offering traditional Labor voters analternative to the reactionary program of the Howard regime. And while the Greens go a longway in pointing out the injustices and depredations of the current system, ultimately they seekto reform it, rather than build a better alternative.

To Greens voters the Alliance says that real change is not possible without removing thesource of environmental degradationthe profit system itself.

Sustainability means socialism.

If elected, a Socialist Alliance candidate would reject the perks and personal pay-outs ofparliamentary office and accept only the average workers wage. In parliament, SocialistAlliance candidates would use their position to give a voice to workers struggles and socialmovements, fight reactionary policies and promote the mass campaigns that can defeat theattacks on jobs and living standards.


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Ultimately, parliament is not the forum for lasting social change. For that reason theSocialist Alliance also seeks to build united front action to the greatest extent possible, inorder to promote the only viable future for the planet and its peoplea worldwide socialistsociety.

The Socialist Alliance stands on a platform of total opposition to the profit-driven economicrationalist agenda of social austerity, privatisation and deregulation. By empoweringcommunities and redistributing the wealth of society we can create jobs, expand publicservices, and improve welfare and services.

2. The Socialist Alliance platform

Millions of us face declining services, transport chaos, low pay, job insecurity,homelessness, racism, sexism and environmental destruction, while the tremendous wealthof Australia is concentrated in the hands of a tiny minority. Only by ending the concentrationof power in the hands of that minority can the wealth that exists be used for the benefit ofworking people. Every major industry should be re-organised on the lines of social provisionfor needpublicly owned, and democratically controlled by the workers and the community.

The Socialist Alliance will stand candidates in the next federal election to give a voice toworking-class struggle and highlight the need for working-class political representation. Wewill stand to offer an alternative that Labor is not. We recognise that on issues such as theGST, health and education, Labor is offering far less than what traditional Labor voters want.The Socialist Alliance stands in complete opposition to the racist and right-wing PaulineHansons One Nation party.

If elected, a Socialist Alliance candidate would reject the perks and personal pay-outs ofparliamentary office and accept only the average workers wage. In parliament, SocialistAlliance candidates would use their position to give a voice to workers struggles and socialmovements, fight reactionary policies and promote the mass campaigns that can defeat theattacks on jobs and living standards.

A movement for change must be built by developing policies, campaigns, industrialstruggles and co-operation with all workers, environmental, anti-racist, and other socialmovements and to put forward an alternative to corporate control of society.

A sustained mass campaign of total opposition to the ruling class offensive can bring

together the forces to replace capitalism with a socialist society, based on co-operation,democracy and ecological sustainability.

SCRAP THE GST, TAX THE RICH Tax the rich and slash the defence budget to fund free universal provision for health,education, and care of children, the aged and people with disabilities. Free tertiary education; cancel the HECS debt. Free quality childcare.


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Repeal the GST and introduce a highly progressive system of taxes on incomes, profitsand wealth of the rich; reverse drastic reductions in business taxation of recent years. Free quality aged care. Increase social security benefits to a living wage; no work for the dole; no mutualobligation.

PUBLIC NEED NOT CORPORATE GREED End government funding of private schools, hospitals and health insurance. Fund Medicare not private health funds. Expand public services. No to privatisation, keep Telstra and Centrelink under public ownership; reverse theprivatisation of Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank, airports, electricity and the CES.

FULL UNION RIGHTS Every worker should have the right to join a union and oblige their employer to recogniseand negotiate with the union. Unions should have the right to gain access to workplaces, toinspect company plans and books, to strike, to picket effectively, and to act in solidarity withother unions or social causes.

Repeal anti-union lawsthe Workplace Relations Act and sections 45 D and E of theTrade Practices Act. No individual contracts. Stop the attacks on workers compensation, increase the entitlements for injured workers.

FIGHT CORPORATE GLOBALISATION For international solidarity, to gain union rights, basic public services, and a living wage forworkers around the world. Cancel Third World debt. Withdraw Australia from the WTO. The agents of globalcapitalism, the WTO, IMF and World Bank must be replaced with a global plan of economicreconstruction to end poverty.

Promote peace and international co-operation. Open the borders.

FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY For a democratic republic with representatives receiving no more than a skilled workerswage. End racist harassment of Aborigines and ethnic groups. Disarm the police to stop police killings. Decriminalise personal drug use; for safe injecting rooms and prescription heroin trials.

FOR WOMENS LIBERATION Full reproductive freedom. Repeal abortion laws; guarantee access to abortion services;

lift the ban on RU 486 (mifepristone, the abortion pill). End legalised discrimination againstlesbians and single women seeking access to medically assisted conception. Fully funded refuges for women and children escaping physical, psychological or sexualabuse. No cuts to womens services. Equal pay for comparable work; affirmative action to ensure access to non-traditional jobs. Free abortion on demand; a womans right to choose.

END DISCRIMINATION


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Repeal all laws that discriminate against lesbians and gay men; full equality for same sexcouples. End all discrimination based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, age, disability,political ideology, employment status, sexuality and gender identity. Equal pay for equal or comparative work for women, young people, Indigenous workersand people with disabilities.

FOR ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY Extend and socialise public transport, not freeways. Effective action on greenhouse gas emissions; develop renewable energy sources. No uranium mining, no nuclear reactors, no radioactive waste dumping. No logging of old growth forests. No genetically engineered organism crops or field trials. Worker-community-green alliances to counter profiteering developers.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS Repeal Howards ten-point plan and extend native title; restore the right to veto mining onIndigenous land.

Negotiate a treaty recognising prior ownership and Indigenous land rights. Increase funding for, and Indigenous control of, community services. Abolish mandatory sentencing. Apology and full compensation for the stolen generations.

FREE THE REFUGEES, MIGRANT RIGHTS Close the detention centres; end mandatory detention. Full rights for asylum seekers and migrants; abolish the two-year waiting period whichprevent newly arrived migrants accessing social security. End all deportations. Remove all restrictive and discriminatory immigration regulations; abolish the pro-business

points system. Funding and specialist services for resettlement. Unlimited and free English classes. Full citizenship rights including the right to vote for all refugees and migrants, with abolitionof the temporary protection visa.

SOLIDARITY WITH WORKING-CLASS AND DEMOCRATIC STRUGGLES IN ALLCOUNTRIES Opposition to Australias imperialist foreign policy, and the export of military hardware,personnel and training. Solidarity with Indonesias peoples, not its military and police. End ANZUS, no to APEC, for a nuclear-free Pacific. Close Pine Gap, no to the Star Wars/missile defence shield project. Solidarity with struggles against repressive regimes and reactionary forces. For the right of oppressed nations to self-determination.

JOBS NOT PROFITS Shorter working week with no loss in pay; nationalise under workers and communitycontrol companies that threaten mass sackings. Guarantee workers entitlements. Stop casualisation; for full employment with permanent jobs.


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Stop national competition policy massacring jobs. For industry-wide agreements; no trading-off of jobs and conditions. All workers to have access to an award.

3. Education policy

Education is a fundamental right for all people, yet the policies of successivegovernments has been to turn education into a privilege; with wealth as the main entryqualification. At all levels, the public education system has been systematically dismantled,while private schools enjoy billions in taxpayer subsidies. Early childhood education isincreasingly out of the reach of most working people, leading to increased pressure onparents, in particular mothers, to exit the workforce. This is in fact privatisation by stealth.From the beginning of primary school to the end of secondary school, parents are required topay for what is ostensibly a free education system. Public school buildings are often in

disrepair, class sizes are too large, and the virtual monopoly of text book publishers leads tovastly inflated prices for essential education materials. Higher education is becoming a lotterywhere the winning ticket is a wad of banknotes. Socialist Alliance will fight to restore publiceducation at all levels, creating a universal, free, quality secular system open to all those whoneed and want it. This would preclude the need for taxpayer subsidies to private institutions,which would be fully funded by those who choose to provide and use them.

