Woolies workers strike back: ‘We are not robots!’
More than 1500 members of the United Workers Union have been on indefinite strike at four Woolworths distribution sites in NSW and Victoria since 21 November.
Are we facing a new attack on abortion rights?
The “right to choose” remains popular and abortion has been decriminalised in every jurisdiction across Australia.
China’s rise and workers’ resistance
Griffin Phillips reviews a new book that charts China’s emergence as an economic power, the growth of an immense working class and the likely turmoil ahead.
Melb Uni students rally to cut ties with Israeli university
Eighty students joined a Students Against War rally at Unimelb on 10 September demanding the university cut its ties with Israel.
One year resisting Gaza genocide—is freedom for Palestine any closer?
David Glanz looks at what the movement for Palestine has achieved in the last year and how it can move forward.
US election—falling behind Kamala Harris no answer to Trump
Fear of another Trump presidency means much of the left in the US is swinging behind Kamala Harris, weakening the movements that are needed to win real change, writes Matilda Fay.
Albanese fans Islamophobia in attack on Palestine protests
The Albanese government is stirring up Islamophobia to try to demonise the Palestine movement and justify its efforts to keep out Palestinian refugees from Gaza.
Student activist Bea Tucker’s expulsion overturned
Student activist Bea Tucker has had their expulsion from the ANU in Canberra overturned by a university appeals committee, in a victory for free speech and the campaign for Palestine.
Refugees take fight for permanent visas to Labor’s doorstep
Refugees have dramatically stepped up their campaign for permanent visas, with encampments in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
How Labor’s union busting broke the BLF
There are lessons for the CFMEU today from the way Labor succeeded in breaking the Builders' Labourers Federation in 1986, argues Tom Orsag.
NSW nurses rally to demand 15 per cent pay hike
Thousands of nurses and midwives across NSW held protests outside hospitals in late July as part of their campaign for an immediate 15 per cent pay rise.
Former WA Labor member speaks out on Gaza: ‘There’s a lot of members resigning or expressing discontent’
Adam Demir, who resigned from Labor's WA Multicultural branch, spoke to Solidarity about Fatima Payman and the party's betrayal over Gaza.
Vic teachers win union to stand with Palestine
Members of Teachers and School Staff for Palestine made a big impact as the Australian Education Union conference in Melbourne took significant steps in solidarity with Palestine.
Vale Jane McAlevey: a fighter for our class
At 59 years of age, the untimely death of Jane McAlevey from skin cancer came as a shock to the many unionists across the world intent on rebuilding rank-and-file power in their unions.
Negotiations have failed—NSW nurses must call a strike now and prepare for sustained action
The Minns government has shown no sign of backing down from their paltry pay offer of 10.5 per cent over three years for all nurses and midwives.
Defend Boris Kagarlitsky and the Russian anti-war movement
The Boris Kagarlitsky International Solidarity Campaign calls on the left around the world to demand an end to the unlawful imprisonment of Russians who oppose the war on Ukraine.
Payman’s stand shows pressure on Albanese over Gaza still growing
Senator Fatima Payman’s resignation shows that the pressure on the Labor government over Gaza is still growing.
Pine Gap base aiding Israel’s operations in Gaza
The Albanese government is directly aiding Israel’s war in Gaza through allowing the sharing of intelligence information from the spy base at Pine Gap.
How can the rise of France’s fascists be stopped?
Despite the fascists’ failure to take government in France, they will continue rising if the left relies on electoral deals to halt them, argues Cooper Forsyth
Australian capital tied to Israel by a thousand threads
As the horror of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has grown, the clearer has become the depth and intimacy of the Australian ruling class’s military connections with the Zionist entity.
On to the streets to stop the Euro fascists
Far-right political parties have enjoyed electoral success in the recent European Parliament elections, emerging on top in some countries while making electoral gains in others.
University of California workers strike for Palestine
More than 30,000 workers across six campuses of the University of California have taken weeks of strike action in solidarity with Palestine protests on campus.
Voters punish ruling ANC in South African election
The African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela, has slumped below 50 per cent of the vote for the first time in the general election held at the end of May.
The Kanaky-New Caledonia revolt and imperialism in the Pacific
Riots in Kanaky-New Caledonia are a response to France’s attempts to rule out any hope of independence for the Indigenous people, writes Paddy Gibson.
Public servants attacked over open letter opposing Israeli arms trade
More than 2000 public servants have signed an open letter since 30 May, condemning the Australian Government for its complicity in the Palestinian genocide.
Kanak resistance rocks colonial government but Albanese stands by France
More than two weeks of resistance on the streets of Kanaky-New Caledonia has rocked the government of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Ukraine faltering as US agrees to feed in more weapons
After months of delays, the US Congress has approved a further $90 billion of aid as Ukraine faces growing pressure from fresh Russian advances.
End systemic pressures inside the family to end violence against women
The problem is not straightforwardly men’s power over women but the unbearable pressure on everybody to perform socially recognisable gender roles in a nuclear family.
NTEU at Sydney Uni backs the academic boycott of Israeli universities
Sydney University staff have passed an unprecedented motion that will push forward the movement in Australia for the boycott, divestment and sanction of Israel.
AUKUS billions won’t deliver jobs bonanza for SA
The AUKUS subs will come at an outrageous cost, but will also do little to deliver jobs, the UK experience shows.
An Israeli Jewish activist speaks: ‘Today I don’t believe in the Zionist entity at all’
Solidarity spoke to an anti-Zionist Jewish activist in Israel about why a handful of dissenters continue against all the odds.
Pine Gap aiding Israel’s war
Spy base Pine Gap is almost certainly playing a key role feeding intelligence to Israel for use against Gaza.
Despite Labor’s claims, cost of living still rising faster than wages
Workers are still feeling the cost of living crunch, with Anthony Albanese refusing to do anything that would make a real difference.
Modi’s Islamophobia on full display as India faces election
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on track to win India’s upcoming election, giving him a third term in office and allowing him to cement his reactionary and racist agenda.
Firies, sparkies and pilots fight cost-of-living pain
Read Solidarity's monthly round-up from the frontline of workers' struggle.
Strike action heats up at RMIT University
There’s an upbeat mood among RMIT workers after an all-out strike for three and a half days in the week leading up to Easter.
The hidden history of Jewish anti-Zionism and radicalism
Clare Fester reviews a new book that looks at the history of Jewish working class radicalism and struggle that Zionism has sought to hide.
Labor’s naval build-up pours billions more into war
In late February, the war-hawk Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, announced Labor would spend an extra $11.1 billion to double the number of Navy surface ships, taking total naval spending in the next decade to an eye-wateringly obscene $54.2 billion.
Western alarm as Russia makes gains in Ukraine proxy war
The two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine was marked by the Russian capture of the strategically important Ukrainian city of Avdiivka.
A new McCarthyism: War and the crackdown on support for Palestine
Repression of Palestine activism echoes the crackdown during previous wars, argue James Supple and Tom Orsag.
Hamas and the politics of Palestinian resistance
Hamas grew out of the legitimate Palestinian resistance to Israel’s violence, writes James Supple, but its focus on armed struggle has not delivered liberation.
Western attacks on Yemen risk spreading war
The attacks on Yemen show that President Joe Biden’s calls for Israel to exercise “restraint” are hollow hypocrisy.
Electricity workers strike for 8 per cent a year
More than 1000 Endeavour Energy and Transgrid workers, members of the Electrical Trades Union, walked out on strike last week for 24 hours.
‘Why we went on strike for Palestine’
Union members at the Foundation for Young Australians across the country joined the Global Strike for Gaza, demanding their employer make a statement of solidarity with Palestine.
After the Voice, Albanese’s inaction on Indigenous rights is exposed
The failure of the Voice to Parliament referendum has exposed Anthony Albanese’s commitment to racist policies and severe neglect in Indigenous Affairs.
Indigenous activist Ray Peckham: How unions helped stop segregation in the 1960s
Paddy Gibson spoke to Indigenous activist Ray Peckham about the fight against segregation and the Aboriginal Welfare Board, and how trade unions aided the struggle
How Labor supported Israel’s bloody birth in 1948
The Australian Labor Party’s leaders have backed Israel from the beginning, playing a key role in the UN partition plan in 1947 that triggered the Nakba, writes Tom Orsag.
Attack on Yemen raises risk of wider war
Labor has backed the savage attack on at least 60 targets in 16 locations around Yemen by the US and Britain.
Labor’s migration policy puts profit before people
Labor is fuelling racist views about migration, announcing a major crackdown on the number of people entering Australia to study or work.
Israel threatens wider war on Lebanon against Hezbollah resistance
Israel is threatening to widen its war into Lebanon.
Unionists take Palestine solidarity into schools and workplaces
Organising for Palestine in the unions continues to step up. Teachers and School Staff for Palestine in Sydney and Melbourne have held solidarity photos in schools and a vigil in Melbourne.
Israeli state and settler violence grows in West Bank
The so-called truce did not end the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, where Israeli settlers and troops are terrorising and killing with impunity.
How resistance can turn into revolution
Ending the domination of Israel in the Middle East and the Western imperialism behind it will require revolution, writes James Supple.
After the Voice referendum: What can we do about racism in Australia?
Matilda Fay looks at where racism in Australia comes from and what we can do about it.
Refugee activists win fines case: now give refugees permanent visas
Police have dropped charges against eight Refugee Action Collective Vic activists who were fined for taking part in a car cavalcade on Good Friday 2020.
Protest blocks Zim boat in action against Israel’s genocide in Gaza
Up to 500 people staged a snap protest in Sydney last night, significantly disrupting the Israeli shipping company, Zim.