Universal, free access to quality childcare and preschool and after. School programs forall; recognise the skills of childcare and early education teachers and mandated wage paritywith other education professionals.

Free, quality, secular education. No upfront university fees; abolish the Higher EducationContribution Scheme; abolish all TAFE fees and fees for post graduate and overseasstudents; Stop public schools from imposing fees in the form of voluntary levies.

A guaranteed independent income for students. A fully indexed, living wage for studentsset well above the poverty line; abolish the student loans scheme, pay apprentices at leastthe base rate for a qualified tradesperson during their training.

Increased funding for public education. Fund tertiary and TAFE places for all who qualify;end government funding of private training providers and schools; halt forced amalgamationsand school closures; increase corporate taxes to fund education and training.

Needs-based, diverse staffing of public education from kindergarten to university. Improvequality through hiring more permanent teaching staff to reduce teacher workload and classsizes; end the casualisation of employment in all sectors of education; no discrimination inemployment; affirmative action programs to train and hire more Indigenous educators andmore women in non-traditional areas; stop the harassment of union activists and otherdissenters.


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Guaranteed access for all. Develop, fund and enforce policies to ensure that women,migrants, Aboriginal people, gays and lesbians and people with disabilities have access to aneducation free from harassment, stereotyping and discrimination; education in an atmosphereof respect for all viewpoints and for dissidence and non-conformity. Full funding for literacyprograms: every person has the right to learn to read and write. Ensure full funding for Englishas a Second Language programs; provide courses in Indigenous and other community

languages; fully fund resources to integrate students with disabilities; expand childcare placesat universities and TAFE colleges.

Curricula which serves the needs of students. Eliminate stereotyping in curriculummaterials and resources; run courses which explore and teach about the history ofoppression, including womens studies, Indigenous studies, ethnic studies, gay and lesbianstudies and labour studies; education for life, not just for work; quality, factual and non-moralistic sex education in schools; education programs to counter homophobia and anti-gayviolence in schools.

Students, staff and community control of education-student control of student affairs.

Independent student unions; replace business representatives on governing councils withelected union, student and community representatives.

4. Housing policy

Housing is a basic human right. Currently there are thousands of people on waiting lists forpublic housing throughout Australia. Many are forced into the private rental market where upto 50 per cent of income or more goes on rent and accommodation is often below a decentstandard. Across Australia there is an increase in homeless people.

Establish a large-scale building program to make good quality, energy efficient, affordablepublic housing available for all who choose it. Stop the privatisation of public housing. Build creatively designed public housing to suit a wide variety of domestic arrangements,including the needs of people living communally, in extended families and in Indigenouscommunities. All housing developments must include the provision of local health, education and otherservices and access to quality public transport. For community control of public housing through democratically elected housing boardscomprised of tenants and housing workers. Strengthen legislation covering both public and private tenants rights. Enact rent control-for a sliding scale of rent for low-income people based on earnings. Allrents to be capped at a maximum of 20 per cent of income. Mandate high standards for private accommodation and require landlords to fix problemsand maintain private housing stock in good condition Nationalise and renovate allsubstandard landlord holdings. Expand funding to housing co-operatives.


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Provide high quality, community-based, supported accommodation for people withdisabilities or other special needs. Fully fund refuges and other secure emergencyaccommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence. Establish a publicly owned and controlled housing finance corporation to provide low-interest home loans for those in need.

5. The Socialist Alliance Charter of Worker and Trade Union Rights

Theres a group in Australia thats been badly ripped off over the past 20 years. Its thiscountrys 11 million workers, employed and unemployedthe majority of the population.

The wages share of the countrys wealth has fallen from 61% to 53.5% since 1983. IfAustralias workers had been able to maintain that 1983 share in 2004, we would have had$56 billion more in our pockets for 2003 alone.

That would have been $56 billion more to meet our basic needs for health, education for ourchildren and leisure, and $56 billion less for luxury yachts, racehorses and waterfront realestate that drives inner-city housing way out of the reach of the working-class people whoonce lived there.

True, the total pie has expanded. And some of us have been able to maintain and evenincrease our standard of living. But more often than not the price has been more stressful,unsafe and unrewarding jobs, enforced overtime and double shiftsless hours for family andleisure. Were working harder. According to the Australian Centre for Industrial RelationsResearch and Training, 60% of Australians feel that their lives are a lot less secure than ten

years ago. 30% of male workers are working more than 50 hours a week and more than halfof them wish they could work less. 1.2 million workers in Australia feel they have to do unpaidovertime.

Women workers have been losing out most70% of part-time jobs are done by women and45% of womens jobs are part-time, up from 36.5% in 1986. The gap between mens andwomens wages is widening: in the two years to May 2002 womens wages increased by $33as against $58 for men. Twenty years ago full-time pay for women was 86% of the malewage; now its 81%.

BUT DESPITE THIS PICTURE some workers a minority havent done too badly in

recent years. Some examples:

Victorian construction workers won a 36-hour week against ferocious opposition fromemployers and government.

National Tertiary Education Union members at Sydney University won a landmark 36weeks of paid maternity leave as part of their last enterprise agreement.

NSW teachers forced the Carr government to maintain funding for public education,and provide additional funding for their recent 12% pay increase.


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In its Campaign 2000, the Victorian branch of the Australian Manufacturing WorkersUnion won a 15% wage increase over three years, as well as forcing the employers togrant better long service leave and decent income protection for injured workers. Thecampaign also won limits on the employment of casuals and contractors along with asingle finishing date on agreementsprotecting industry-wide bargaining. This was thebest result for manufacturing and the AMWU in all of Australia.

THESE GROUPS OF WORKERS have one thing in common. They belong to strong unions,which have put the defence of their members wages and conditions first and foremost,refusing to accept what the boss, the government and courts thought was their due.

They have refused to knuckle under to state and federal governments ALP and Liberal and as a result have been called every name under the sun and even had to face royalcommissions into their alleged crimes.

These unions have also proven to workers in the industries they cover that there is a point tobelonging to a union. They are among the few unions where membership has increased.

For example, under the new militant leadership of the Western Australian Maritime Union ofAustralia, union coverage at Patrick, Fremantle, has risen from 53% to 99%.

This confirms that the old saying "If you don't fight you lose" is as true as it ever was. Themajority of union leaderships that have stopped fighting because their ALP mates havebeen in government or because they never knew how have carried on losing bothconditions and members.

As a result the percentage of workers who belong to a union has more than halved over thepast 20 years, from 48% in 1984 to 23% today.

Things are particularly bad among young workersless than 15% of workers under 25belong to a union.

Workers in this country urgently need to rebuild fighting, democratic unionism that abides bythe principle: "Touch One, Touch All". Nothing else stands between us and low pay, speed-ups and stress at work, and victimisation and exploitation by the employer.

SOCIALIST ALLIANCE MEMBERS are in the forefront of the struggle to rebuild Australiasunions, active in their own unions and in building solidarity with all union struggles. As anorganisation the Alliance acts in solidarity with those unions that are in the front line of thefight for wages and conditions, and is committed to increasing the membership, morale,organisation and fighting strength of the union movement.

Socialist Alliance unionists look to work with all unionists ALP, Green or non-party whoshare this goal. Our Charter of Worker and Trade Union Rights sums up our stance on thecritical issues face.

When union members elect militant, democratic leaders they can make enormous stepsforward. By throwing out the careerists and dead wood they can begin the job of turning the


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union into an organisation thats strong enough to defend the interests of all its membersagainst those of the employer.

But thats still not enough because the strongest union in the world can only do so much. Andin periods of recession it can do even less. This means that working people and our unionscant do without politics our own, working-class, politics. We cant defend our own interests

if we just stick to "union issues", no matter how strongly we fight for them.

Theres a working-class point of view on every issue: we need to uncover it, debate it andorganise to fight for it. And as we do this it pays remember these words of Peter Reith, JohnHowards former minister for industrial relations, in an address to a gathering of employers:"Never forget which side were on. We are on the side of making profits. Were on the side ofthe people owning private capital."

Socialist Alliance has the same starting point, but from the other side of the fence. We neverforget which side were on. Were on the side of the working people the vast majority and our policies are aimed at defending their rights and interests. Were against the systemthat is driven by private profit.

But theres a problem. The party that working people have traditionally expected to advancetheir interests, the ALP, has let down its supporters time and time again. In fact it has beenthe ALP that has carried out most of the dirty work of imposing "economic rationalism"(permanent free kicks to big business).

It was Hawke, Keating and Co who deregulated the finance sector, cut wages through theAccord, flogged off public assets, gave huge gifts to big business and tried to crush militantunionism by deregistering unions. State Labor governments have been in the forefront of theattack on workers compensation.

Socialist Alliance was formed to build the working-class political alternative to the ALP. Assteps along that road we argue for unions to take a stand on all political issues fromrefugees to Aboriginal rights to Iraq, from alternative economic policy to womens rights and to organise publicly for pro-worker policies. In this we strive to revive the best traditions ofAustralian unionism, from the wharfies 1940s action in support of the Indonesianindependence struggle to the NSW Builders Labourers Federations green bans of the 1970s.

The Alliance is taking every possible opportunity to initiate and host debate about how torebuild an authentic political voice for working people within individual unions and across themovement as a whole. If you agree with the Socialist Alliance policies and approach, vote forus!

But most of allget active! Join us in the exciting struggle to create that new party thatworking people in Australia need!

The Socialist Alliance Charter of Worker and Trade Union Rights


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Jobs for all at a living wage Legislate the minimum wage at around 60 per cent of average weekly earnings ($560

at the end of 2003). Shorten the working week (without loss of pay) to spread around available work. Stop privatisation and rebuild a modern, democratically managed public sector.

Repeal all anti-union laws, defend and extend the right to organise Enact a workplace Bill of Rights that guarantees workers and unions the right to

organise and protest. Full recognition of unions and union representatives. Repeal the Workplace Relations Act, abolish Australian Workplace Agreements and

Sections 45D and E of the Trade Practices Act. Return to awards of general application and minimum standards. Oppose the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Bill. Oppose the Building Industry Taskforce and its interference in unions. Guarantee the right of unions to cancel a bargaining period and begin a new one. Oppose secret ballots on industrial action. Oppose all attempts to outlaw or restrict pattern bargaining, protected industrial action,

picketing and secondary boycotts. Ban lockouts and the discriminatory sacking of union delegates. Remove the prohibition on striking workers receiving unemployment benefit. Oppose union liability to pay damages for industrial action. Oppose court and government restrictions on who can stand in union elections. Oppose government interference in the internal affairs of unions.

Make work and workers' entitlements secure Place limits on the use of casuals, contractors, labour hire and part-time workers.

Casuals to be made permanent after a fixed period. That full-time workers have the right to convert to part-time work when they need to

because of poor health or returning to work after childbirth. Labour hire workers and casual workers not to receive lower wages and conditions

than their permanent co-workers. Legislate a definite proportion of apprentices to tradespeople according to

industry/trade. Compel companies to participate in funds that guarantee workers' entitlements. Place workers at the top of the list of creditors in case of company bankruptcy. Restore all workers' rights to civil action in the courts.

For a healthy, safe and secure workplace

Put serious penalties into industrial health and safety legislation. Ensure full powers for health and safety representatives to close down unsafe and

unhealthy sites. Impose prison sentences on employers responsible for the deaths of workers. Legislate full, unlimited, employer-funded injury, sick and disability pay. Enforce full employer liability and responsibility for incurable industrial diseases (eg

asbestosis, mesothelioma etc) and permanent injuries to workers. End the attacks on workers' compensation and restore the rights to compensation that

have been stripped away.


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For retraining on full pay of workers in environmentally unsustainable industries.

For equality at work and an end to discrimination Impose equal pay for work of equal or comparable worth. End junior pay rates. Legislate 12 months' parenting leave fully paid by employer contributions to a publicly

managed scheme; the right to return to the same job without losing seniority; andgenerous paid leave to allow parents to take time off work to care for sick children andattend school activities.

Address the under-representation of women in traditionally male occupations withpositive discrimination programs in hiring, training and access to university courses.

Campaign for the government and/or employers to provide free, 24-hour childcare andholiday care centres.

Return all stolen wages to Indigenous workers or their descendants. Legislate a program of affirmative action aimed at breaking down the concentration of

Indigenous Australians, migrants and refugees in the dirtiest, most repetitive and mostdangerous jobs.

Impose heavy fines on employers who breach equal opportunity laws. Make sexual and racial harassment in the workplace a punishable offence. End the unequal workplace status of gays and lesbians.

For unity and solidarity among all workers End union dobbing in of "illegal" workers to DIMIA and the federal police. Fight for the unionisation of non-union and "illegal" workers and compel the employer

to give them the full wage and entitlements. Oppose any identity card for migrantworkers.

Fight for union rights everywhere, especially in those countries where unionism isillegal or under threat.

Promote international bargaining against multinational attempts to locate work wherewages are lowest.

Build the strongest possible links with unions in other countries.

6. Policy on the war on Iraq

At this Second National Conference the Socialist Alliance recommits itself to the struggleagainst imperialist war and against the growing militarism of the Australian government:.

Socialist Alliance demands: End the occupation of Iraq; Troops out now; That the peoples of Iraq, including the Kurds and other minorities, be free to determinetheir own future; That a referendum on self-determination be held in Iraqi Kurdistan.


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As an immediate step against Australian militarism we call on the Senate opposition partiesto block the military provisions of the 2003 federal budget. We also restate our commitment tobuilding the anti-war movement with a view to opposing imperialisms next aggression from ahigher level of awareness and preparedness.

We also commit to contribute in whatever way it can to the rebuilding of the workers

movement in Iraq.

The Socialist Alliance actively supports the anti-war movement that is developing inside theAustralian military.

The Socialist Alliance supports campaigns against military exercises between AustralianDefence Forces and the US military.

In this way the Socialist Alliance will make as big a contribution as it can to making theimperialists pay the highest possible price for their coming wars, to strengthening solidarityamong the worlds peoples, and to advancing humanity towards the precious goal of a worldwithout war.

7. Policy against globalisation and privatisation

The struggle for profit leads inevitably to war. For this reason, the fight against the Iraq warand the fight against corporate globalisation are strongly interlinked.

Without access to the wealth of developing countries, the US military machine could notafford its weapons of mass destruction.

Any blow against the global corporate hegemony is a strike against war.

Socialist Alliance will work to re-energise the anti-corporate movement and work to give itan explicitly anti-capitalist character.

Cancel the debt of all developing countries. Withdraw from the World Trade Organisation and the General Agreement on Tariffs andTrade.

No free trade agreement with the U.S. Trade union rights and a living wage for workers throughout the world. Australian imperialism out of the Pacific and Southeast Asia. For international solidarity with workers of all countries. End downsizing and mass redundancies-open the corporate books to public scrutiny. Reverse privatisation and nationalise all essential industries. Abolish tax concessions for transnational corporations.


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The Socialist Alliance supports the struggle of the West Papuan Independence Movement,and condemns the Australian Governments support of the continuing occupation by theIndonesian Government and the brutal suppression by the Indonesian military of

independence activists.