Biden’s embrace of Israel designed to cement US power
US President Joe Biden has given Israel’s murderous rampage in Gaza his full and absolute backing.
Australia the US’s partner in crime not puppet
Anthony Albanese and the Australian government back the US and Israel as junior partners in bullying and exploiting the world, argues David Glanz.
Albanese backs Israel’s war crimes in Gaza
The Australian government has lined up wholeheartedly behind Israel, with Albanese declaring, “We will stand with Israel. We always will.”
Movement for climate action can’t ignore union concerns over jobs
The climate movement also needs to take seriously the need for a just transition for fossil fuel workers and their communities.
Who are Hamas?
Hamas is a major part of the Palestinian resistance movement that has opposed Israeli settler-colonialism for decades.
Referendum disaster product of the focus on token change
Responsibility for the referendum disaster lies at the feet of Anthony Albanese and the strategy of pursuing tokenistic constitutional recognition.
Vale Tom O’Lincoln
It was with great sadness that Solidarity comrades learned that Tom O’Lincoln had died after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Arm yourselves with the arguments: why it’s right to back the Palestinian resistance
Here is a selection of articles from the Solidarity archives on the foundation of Israel, its links to imperialism and Palestinian resistance to it.
Union strategies: segmented, staggered and piecemeal
Welcome to Solidarity's monthly round-up of workplace struggles.
Pezzullo scandal a glimpse behind ruling-class curtain
Our rulers scheme with each other (and occasionally against each other) but they always scheme against the working class. Just for once we’ve been given a glimpse.
Assassination in Canada exposes Albanese’s embrace of violent Modi government
The Indian government has been accused of assassinating a Sikh activist in Canada. This is all too believable in the light of Modi’s Hindu nationalism and authoritarianism.
Labor conference runs dead on refugees
Labor's underwhelming announcement on the refugee intake set the scene for an equally underwhelming and orchestrated Labor conference.
BRICS summit a sign of growing imperialist rivalry
The BRICS summit took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August. It was another confirmation of the relative decline of US power and the increasingly turbulent state of world imperialism.
Will a Voice to Parliament deliver change—and is there any alternative?
Solidarity answers key questions about the Voice to Parliament, what it would mean, and whether there is any alternative to it.
Chile’s bloody coup 50 years on
In 1973 workers in Chile were on the march and could have taken power, but the left’s failures allowed the ruling class to unleash bloody repression, argues Raili Maria Haagensen.
Ben Abbatangelo: Labor promotes the Voice but ignores Indigenous demands on housing, poverty, imprisonment
Gunaikurnai and Wotjobaluk writer Ben Abbatangelo spoke to Solidarity on the Voice to Parliament.
Workers left exposed as fires and extreme heat circle the globe
Heatwaves and wildfires have been raging across the northern hemisphere. July was the hottest month ever recorded.
Exposing Labor’s greenwashing and climate failure
Over 200 people attended the Climate Action Conference in Sydney on 29 July. Here are some of the highlights of the speeches.
‘You don’t fight poverty with pay cuts’: Brotherhood workers escalate fight to beat inflation
More than 100 ASU members at anti-poverty charity the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne went on strike for a full day in their campaign for a better enterprise agreement.
Rebellion shakes Putin but Ukraine’s offensive stalled
The aborted rebellion in June by Yevgeny Prigozhin exposed fractures in Putin’s regime. But this could easily make the war in Ukraine even more dangerous as Western escalation continues.
API still on strike after three weeks in fight for a cost of living pay rise
Workers at a pharmaceutical warehouse in Melbourne that employs 190 people have been on strike for three weeks fighting for pay rises to match inflation and equal rates for casual workers.
Why Australian troops went to the Solomons—an inside view on Australian imperialism
With the 20th anniversary of Australian intervention in the Solomons this month, Michael Wesley’s new book is a useful addition to our knowledge of how Australian imperialism works in the region.
Climate quitting won’t stop the fossil fuel companies
Amid the accounts of climate breakdown recently, the story of energy workers “climate quitting” as a form of dissent to the complicity of their employers in the climate crisis has emerged.
Rank-and-file unionists at Brotherhood show organising can win gains
Workers at the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne have rejected management’s proposed enterprise agreement in a non-union ballot, 61 per cent to 39 per cent.
Transphobia runs deeper than anti-trans bigots
Transphobic mobilisations must be opposed, writes Sophie Cotton, but this should be linked to a fight against the broader institutional transphobia in the political mainstream
Lack of ongoing movement allows sexist backlash against Brittany Higgins
Selective leaking of text messages and other evidence has been used to try to discredit Brittany Higgins, as part of a backlash against demands for action on sexism.
PNG students take to the streets against war
Students across Papua New Guinea walked off their campuses last month to protest against a 15-year military agreement between PNG and the US.
Protests demand end to indefinite detention
A year after Labor's election, protests have returned to immigration detention.