8. West Papua and Aceh

The Socialist Alliance supports the campaign for self-determination by the peoples of Aceh.The Socialist Alliance shows solidarity with West Papuan and Acehnese activists, political

prisoners and exiles, and commits to building networks and sponsoring meetings to buildawareness in Australia about their struggles and the Australian government's attempts tosecure greater economic and military domination in the South East Asian region.

9. Colombia

This Founding Conference of the Socialist Alliance: Calls for an end to any kind of U.S. intervention in the internal matters of Latin Americancountries, particularly Colombia; Resolves to put pressure on national governments to stop any support for foreign militaryaid to the Colombian Security Forces, which are the biggest human rights violators in theAmericas; and Demands that foreign countries armies, such as the United States and Britains, stopsending mercenaries to companies that contract their pilots and military personnel to be part

of the Colombian Security Forces.

10. Palestine

Adopted at the Sixth National Conference, December 6-7, 2008

The Socialist Alliance condemns the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by the state of Israel. This

oppression takes different forms the occupation of the Palestinian Territories, the siege ofGaza, the breaking up of the West Bank into isolated ghettos, systematic violence anddiscrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel or exile as refugees.

The Socialist Alliance supports: The Palestinian right to self determination. Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Territories. Equal civil and democratic rights for all inhabitants of historic Palestine. Right of return for Palestinian refugees.


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An end to Israeli aggression against other countries in the region. An end to the restriction of movement of people and supplies (including medical

supplies) around Palestine and between Palestine and Israel.

The Socialist Alliance recognises the essential role that international (including Australian)imperialism plays in supporting the Israeli system of apartheid and occupation through

massive political, economic and military aid.

Therefore, the Socialist Alliance supports the International campaign for Boycott, Divestmentand Sanctions of Israeli Apartheid.

11. Solidarity with Cuba

In the face of rising threats from the US government against Cuba the Socialist AllianceSecond National Conference:1. Supports the solidarity call with Cuba made in a recent statement by Nobel Laureates and

other prominent intellectuals for policy makers to uphold the universal principles ofnational sovereignity, respect of territorial integrity and self-determination, essential to justand peaceful co-existence among nations;

2. Calls upon the USA to recognize the complete integrity of Cuba, a Cuba that includesGuantanamo Bay and hereby calls upon the USA to close their base there;

3. Calls upon the United States to cease all operations towards Cuba that encourage andfund the overthrow of the Cuban government;

4. Demands that the United States immediately lift its economic and tourism blockade ofCuba;5. Calls on the left and progressive movement in Australia to show its opposition to the

renewed attacks by the United States towards Cuba and support solidarity actions thatoppose U.S imperialisms attacks on Cuba.

6. Socialist Alliance supports the campaign for the release of the Cuban Five unjustlyimprisoned in the United States.

12. Venezuela

In April of 2002 a coalition of big business and elements of the Venezuelan military, withthe help of the United States, staged a military coup against the popularly elected governmentof Hugo Chvez. The coup failed after mass popular demonstrations forced the military toreturn Chvez to office.

Since then big business has increased its attacks and confrontations with the Chvezgovernment. The US has continued to support a campaign of destabilisation orchestrated by


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ex-military officers, responsible for the failed April coup and the multimillionaire managers ofthe oil industry which is a mainstay of Venezuelan economy.

This right-wing coalition has organised protests and since December last year it has stageda lockout of workers which has caused massive economic chaos in the country.

The workers and the popular movement in Venezuela have fought back to defend theirconstitution and their elected government.

The future of the political situation in Venezuela is not only a concern for the majority of theworkers and unemployed and underemployed of Venezuelan society but for the people ofLatin America and the rest of the world.

Like Chile 1973 the military and big business interests, in conjunction with U.S imperialism,are trying to destabilise a popularly elected government. The only crime of the Chvezgovernment like Allende in Chile has been that he has implemented social reforms that havealleviated the plight of the most oppressed classes in Venezuela and has introduced policiesthat have begun to redistribute the national wealth away from big business to the poor.

Throughout Latin America in recent elections the people have voted in governments thatare willing to look at more socially progressive reforms and that confront the power andwealth of big business and U.S economic interests.

The workers and popular movements in the continent have been re-invigorated. They haveelected progressive governments in Ecuador and Brazil and continue to organise massprotests in Argentina, Bolivia and El Salvador to resist the impact of the policies being pushedby the international financial institutions and U.S imperialism, including its criminal 40-year-long blockade of Cuba.

The Socialist Alliance condemns the right-wing campaign to oust President Hugo Chvezof Venezuela and calls on the left and progressive movement in Australia to show theirsolidarity with the people of Venezuela who support the government of Chvez.

This has particular significance as the US (backed by the Australian government) preparesfor war on Iraq to protect its access to oil in the Middle East. Venezuela is the worlds fifthlargest exporter of oil and is a major supplier to the US.

The Socialist Alliance supports the slogan coined by the workers movement of ArgentinaQue se vayan todos (They all must go). All the exploiters and politicians who are putting theinterests of big business and the International Financial Institutions ahead of those of themajority of the people of Latin America.

Support the popular and workers struggle in Venezuela! No U.S interference in the affairs of Latin America! No to neo-liberal policies of privatization!

In the face of the latest developments in Venezuela the Socialist Alliance:1) Reaffirms its support for the Venezuelan people's struggle for social justice, nationalliberation and against all the actions of the Venezuelan ruling class;


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2) Opposes any intervention of the US against Venezuela, direct or indirect, being through theOAS or with the complicity of the reactionary Uribe government of Colombia;3) Calls on all left and progressive organisations to support all the activities in solidarity withVenezuela and in defense of the peoples struggle.4) The Socialist Alliance condemns the attempts by the Bush administration to assassinatethe Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and overthrow the popularly elected Venezuelan

government. Further, we defend Venezuela against the concerted efforts of the Bush regimeto undermine its progress on implementing new social and economic programs beneficial forthe poor people in the country. Support the Venezuela Solidarity Network initiative to organisethe first Australian solidarity brigade to Venezuela, and its one-day conference scheduled forSeptember in Melbourne.

13. Welfare Rights Charter

End the blame game, end the poverty...

The Socialist Alliance supports universal welfare rights for all. We are opposed to the principleof mutual obligation upheld by both the Coalition and the Australian Labor Party, becausethis is forces people into low-paid, alienating work while sabotaging existing wages andconditions for those in work.

Under Kevin Rudd the ALP has almost totally capitulated to the Howard governments view ofmutual obligation. It has even abandoned the approach of the Keating governments Working

Nation program to embrace the underlying principles of Howards Dickensian welfare-to-workapproach.

The Socialist Alliance says that it is not true that any job is better than no job at all or thatlowering the cost per job created should be the main goal of welfare policy: we stand insteadfor welfare payments above the poverty line combined with the creation of useful work.

Those who are presently on welfare shouldnt be breached, or forced into meaninglesstraining schemes or underpaid, demeaning jobs, but educated and trained to be part of theworkforce.

Lets always remember what Labor wants to forget: the welfare system was fought for andwon by the working class over generations in order to protect its members from theunemployment, exploitation and poverty intrinsic to capitalism. The old age pension wasintroduced in 1908, and the last big win for working Australians was the introduction of thesupporting mother's benefit in 1972.

But the end of the post war boom saw the start of efforts to roll back the welfare state. It wasthe ALP which introduced the assets test on the age pension, ended non-means-tested familyallowances and reduced young people's access to payments. This signaled the start of


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hundreds of changes, all designed to reduce payments, tighten eligibility criteria or imposewaiting periods. For a decade now the Howard government, like pro-business governmentseverywhere, has been intensifying this attack on welfare rights, shirking its responsibilities tothose most in need.

Reporting requirements and the breach system subject people receiving welfare payments to

a culture of judgment and blame for their own misfortunes. Non-payment periods imposed aspunishment for breaching benefit conditions risk forcing them out onto the street. IndigenousAustralians are the most victimisedin the third quarter of 2006 in Western Australia 30% ofbreaches were imposed on Indigenous people, despite being only 3% of the population!

The Socialist Alliance says welfare payments for all those in need are a right. We call for aguaranteed independent income for all at a living wage, and a welfare system capable ofproviding to each according to their level of need.

That requires a big expansion in the welfare budget in the short term, as a necessary way ofsupporting people on welfare in decent conditions, while training and equipping them foruseful work. But such an increase can readily be affordedin 2003 Australia was spendingonly 17.9% of GDP on public social expenditure compared to the average for advancedindustrial countries (the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) of 20.7% ,and way below Swedens 31.3%.

Aside from the welfare system, a comprehensive welfare justice platform also needs toaddress effects of poverty such as homelessness and poor nutrition. Other policies of theSocialist Alliance have been developed to related issues, such as in health care, education,housing, civil liberties, the rights of asylum seekers and issues affecting IndigenousAustralians. With this in mind, we propose the following measures as essential to welfare

justice in this country:

Welfare system Increase the base rates of allowances to the level of pension payments and index

these payments to a level which adequately covers the costs of living, includinghousing.

Review social security income tests to reduce the high effective marginal tax rates forpeople on welfare payments with casual or part time work.

Establish voluntary, well-staffed, high quality, free public programs for those who wishto enter the workforce, providing skills at a level appropriate to the needs ofparticipants.

No further outsourcing of welfare services. Keep Centrelink in public hands.

Renationalise the job network. Abolish the work for the dole scheme. Pay award wages for all Community

Development Employment Program workers. Abolish all mutual obligationrequirements and scrap the breach system.

Reverse the Welfare to Work provisions which unfairly penalise supporting parents,disabled people and the long-term unemployed.

Recognise the existence of permanent disability and incurable illnesses by removingthe requirements for people thus affected to undergo repeated reviews of theireligibility to keep their benefits.


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End assessments based on relationship status. Everyone needs an independentincome whether they are partnered or living alone. Welfare recipients should not havetheir economic relationship to another person determined by Centrelink. End the witchhunt against marriage-like relationships.

Migrants, youth and children

Scrap the 104-week waiting period for newly-arrived migrants to receive welfarepayments. Enable newly-arrived migrants and asylum seekers to access English language

training and employment assistance in addition to existing services. Lower the age of independence test for Youth Allowance from 25 to 18 years. Develop and implement a community education campaign for new parents aimed at

improving the nutrition of children. Provide funding to establish school breakfastprograms in disadvantaged areas.

Housing and homelessness Increase Federal and State funding for the maintenance of current housing stock, and

increase funding for new public housing stock. Address spiralling rental price increases by implementing rent control laws similar to

those in place in Los Angeles and New York. Increase funding to the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) to a

level sufficient to provide crisis accommodation for all who need it, as well as tomaintain support services to assist homeless persons into independentaccommodation and preventive programs for those at risk of homelessness. Ensure acontinuum of support from crisis accommodation through to long-term stableaccommodation.

Provide outreach workers to seek out service providers who may qualify for SAAPfunding and to guide them through the funding process, in order to ease the onerous

bureaucratic requirements that these service providers have to endure in order to getand retain funding.

Provide additional funding to community organisations to enable them to provideeducation, training and housing assistance packages to young homeless people.

Provide additional funding for programs which provide support services for the agedhomeless including additional funding to ensure greater access to aged careaccommodation.

Extend Rent Assistance to those receiving Austudy payments. Pay Mortgage Assistance to low income people paying off their own home so that they

are not forced out into the rental market.

Imagine

14. Womens Rights (Gender Agenda)

Imagine a world where any woman could walk down any street, day or night, and feel nofear of harassment or assault, and where society denounced domestic violence as soabhorrent that every home was safe.


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Imagine a world where girls did not merely dream of being an astronaut, a mechanic, aprime minister or a scaffolder, but said with complete confidence: That is what Im going tobe when I grow up.

Imagine a world where parents on their way to work or classes, or just to have some timeto themselves, dropped their child off at a child-care centre in their street or workplace happyin the knowledge that their child loves going there, learns new things, and is well-fed and

cared for.Imagine a world where elderly and disabled women live independently and at home for aslong as they wish because they have a guaranteed, decent income and there are plenty ofcommunity support workers to help with housework, health-care and transport.

Imagine a world where there really is equal pay, and it is decent pay so that no woman isforced by poverty into prostitution, or seeing her children go without food or new clothes, ornot having the child she wants, or living with someone only because he can pay for heraccommodation.

Imagine a world where every woman has a real choice about whether or not to havechildren, unconstrained by economic or social factors, and where safe, reliable contraceptionis widely accessible and abortion is freely available.

Imagine a world where women, in all their individuality, love the bodies they were born with,and where women express their sexuality proudly and joyfully, without fear or favour.

Imagine a world where people, not private profits, matter where all peoples basic needsare automatically addressed, and their hopes and dreams for a fulfilling life are valued.

The reality today In 21st century Australia, women have supposedly achieved equal rights. Yet women still

do most of the household chores and the care of children and sick, disabled or elderlyrelatives. The double burden that this imposes on women who also need to or want to dowaged work is barely acknowledged by society.

Whether they are migrant women working 12 hours a day for $4 an hour in the suburbansweatshops of Sydney or Melbourne, or tertiary educated teachers, nurses or public servants

who spends 60% of their wage on child-care fees, or unemployed single mothers on the200,000-long public housing waiting list, or students trying to survive on Austudy/Abstudypayments, which are now 37% below the poverty line, life for most women in Australia isgetting harder every day. Despite the introduction three decades ago of equal pay, affirmative action, equalemployment opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation, womens average weekly earningsare now only 66% of mens - less than they were relative to mens 10 years ago, anddeclining. The workforce participation rate of women in Australia is now lower than any comparableindustrialised country, and the proportion of women with full-time and/or permanent (asopposed to casual) employment is falling. 70% of all part-time jobs are held by women, but

22% of women working part-time would like more hours. Meanwhile, 30% of male workers areworking more than 50 hours a week and more than half of them would like fewer hours. 500,000 women who want to be in the workforce are not, 32% of them because of lack ofchild care. State and federal government funding for womens services is less now than it wasa decade ago, despite a steady increase in the number of women and children living belowthe poverty line. Under new tax policies, working-class women with dependent children are being penalisedfor going out to work - the lower a familys income, the higher the effective tax rates faced bywomen who work, and this disparity actually increases with the number of children.


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A female welfare recipient with dependent children has her welfare payments cut if shepartners with a man whether or not she wants to be economically dependent on him, andwhether or not he can or does support her and her children. Meanwhile, bitter post-divorcedisputes over child support are endemic as working-class men struggle to support twofamilies on declining real wages and sole mothers continue to swell the ranks of those livingbelow the poverty line.

Most women in prison are there because of crimes of poverty. The system fails to meetthe needs of these women and their children then punishes them by putting them in an evenmore vulnerable situation. In 1996, 23% of women in marriage or de facto relationships suffered domestic violence.There are no more recent figures because the government has cut all funding for collectingthem. While womens refuges have to turn away as many women as they accommodate eachnight, in 2002 $10.1 million of funding allocated for domestic violence programs was divertedto pay for the National Security Public Information Campaigns anti-terrorism advertisementsand fridge magnets. The rate of sexual assaults reported to the police has increased by around 9% per yearover the last few years. The most reliable recent estimates are that around 250 women are

raped each day in Australia. In most states abortion is still illegal and is becoming much more difficult for poor, ruraland/or young women to obtain. IVF technologies too are only available to the rich as a realoption; IVF is hugely expensive and has a low success rate, which makes it almost impossiblefor poorer women to use it successfully. Meanwhile, lesbian couples still cannot adoptchildren or access IVF in most states. As sexist images of women flourish in the mass media, eating disorders and the deathsthat result from them are increasing among young women.