The Nakba 75 years on
Israel was founded 75 years ago through the massacre and expulsion of Palestinians, argues Raul Haagensen, and the brutality and dispossession continues today.
SA Labor rips up rights after Adelaide’s week of protest for planet
Activists in Adelaide staged fantastic actions against two planet-threatening confabs—on fossil fuels and war. But Labor responded with hasty legal changes to crack down on protest.
Onelink workers strike for a cost of living pay rise
About 50 workers at hospital and health care supplier Onelink in western Sydney took four days of strike action this week for wage rises to keep pace with the cost of living and higher redundancy payments.
Thai electorate reject the military
The results of the recent Thai election are a slap in the face for the military junta, which has been in power since overthrowing the elected Pua Thai government in the coup of 2014.
Truganini: the apocalypse hasn’t ended
Cassandra Pybus’s book, Truganini, highlights the damning treatment and decimation of First Nations in lutruwita—now known as Tasmania.
Queensland Labor set to throw more Indigenous kids in prison
Queensland’s Labor government has passed new right-wing law and order measures that will increase already disgraceful levels of Indigenous over-imprisonment.
Robodebt scandal shows how far government and public officials will go to punish the poor
The Royal Commission into the Liberals’ Robodebt scheme has exposed the scale of lies and cover up that went into defending an illegal policy designed to punish the poor.
Protests as Israelis fall out over how to oppress Palestinians
Israel has stepped up its murderous rampages in the West Bank as the Netanyahu government encourages greater settler violence against Palestinians.
History repeating—the series of Indigenous advisory voices that governments ignored
An Indigenous Voice to Parliament would only be the latest in a succession of Indigenous advisory bodies that have all been ignored and then scrapped, writes Jasmine Ali.
Safeguards deal still won’t deliver cuts to emissions
The Greens and Labor have struck a deal to pass the climate Safeguard Mechanism bill. While this may restrict the number of new coal and gas projects, it won’t reduce actual emissions—and is a disaster for the climate.
Women, life, freedom—Iran’s uprising six months on
After nearly six months the uprising in Iran—known as Zhina’s uprising after the nickname of Mahsa Amini whose death in police custody triggered the revolt—has begun to die down.
Official transphobia legitimises the far right
The appearance of a handful of Nazis at the “Let Women Speak” rally in Melbourne last weekend has caused a furore.
Lifting the lid on how ‘social security’ offers no security at all
It’s timely that Who Cares? has landed in our bookshops just as public hearings by the Robodebt Royal Commission wind up this month.
Iraq war showed the brutal cost of US power—don’t let them do it again
Mark Gillespie looks at the chaos and death the US unleashed on Iraq following the invasion in 2003—and why we need a new movement against war.
Stop the warmongering, stop the subs
Labor’s announcement that it will buy or build up to 13 nuclear-powered submarines at a price of $368 billion is a horrifying step towards war with China.
Visy workers can lousy wage offer
The 40 workers at one of Visy’s can-making factories, in Shepparton, Victoria, are planning to walk out for four days after today's Labour Day public holiday, bringing their strike days this year to 17.
Biggest strike yet as Sydney Uni staff plan for escalating action
A successful 24-hour strike at the University of Sydney last Thursday kicked off plans for a semester of escalating industrial action.
Nuclear waste dump plan ignores Indigenous voice
“You cannot talk about Voice, respect and recognition and cut Aboriginal people out of decision-making and impose radioactive waste on their country.”
Workers take a stand against sexual harassment
McDonald’s workers at Traralgon Central Plaza walked out on 17 February in protest at sexual harassment at work and joined a 100-strong rally outside the store, organised by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU).
Lidia Thorpe raises dissent over Voice to Parliament
Lidia Thorpe’s resignation from The Greens has exposed the limits of the party’s radicalism and invigorated the debate about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Labor’s new climate plan only safeguards fossil fuels
The Albanese government wants to force changes to the climate Safeguard Mechanism through parliament by 31 March.
How do we move from revolt to revolution?
Poverty, war and climate change drive millions to fight back. But we need to turn resistance into a challenge to the whole system, writes James Supple.
A summer of struggle on the picket line
Workers kept up the fight over the normally quiet summer period, with disputes fuelled by high inflation and issues relevant to each workforce.
Neo-Nazi sentenced to jail for attack on home of anti-racist activist
Desmond Liddington, a neo-Nazi who pleaded guilty to his part in the attack on the home of Black Lives Matter activist Paddy Gibson, has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail.
Racist native title system approves Santos’ destruction of Gomeroi land
On 19 December last year, President John Dowsett from the national Native Title Tribunal shamefully ruled in favour of gas giant Santos against Gomeroi native title applicants.
Attitudes shifting to the left but struggle still yet to rise
The Australian Electoral Study has released a report after every election for the last 30 years. Its most recent on the 2022 election sheds light on Labor’s victory and current political attitudes.
Indigenous activists speak out: Why the Voice won’t do anything to end racist injustice
Many Indigenous people are sceptical about the planned Voice to parliament, despite the media focus on its support. Solidarity spoke to Indigenous activists Callum Clayton-Dixon, Suellyn Tighe and Michael Mansell about the problems with the proposal.
When the Wiradyuri fought colonial capitalist land theft
Stephen Gapps’ book Gudyarra is a compelling account of the opening phase of the genocidal invasion of Wiradyuri lands by British imperialism and the fierce anti-colonial insurgency waged by Wiradyuri people.
US bases positioned for war against China
The US is the biggest bully in the Pacific, with rings of military bases blocking and threatening China, writes Tom Orsag.
LA’s 1960s rebellion a guide to the fire next time
Contrary to the popular perception of Los Angeles as a youth paradise, with surfing and an “endless summer” of partying, LA in the 1960s was a hothouse of activism. The book Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties by American Marxist Mike Davis and Jon Wiener is its history.
Jose Maria Sison: a flawed revolutionary
Sison dedicated his life to fighting colonialism and imperialism. But his devotion to a version of Stalinist politics means that, ultimately, his was a deeply flawed revolutionary project that has left a deep scar on Filipino politics.
Ukraine war set to grind on as US and Russia dismiss negotiations
Russia has suffered a further defeat in Ukraine, withdrawing from Kherson, the only regional capital that Russian forces successfully occupied since their invasion earlier this year.
Protests continue to rock Iran as regime wavers on headscarf law
Protests in Iran are still ramping up pressure on the regime, entering their third month despite a brutal crackdown by the state.
Can change come from inside Israel?
Israeli politics is becoming more racist and right-wing as a result of its foundation as a settler state based on Palestinian dispossession, argues James Supple.
Dan Andrews—progressive sheen covering a law and order agenda
Victoria’s claim to be “the most progressive state in the nation” leaves out some inconvenient facts.
Eyewitness report: Australia’s other offshore hell—lift the ban on refugees in Indonesia
Ian Rintoul recently returned from a refugee movement fact-finding trip to Indonesia. He reports on the plight of refugees trapped there by Australian government policy
World heads for climate disaster as COP27 brings more broken promises
The world is on a “highway to hell”, the UN’s Antonio Guterres warned as world leaders began gathering at the COP27 climate talks.
Union tour pledges support for Gomeroi fight against Pilliga gas project
A delegation of 50 trade union officials and rank-and-file members visited the Pilliga Forest on 6 November, to hear first-hand from Gomeroi leaders about their struggle against the Santos Pilliga/Narrabri gas project.
Resisting the draft: lessons for anti-war activists
We can draw inspiration and a dose of realistic expectations from the early resisters and peace activists, writes Steven Kwon.
Reject the smears: stand with Lidia Thorpe
An unholy alliance of Labor and Coalition politicians, media, pro-Voice Aboriginal activists and Greens insiders is trying to drive Djab Wurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara woman, Senator Lidia Thorpe, out of the Greens and potentially out of parliament.
Extinction Rebellion protests expose SA Labor climate hypocrisy
Extinction Rebellion (XR) has disrupted the fossil fuel industry and its cosy relationship with the South Australian Labor government.
Iran’s revolt and the lessons of the 1979 revolution
Today, as workers join the struggles on the streets in Iran, there is inspiration to be gained and lessons learned from the events of 1979.
Weapons of death—Australia’s growing arms industry
Australia is pushing to develop a much bigger local military manufacturing and arms industry as part of its effort to confront China writes Feiyi Zhang.
More torture as Labor threatens Medevac refugees brought from offshore detention
Late last month, refugees brought to Australia from PNG and Nauru received a threatening letter from the government telling them they had to leave the country.
Queensland backs publicly-owned renewables and job guarantees for workers
The Queensland government has announced plans to boost public investment in renewable energy, as well as a job security guarantee for workers affected by coal power station closures.
Iran rises up after police kill young woman
The protests in Iran following the police killing of Mahsa Amini have produced the biggest challenge to the regime in years.
One third of Pakistan under water as climate disaster brings extreme flooding
Extreme flooding has devastated Pakistan after ten consecutive weeks of heavy rainfall.
Sabra and Shatila 40 years on—Israel’s brutal war crime
The massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon was one of Israel’s most shocking war crimes against the Palestinians, writes Ella Haber
Labor’s delays leave refugees in limbo
More than 1500 refugees and asylum-seekers rallied from across the country in Canberra on 8 September to demand permanent visas for all refugees and asylum-seekers.
Bookshop workers write next chapter of struggle
Workers at the Readings bookshop chain in Melbourne are closing in on an inaugural enterprise agreement.
Educators not babysitters: childcare workers walk off the job
Thousands of early educators walked out to join protests around the country on Wednesday, demanding pay rises, lower workloads and recognition for their skills.