A different future So is our imagined world of justice and equality for women merely an impossible dream?We dont think so.

Consider how different Australia would be if the $43.3 million per day that was allocated formilitary expenditure in the 2003-4 federal budget was redirected to social services. Or if thebillions of dollars in private profits that are made each year by Australias biggest corporationswas spent on public and community education. Or if workers and communities had thelegislative power to decide how the industries and services they run operated. Or if politicianswere truly accountable and could be immediately recalled if they broke their promises or didntlisten to the people between elections.

That would be a very different world for all ordinary people, and especially for women.Making progress towards an Australia in which there is full economic, social and political

equality for women requires, in the first instance, collective opposition to each and everygovernment attack on womens rights - as workers, mothers, students, patients and welfare

recipients. At the same time, womens ability to exercise these rights regardless of their race,ethnicity, citizenship, religion or disability must be defended and extended.

We demand action As essential steps towards complete gender equality, the Socialist Alliance demands

immediate government action on the following:

For equality and justice in the workplace

Real equal pay for work of equal or comparable value.


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Automatic wage indexation that corresponds to real cost of living increases. Increase the minimum wage to a level that recognises that many workers, women andmen, are solely responsible for supporting family members. Enterprise bargaining and individual contracts disadvantage women workers, who aremore often in less organised sectors, so we call for all wage increases and improvements inworking conditions to be automatically generalised across each industry.

Extend full-time and permanent employee entitlements (sick leave, annual leave, etc) to allpart-time and casual workers on a pro-rata basis. Legislate for and enforce programs in both the private and public sector to encourage andassist more women to be trained and employed in non-traditional jobs. 12 months parenting leave fully paid by employer contributions to a publicly managedscheme; the right to return to the same job; and generous paid leave to allow parents to taketime off work to care for sick children and attend school activities. Enforce anti-discrimination and affirmative action legislation to assist Indigenous women,non-English speaking background women and disabled women be economically independent.

For independence and equality in family life

A living wage - which enables a decent quality of life, not just survival - for all welfarerecipients and their dependents, and automatic indexation of all welfare benefits to cover realcost of living increases. A massive expansion of funding for community/employee-controlled, good quality, freechild-care services in communities and, funded by employers, in large workplaces; theseservices to include after-hours, vacation and occasional care. No discrimination in out-of-work-support and parenting payments, regardless of maritalstatus; increase the sole parent benefit for parents of dependent teenage children. Abolish all taxation measures that penalise families in which women are engaged inwaged work.

Reverse the privatisation of all utilities and other essential services, which hasdisproportionately adversely affected women and children. Expand affordable, good quality, secure public housing so child-raising can take place in astable environment.

For womens control of their own bodies

Remove abortion from all state Crimes Acts and Health Acts and make abortion availablesafely, free of charge and on demand through the public health-care system. Make safe, reliable contraceptives freely available to both women and men; end theprohibition on the import of RU486; make the morning after pill available free of charge. Enforce the law outlawing sterilisation without a woman's consent. Reproduction is a woman's right to choose, and IVF should be available safely, free ofcharge and on demand through the public health system. Just like abortion, free IVF ondemand should be a woman's right to choose. Women in prison to be able to usecontraception, and have access to pregnancy or abortion care if needed. Restore Medicare bulk-billing and massively increase funding to public hospitals andcommunity health services. Provide free menstrual/sanitary protection for all women as a public health service. Improve availability of women-centred pregnancy care, including state funding andinsurance for community based midwifery and birth centres.


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For an end to sexual violence and exploitation

Strengthen and strictly enforce laws against sexual harassment. Restore and increase funding for womens services to ensure ready access to healthcentres, rape crisis centres, women's refuges and counselling services for all women andtheir dependants who need them. Launch a community education campaign in the media, schools and all other publicinstitutions to promote positive, non-stereotyped, anti-sexist images of women in all areas ofsocial activity. Repeal all laws against prostitution in order to end the criminalisation and victimisation ofsex workers, and publicly fund comprehensive health-care, legal and personal supportservices, and alternative employment opportunities, for sex workers. Prosecute Australians who profit from the international sex trade and prostitution, and givefull protection and rights to victims of the sex trade in Australia.

A. Commuter transport

15. Policy on Public Transport

Commuter transport and the movement of freight require central planning and communitycontrol. The chaos of private ownership in the 19th Century and a century of bureaucraticneglect has left many areas with inadequate or non-existent commuter transport. TheVictorian experience of private management of a vital public service has shown that artificialfragmentation of what should be a fully integrated system leads inevitably to chaos. This istrue of all commuter transport and any integrated freight rail network.

Socialist Alliance stands for public ownership and control of all forms of commuter transport

and rail freight.

Re-nationalise all privatised public transport and rail freight; nationalise all bus routes, andfully fund them through a steeply sliding scale of levies on businesses employing more than20 workers. Provide sufficient services to meet current demand and commence an ongoing program ofnetwork expansion to meet future demand. Fully staff the networks-staff on every station and a guard/conductor on every train andtram. End the unfair impost on island communities by fully funding passenger and light vehicleferries, in particular to and from Tasmania; fully fund air transport to remote outback and

island communities. Re-open closed rural rail lines where the infrastructure still exists and provide passengerrail services to communities which need them Alternatively provide a replacement bus serviceto meet community needs.

B. Freight Transport and RoadsWhile rail freight has major benefits to the community as a whole, business is the main

beneficiary of large subsidies from taxpayers for the use of an efficient means of transport for


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large volumes of goods. However, it is preferable to remove as many highly polluting,dangerous and damaging heavy vehicles from the road network as possible. The generalroad network, in particular motorways, freeways and major arterial routes, are chiefly ofbenefit to business.

Extend the rail freight network with dedicated freight-only links in order to remove heavy

vehicles from local roads. Introduce and enforce penalties to stop unauthorised heavy vehicleaccess to local roads. Re-nationalise all privatised tollways and abolish tolls for light vehicles and buses. Make business pay for its transport by introducing electronic tolling for heavy freightvehicles on all major roads and freeways, and discounted, volume-based charges for railfreight. All new freeways and major arterial roads to be built according to strict environmentalstandards.

16. Policy on East Timor oil

The Socialist Alliance condemns the Australian Government's theft of East Timor's oil and gasresources by refusing to abide by international law in the determination of maritimeboundaries between the two countries and by continuing to exploit the disputed oil fields inthe Timor Sea.

That alongside anti-war and elections campaigning in the next year, Socialist Alliancebranches give priority to joining with the churches, unions, Greens, NGOs, and other solidarity

activists in the campaign against Australia's grab of East Timor's oil, gas and maritimeresources through making permanent an unfair boundary in the Timor Sea.

The Socialist Alliance supports East Timors demand for delimitation of maritime boundarieswith Australia, based on the internationally accepted median line principle, thus guaranteeingEast Timors right to maritime sovereignty and the oil and gas resources located on the EastTimorese side of such a boundary. The Socialist Alliance condemns the Australiangovernments refusal to accept the median line principle and its continuing theft of oil and gasresources in the Timor Sea, that rightfully belong to East Timor.

17. Policy on Australias role in the region

The Australian government is using the pretext of the "war on terror" and the danger of "failedstates" to aggressively assert and extend its imperialist domination of the region.Australia is the economic and military giant of the region. The Howard government:

Has turned East Timor into a virtual colony for Australian business interests while denyingits government and people their fair share of the Timor Sea oil;


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Has sent troops and senior public servants to take control of the Solomons; Is attempting to do the same in PNG; Has used PNG and Nauru as dumping grounds for asylum-seekers; and Is supporting the Indonesian government's campaign to frustrate the national liberationmovements in Papua and Aceh.

The Socialist Alliance is opposed to Australian domination. We are for:

The abolition of Australian debts incurred by poor nations in the South Pacific and south-east Asia; The extension of aid programs under the democratic control of the local population; Maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea in accordance with international law which wouldfavour the East Timorese claim over the Timor Gap seabed; Solidarity with genuine national liberation movements and trade unions in the region; The extension of Australian citizenship to Pacific islanders displaced by global warming; The withdrawal of Australian troops from countries in the region.

18. Policy on immigration and refugee rights

1)End the policy of mandatory detention, close all detention centres, and free all asylumseekers imprisoned within them.

2) End the Pacific Solution: close the detention centres on Nauru and PNG's Manus Islandand grant all asylum seekers.

3) Abolish the concept of a "safe third country" which is used to screen out those who would

otherwise be assessed as refugees.

4) Return Christmas Island, Ashmore and Cartier islands, and Cocos (Keeling) islands toAustralia's migration zone.

5) Establish a category of complementary protection for those not found to be refugees underthe UNHCR definition, but who face persecution if they were to be returned to the countrythey fled from.

6) Abolish temporary protection visas.

7) End all deportations.

8) Immediately restore the annual refugee resettlement quota to its pre-1990s level of 20,000.

9) Immediately resettle all UNHCR-assessed refugees stranded in Indonesia, which is not asignatory to the UN refugee convention.

10) Recognise as grounds for refugee status gay and lesbian discrimination and violenceagainst women, where the government in question condones or permits it.


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11) Abolish the Refugee Review Tribunal; replace with a fully independent merits reviewtribunal for refugees to appeal against adverse decisions.

12) Restore access to all levels of judicial appeal; allow adverse decisions to be appealed onmatters of substance as well as matters of law.

13) Remove the rule with prohibits asylum seekers in the community from working orreceiving social security if they submit a claim more than 45 days after they arrived inAustralia.

14) Extend funding and specialist services for settlement, including assistance withrecognition of skills.

15) Free and widely available English classes for all migrants and refugees.

16) Full citizenship rights, including the right to vote, for all migrants and refugees.

17) Abolish the pro-business points system which favours skilled and wealthy businessmigrants.

18) Abolish the requirement for sponsors to pay an up-front bond.

19) Abolish the two-year waiting period for new migrants to access social security payments.

20) End unequal treatment for gay men, lesbians and transgendered people in immigration;recognition of same sex relationships.

21) Remove HIV status from health tests for visas.

22) Give preference to places for migrants from poor countries, especially countries in theAsia-Pacific region.

23) Abolish all family reunion waiting lists, and remove the quota restriction so that partners,siblings, parents and extended families can be reunited in Australia if they choose.

19. Policy on the environment

Capitalist globalisation is destroying the earth. We live under the reign of a class willing tojeopardise our lives and those of future generations for quick cash.

Capitalism destroys habitat and renders species extinct, yet the survival of animal and plantlife is essential for human progress and should not be counterposed to so-called"development". We are bombarded with chemicals in our food, water and air. We are assailedby poisons at work, at home and in our communities. In our hands, technology will be used for


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human progress; in the hands of capitalists, it is used to plunder our world. The destruction ofthe once-mighty Murray-Darling river system, the mobilisation of megatonnes of salt whichthreatens not only agriculture but many rural towns (and, in time, cities); the lunacy of open-cut and acid leaching uranium mines; the huge volume of asbestos released from decayingcement sheeting and insulation - these are disasters which may take centuries to rectify, evenin a socialist Australia.

"Capitalism" and "sustainability" are mutually exclusive concepts. Only socialism issustainable. But it is necessary to stop the destruction of our world now, as a matter ofurgency. Socialist Alliance demands the commencement of a comprehensive environmentalrestoration and employment program, fully funded by a tax on corporate bank transactions;including full training and award wages for all workers; preference to be given to displacedtimber and agriculture workers, rural unemployed, Indigenous communities and displacedsmall farmers. Where possible and appropriate, such restoration programs should beestablished in consultation with traditional owners and/or local Indigenous communities.

This restoration and employment program should include the following:

FORESTS End logging in old growth forests. End clearfelling in all other native forests. Ban the export of woodchips from native forests. For a publicly owned timber industry based on sustainable plantations with access tospecialty timbers ensured for crafts people (subject to ecological considerations). Replant forests in dry-land and other salt-affected regions.

LAND MANAGEMENT* Phase out agribusiness farming in the Murray-Darling basin; stop all new farming andcommercial development in salt-affected regions.

* No Genetically Engineered Organisms - ban all importation of GEs and their production inAustralia. Compulsory labelling of all genetically engineered products.* Strict controls on land clearing.* No mining or mineral exploration in national parks and other areas of high conservationvalue.* Reconstruction of salt-damaged infrastructure.* Mandated humane treatment of animals and full protection of endangered species andhabitats.

WATER* Replace of open irrigation channels with pipes.

* Removal of exotic species such as willow and carp from river systems.* Reduce water use by steeply increasing prices to big companies; Mandate the use ofrecycled water for all industrial purposes.* End the confiscation of Indigenous land for mining and agribusiness;

ENERGY* No new coal-fired power stations. Construct renewable energy infrastructure instead.* Subsidise solar heating and solar electricity in domestic swellings.* Stop and reverse privatisation of energy/electricity industries.


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CLIMATE CHANGE* Ratify the Kyoto Protocol.* Establish an industry-funded 10% renewable energy target by 2010.* Fund public transport not the spiral of more-roads-more-cars-more-roads. Establish limits onemissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants for all new vehicles. Abolish the tax

subsidies which encourage production and use of petrol-guzzling large vehicles.

NUCLEAR ISSUES* No new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights (or anywhere) and shut down the HIFAR reactorcurrently operating; invest in cleaner, safer technologies such as cyclotrons.* No dumping of radioactive waste; waste producers to manage their own waste in secure,monitored facilities at their own expense.* No nuclear waste dump for international commercial use in Australia;* Close the operating uranium mines (Ranger, Roxby Downs, Beverley) and no new mines tobe approved.* No Australian support for the US government's missile 'defence' program and renewed,active support for non-proliferation agreements in place.* No nuclear power plants.

WASTE* Force manufacturers of electronic equipment, whitegoods and various other products toinitiate recycling programs.* Prohibit the export to Third World countries of electronic and whitegood wastes under theguise of 'recycling'.* Establish comprehensive recycling systems for all wastes.* Mandated container deposits.* Remediate contaminated industrial sites.

20. Policy on health care

The Socialist Alliance bases its policy on health promotion, disease prevention and timelytreatment of illnesses and includes promoting good health. It aims to encourage a healthycommunity in a healthy environment and reduce health risks. Health includes the physical,mental and social well being of the community. It is a resource used by individuals on a dailybasis.

A healthy life depends on a healthy environment, safe working conditions and enablingpeople to increase control over this improvement process. It will be based on the concept ofhope and community control.

But access to healthcare is progressively being removed from the poor, and many so-called"high-paid" workers. The public health system is failing, and many in rural and outermetropolitan areas have limited access to even basic general practice medicine. Hospitalwaiting lists are overcrowded, with too many nights where emergency wards are on


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ambulance bypass. Meanwhile the private health system benefits from billions of dollars indirect and indirect government subsidies, on top of the semi-compulsory private healthinsurance rip-off, where working people who can "afford" it pay huge premiums for little return.Where the public system, even in its damaged state, is relatively efficient, the private sector isa black hole for money, with little useful health outcome. In the face of the health crisis, theHoward government is cutting funding to public hospitals and wants to dismantle Medicare.