NSW nurses strike again as pressure builds on Perrottet
Nurses across NSW walked off work for 24 hours yesterday in their fourth day of strike action this year.
UQ staff kick off ‘Striketember’ with first stoppage
Members of the NTEU at the University of Queensland kicked off their “Striketember” with a short strike and protest.
How Gorbachev failed to save Russian state capitalism
Mikhail Gorbachev was no hero. He tried to save Russian state capitalism at the expense of workers ... and failed.
Taiwan visit goads China in US imperialist power play
Nancy Pelosi’s provocative visit to Taiwan in August has signalled a dangerous new phase in the rivalry between the US and China.
Lifting the lid on wage theft and exploitation
Ben Schneiders is a Walkley award winning investigative journalist at The Age. He spoke to Solidarity about his new book Hard Labour: wage theft in the age of inequality, out in October.
Indigenous Voice a hollow advisory body, Labor confirms
Anthony Albanese has outlined Labor’s proposed constitutional reform to enshrine an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament”. The details confirm that the planned referendum will offer no constitutional rights to Indigenous people and ensure the Voice has no enshrined powers.
Sydney Uni shut down again in fourth strike day
Staff at the University of Sydney have taken their fourth day of strike action since May this year against an aggressive and hostile university management.
Labor criminalises forest protest despite union pushback
Under pressure from the timber workers’ union, Victorian Labor has passed a law targeting environmental activists. But other unions pushed back against this move, calling it an attack on the right to protest.
Community protests keep Redfern’s National Centre for Indigenous Excellence open for now
A week of protests has won a reprieve for Redfern’s National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, after plans to shut the centre were announced suddenly last week.
Anti-union ABCC defunded, but unions still need to fight for the right to strike
One surprise since Labor's election win in May is its immediate move to almost totally defund the anti-union ABCC.
Fed-up NSW nurses vote for more strikes over staffing and 7 per cent
Nurses in NSW have reaffirmed a decision to demand a 7 per cent pay increase, rejecting the NSW Liberal government’s pay cap of just 3 per cent.
‘An alliance in support of the Tent Embassy and land rights’: The Black Moratorium marches 50 years on
Bob Makinson was involved in organising meetings for the Black Moratorium in Sydney as a high school student. He spoke to Solidarity about the marches and their part in the history of the Aboriginal rights movement.
Tram depot workers rail against bosses
Almost 90 maintenance workers at East Preston tram depot in Melbourne struck for four days last week and are preparing to walk out again.
Labor wants the energy market profiteers to deliver renewables transition
The energy market chaos and soaring power bills boost the case for a rapid transition to renewable energy.
After nine years of refugee horror: Labor must grant permanent visas now
This year on 19 July marked nine years since Kevin Rudd’s Labor government announced that asylum-seekers who arrived by boat would be sent offshore and never be allowed to resettle in Australia.
Teachers stage united strike against NSW Liberals—but looking to state election not the answer
About 20,000 teachers marched on NSW parliament on 30 June in a taste of the action needed to force Dominic Perrottet to act on the workloads and staffing crisis.
Refugees are still alive, still fighting a horror system
The NSW’s Premier’s Literary Awards 2022 Book of the Year, Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System, illustrates the horrors and depravity of Australia’s refugee detention system.
Greens gain seats but focus on parliament won’t bring change
The Greens celebrated their best ever result at the federal election, winning 12 per cent of the national vote and increasing their Senate seats to 12.
Protests support call from Yuendumu: ‘no more police guns in communities’
A nationwide day of protest was held on 18 June calling for an end to police guns in remote Indigenous communities.
US sees chance of Russian defeat in Ukraine and ramps up the killing
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues to drag on with no end in sight.
Power market failure—re-nationalise now and build public renewables
The energy system has gone into meltdown in a market failure of massive proportions.
PSA members join the public sector strike wave in NSW
Workers across the public service in NSW took strike action on Wednesday, with thousands of members of the PSA marching on state parliament.
Labor’s Pacific charm offensive aims to shore up Australian and US domination
Labor’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has spent her first weeks in government shoring up Australia’s sub-imperialism in the southwest Pacific across the arc of Australian strategic interests.
Workers at NDIS provider walk out for pay and dignity
Support workers at NDIS provider Bedford in South Australia struck in late May for two days, for wage equity and better treatment by management. In a separate dispute, Bedford workers with disabilities are also gearing up to win wage justice under a new agreement.
Thirty years since the Mabo decision—why Native Title hasn’t delivered
Thirty years ago the High Court recognised Native Title in the Mabo judgment. But it has failed to deliver anything like the compensation for dispossession demanded in the original calls for land rights.
Strike shuts down Sydney Uni for 48 hours as staff and students fight together
A 48-hour strike saw Sydney University almost completely shut down on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Barber authors give corporate universities a hair cut
In writing The Barber Who Read History, Rowan Cahill and Terry Irving provide an alternative radical philosophy and politics of writing history. Along the way, they provide a damning critique of the neoliberal university.