Working people and the poor have a basic right to universal, free, quality health care.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WILL RESTORE AND EXTEND MEDICARE.

The Socialist Alliance endorses the principle of universal health insurance which underliesMedicare, and emphasises that Medicare is not just a "safety net". If Australia is to havecomprehensive universal health insurance, paid for by progressive taxation and ensuringequitable access to health care for all, there is no need to have private health insurance.Currently, private health insurance is massively subsidised by the Australian government,and it contributes little to total health expenditure. By abolishing the tax rebate for privatehealth insurance, $2.5 billion could be freed to provide more resources for public hospitals.

Private health insurance encourages a two-tier health system. The Socialist Alliance wouldphase out private health insurance so that all Australians would have the same level of healthinsurance and the same access to health care.

The coverage of Medicare would be extended to include dental care and appropriate ancillaryservices such as physiotherapy and psychological counselling as well as dental, aged care,prosthetics, rehabilitation, alternative therapies, dental, optometry, speech, dietetics, auditoryand preventative services. The Medicare rebate paid to doctors would be increased to anappropriate level, to ensure that doctors receive adequate remuneration for bulk-billing.However, rather than a flat tax, currently 1.5% of taxable income, the levy should be aprogressive tax, like income tax, where the percentage of taxable income which wouldconstitute the Medicare levy would increase with increasing income.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WOULD MAKE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COMMUNITYPRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES THE CORNERSTONE OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM.

The Socialist Alliance would ensure the availability of adequate funding for Community HealthCentres (CHC) providing comprehensive primary health care, focussing initially on areas ofgreatest need. Funding would be made available to general practitioners working in poorerareas to convert their practices to community health centres, with the doctors and otherhealth professionals working in salaried positions within the public service.

Democratic joint committees of medical professionals, other health workers and members ofthe community will be established to coordinate the CHCs. The community will be fullyinvolved in the process of establishing and administering the CHCs.The Socialist Alliance will establish Women's Health Centres providing access tocontraception, abortion and cancer screening facilities.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WOULD ENSURE THAT ESSENTIAL PHARMACEUTICALSARE AVAILABLE ACCORDING TO NEED.


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The Socialist Alliance would retain the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and legislate toensure that it is quarantined from any trade agreement and any undue influence ofpharmaceutical companies. The Commonwealth Serum Laboratories would be re-nationalised, and given the specific task of producing cheap generic drugs.

The Socialist Alliance will lobby in international forums to overturn the Trade Related

Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which maximises pharmaceutical companyprofits be allowing 20-year patents, whist denying millions of people access to life-savingdrugs.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WILL ENSURE THAT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AREADEQUATELY FUNDED.

The prevalence of mental health issues is well known in the community, and it is predictedthat depression will become the major cause of morbidity in the next decades. There is also astigma attached to these conditions. Major primary intervention strategies, education andservice networks will be established at workplaces, schools, and within communities to tacklethese issues.

Counselling, psychological and psychiatric services will be made available free of charge inCHCs.

Facilities will be established to assist the reversing of the prevalence of the current trendespecially towards wide-scale depression. It is the view of the Socialist Alliance, however, thatthe predicted increased prevalence of depression is related to the effects of neo-liberaleconomic policies, and it can be expected that implementation of a broad range of SocialistAlliance policies will help to reduce the prevalence of depression.

The Socialist Alliance will legislate to protect the right of access to free, quality mental healthcare, without pressure to conform to traditional gender roles or other social stereotypes.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WILL ENSURE THAT FUNDING AND STRUCTURING OFHEALTH SERVICES EMPHASISE PREVENTION AND EQUITY.

Prevention of ill health will be primary in our policies. The promotion of healthy living styleswill be promoted by special campaigns.

Schools will be funded to promote healthy eating and providing healthy food for children byestablishing a free lunch time meal program in all schools.

Strategies for reduction of stress levels and accidents at work places will be formulated.Free, quality health education and screening programs will be fully funded.

The prevention of ill health will reduce the cost of treatment in the long run. The inclusion ofthe community in the decision-making processes will also assist in this process. The fact thatthe community and individuals take responsibility for their health wills boost the type ofhealthy community we envisage.


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The costs of health policies will be achieved by, amongst other things, abolishing governmentsubsidies for private health insurance, and by a major reduction in the defence budget.

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The Socialist Alliance recognises that complementary and alternative therapies, if properly

regulated, can play an important role in a democratically-run, community based health systemthat focuses on prevention and education.

The Socialist Alliance will: increase provision in public institutions of education and training incomplementary and alternative therapies that are supported by independent research andevaluation; ensure that healthcare practitioners who advise or prescribe complementary oralternative medicines are appropriately trained and competent; extend Medicare to cover theservices of such practitioners; employ such practitioners as appropriate in public hospitalsand Community Health Centres; increase public research and evaluation of complementaryand alternative medicines; regulate and where appropriate nationalise the supply ofcomplementary and alternative medicines to ensure they meet the required standards ofsafety, quality and efficacy.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WILL ENSURE THAT PATIENTS' RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED.

The Socialist Alliance will guarantee patients' control by legislating the right of access to allinformation required for informed consent; the right to appoint a legal guardian of a patient'schoice; the right to choose or refuse medical treatment; the right to choose contraceptionappropriate to the patient and abortion as required. Hospitals to be forced to admit theirsurgical, pharmacological and other nosocomial mistakes as a matter of due process.

A no-fault medical indemnity insurance system (similar to the system currently available in

New Zealand) will be introduced which will ensure that patients are fully compensated formedical mishaps, without the necessity for adversarial court cases, whilst ensuring thatpatients can expect medical care of the highest possible quality. This indemnity will beextended to cover midwives providing care outside hospitals.

THE SOCIALIST ALLIANCE WILL ENSURE THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE HEALTHWORKFORCE TO MEET THE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF ALL AUSTRALIANS.

The Socialist Alliance will expand student positions in tertiary health education faculties toovercome the shortage of health workers in nursing, aged care and general practice,particularly in rural areas.

21. Policy on equality for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people

We live in a society which attempts to dictate sexual preference and gender identity throughpromoting the gender stereotypes and homophobic attitudes which underpin the heterosexualnuclear family, and by promoting marriage and the nuclear family as the only legitimate modelfor relationships. Lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people suffer oppression


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because their lives are a challenge to the nuclear family which is an economic cornerstone ofcapitalism. The Socialist Alliance opposes all attempts to shoehorn people into sexual andgender conformity. We believe it is a basic democratic right that a persons' self-definition ofsexual preference and gender identity should be recognised. Heterosexism exists at almostevery level in this society, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and genderidentity is entrenched in all of the key institutions of society - education, health, the law, the

media, family, church and state.

The Socialist Alliance supports politically independent and self-organizing social movementsthat fight the oppression of women, lesbians and gay men, transgendered people, people withHIV and sex workers through mass action, public demonstrations, lobbying, voting and bybuilding alliances with the broader working class, feminist, and anti-capitalist movements.

We oppose sexism, racism, ageism, and discrimination against people with disabilities withinthe lesbian and gay communities, as we do in the broader community.In government the Socialist Alliance will:

Enact enforceable anti-discrimination legislation to protect lesbians, gay men, bisexuals,people living with HIV/AIDS and transgendered people. We will remove existing exemptionsfor private schools, religious organisations, the insurance industry, the tax system,superannuation etc; legislate for the right of transgendered people to be issued withpassports, drivers licences and other documents specifying the gender of their choice.

Legislate full social, legal, Trade union and industrial recognition of same sexrelationships. This would include extending to same sex relationships equal status withheterosexual de factos in superannuation, immigration, taxation, family law, industrialrelations and any other laws and regulations; ensu

Documents

Socialist Alliance Policy Dossier to September 2009