NSW teachers strike back against the Liberals—step up the strikes to win
Teachers across NSW took strike action today for the second time in five months, with more than 15,000 marching on parliament house.
How war can lead to revolution
The horrors of war have produced numerous revolts at home—that have ended wars, toppled dictatorships and put a fight for radical change on the agenda, argues Tom Orsag.
Billions wasted on weapons—stop the march to war on China
The Morrison government remains stuck behind in the polls and is relentlessly trying to take us into a khaki election.
Australia’s own imperialism behind hysteria over Solomons-China deal
China’s security treaty with the Solomon Islands, finally signed this week, has caused hysteria in Australian ruling class circles.
Amazon union win shows how workers can beat the billionaires
Workers at the JFK8 Amazon warehouse have become the first Amazon workplace in the US to unionise, in another example of workers in the US fighting back following the pandemic.
Action by mental health workers wins concessions from Victorian Labor
Stop work action by Victorian public mental health workers has forced the Victorian Labor government to sign off on a statewide enterprise agreement.
Right to protest under attack in NSW as new laws threaten two years’ jail
New laws in NSW rushed through on 1 April are an appalling attempt to criminalise activism and protest at a time when it is deeply needed.
Liberals hide behind COVID to force further cuts and marketisation of universities
It’s widely known that Australian higher education funding has been hit hard by COVID-19. Less well understood is that under the cover of the crisis the government has been decisively restructuring university funding.
‘We’re treated like animals in this place’: bashed detainee speaks out
“I’ve never been hit so many times on my head for nothing.” That’s what one detainee in the Christmas Island detention centre told Solidarity after guards went on a violent rampage last week.
South Australian vote shows Morrison’s on the ropes—strike back to knock him out and win real change
The big swing against the Liberals in the South Australian election is another blow to the Liberals. Scott Morrison will be even more panicked about his own re-election chances.
Gomeroi reject agreement with Santos—step up the fight against the Pilliga coal-seam gas project
In a historic vote, Gomeroi people overwhelmingly rejected an agreement proposed by gas giant Santos at a Native Title meeting in Tamworth yesterday.
Morrison’s hypocrisy over Ukraine refugees
For the second time in nine months the world has been confronted by horrific scenes of refugees fleeing war. The first was Afghanistan in August 2021, the second in Ukraine, this year, with over three million people fleeing across the Ukrainian border following Russia’s invasion.
Defiant protests across Russia say no to war
Since the start of the war, protests have been happening every day across Russia, from individual picketing to marches of tens of thousands.
Ned Hargraves: ‘No more guns in our communities. It must never happen again’
Walpiri elder from Yuendumu, Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, issued this statement after the acquittal of NT police officer Zachary Rolfe today over the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker.
Russian socialist writes: ‘Putin ramps up repression, but there’s less patriotic frenzy’
A Russian socialist writes on Putin's crackdown at home and the collapse in living standards caused by the war
Labor’s ‘green’ plan for Kurri Kurri plant still a climate disaster
Labor has announced it will now support Morrison’s plan for the construction of a new gas-fired power station in Kurri Kurri, saying a Labor government would convert it to run on green hydrogen.
Striking nurses rage against lack of staff in NSW hospitals
Nurses have taken strike action across public hospitals in NSW for up to 24 hours, with around 5000 marching on state parliament.
Austrian socialists: ‘We are against compulsory vaccination’
Austrian socialists Manfred Ecker and David Reisinger from Linkswende Jetzt spoke to Solidarity about vaccination measures and COVID protests there led by the right
Harry van Moorst: a life of resistance
Phil Griffiths pays tribute to a veteran of the anti-Vietnam War movement who never stopped fighting for justice.
Say No to Morrison’s bigotry bill
UPDATED ON 11 FEBRUARY: Scott Morrison has been humiliated after five Liberals crossed the floor in parliament to vote against him over amendments to the Religious Discrimination Bill. His attempt to wedge Labor over the issue has blown up in his face and the Liberals are in disarray.
No war with China: Australia out of the Quad
The foreign ministers of Australia, the US, India and Japan will be greeted by anti-war protests as they arrive in Melbourne this week for a meeting of the Quad.
Vote NO to the proposed Victorian Government Schools Agreement
Essential workers can win better wages AND conditions, write Solidarity members of the AEU.
COVID Australia sharply divided by class
COVID has hit lower-paid workers hardest, according to new research. Solidarity spoke to lead researcher Dr Tom Barnes from the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences at the Australian Catholic University.
Fifty years on—Aboriginal Tent Embassy showed ‘we will fight for what is ours’
The establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on Invasion Day in 1972 was one of the high points of the Aboriginal rights movement. It showed how protest could put Aboriginal rights on the agenda and win real changes.
‘Voice to Parliament’ farce continues as Aboriginal oppression grinds on
Proposals from both the Coalition and Labor are a weak shadow of the historic demands for self-determination and sovereignty advanced by the Aboriginal rights movement over generations.
Morrison’s song and dance over Djokovic can’t hide immigration crimes
Long after Djokovic has left Australia and taken up residence in one or other luxury hotel, we will need to fight Morrison, and the system, to free every refugee and asylum-seeker still left in detention.
Tutu: a fighter against apartheid, in South Africa and Palestine
One aspect of Tutu’s politics that most official “tributes” have avoided mentioning is his support for the Palestinian struggle.
Poverty means millions can’t afford festive cheer
Millions will struggle to put food on the table this Christmas, let alone buy presents for loved ones.
Parliament sexism report reveals a foul system: fight for change
A federal government review into workplace culture in federal parliament has found that an astonishing one in three staffers there have experienced sexual harassment.
NTEU’s failure to condemn transphobic academics no grounds for quitting
A national council motion in the NTEU has reignited the debate within the union over trans rights and academic freedom.
Fed up NSW teachers strike over workloads, pay and staffing shortage
Public school teachers in NSW walked off the job for our first strike in a decade on Tuesday, with almost 400 schools completely shut.
Nazis attack family home of Sydney anti-racist activist
Nazis have attacked the family home of well-known anti-racist activist, Indigenous rights supporter and socialist, Paddy Gibson.
Labor’s climate plan aims to please the bosses
Labor’s new climate policy is nowhere near what’s needed to stop dangerous climate change.
France tries to smother Kanak resistance in New Caledonia
France has now announced that the third referendum in New Caledonia will take place on 12 December, angering independence parties, which have called for a delay until late 2022.
Australian troops return to Solomon Islands to keep out China
Last week the Australian government rushed troops, AFP riot police and a navy patrol boat to the Solomon Islands within a day of political protests there, which turned into rioting.
Country Road workers fashion a victory
United Workers Union members at Country Road Group’s Truganina warehouse in Melbourne have scored a victory after 12 days of industrial action, a first for that site.
Union campaign wins up to $10 million for casuals
On the back of a wage theft campaign by casuals, RMIT University in Melbourne will pay thousands of low-wage workers up to $10 million.
Left opposition to pandemic powers needed to undermine right-wing ‘freedom’ protests
The right-wing “freedom rallies” last weekend are a worrying development. But counter-demonstrations that simply label the protesters as fascists are counter-productive.
Racist cops gun down more Aboriginal people
On Tuesday 9 November, NSW police shot dead Gomeroi man Stanley Russell in his Aunt Pam’s house in Western Sydney. Stanley was 46, a father and a grandfather.
Nurse speaks out: ‘Hospital staff are sick of working understaffed’
Damien Davis-Frank works as a nurse in the emergency department at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney and is the Vice-President of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association branch there. He spoke to Solidarity about the impact on hospitals of Sydney’s recent COVID outbreak and why the strain on the health system is not over.
Effort to vaccinate the world failing with rich countries still hoarding doses
As rich countries begin delivering booster shots, 98 per cent of people living in poor countries remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Country Road strikers turn up the heat on Country Rogues
Union members at Country Road’s distribution centre in the Melbourne suburb of Truganina have walked out on indefinite strike.
Sudanese revolutionaries resist military coup
The military coup in Sudan has been met with a huge wave of protests and strikes that have declared “revolution until victory”.
US workers begin to flex some industrial muscle
American workers were on strike in their tens of thousands in October. More than 185 strikes have taken place in 2021 at about 255 workplaces across the US.
Stop Andrews’ pandemic power grab
The Victorian government has proposed legislation to cover the management of pandemics. It would enshrine the authoritarian response that has characterised the state’s handling of COVID-19.
Can we teach an end to racism?
The ABC miniseries The School That Tried to End Racism documents a class of primary school students in Sydney in an experimental program designed to root out unconscious racial bias.
Refugee supporters rally outside COVID ‘death trap’ hotel prison
Refugee supporters protested on Saturday outside the Park Hotel prison in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton, where 46 Medevac refugees are detained behind sealed windows.
Right to protest under threat as Victoria Police deploy vicious weapons
Victoria Police have used anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne as an opportunity to normalise the deployment of riot police and the use of new weapons.
Editorial: Fight to fund hospitals, safety and jobs amid COVID reopening
Reopening must not mean a return to business as usual. As restrictions lift workers need to go on the offensive.
Australia dumps PNG refugees—keep up the fight to bring them here
Abandoning the refugees left there is the latest move by the Australian government to use PNG as a dumping ground for those it first sent to the horror of Manus Island detention centre in 2013.
Why the right hates Critical Race Theory
Tom Fiebig looks at the culture wars around Critical Race Theory and argues that understanding the systemic basis of racism is vital if we are to fight it.
Climate change adding to workplace health and safety risks
Climate change is a growing workplace risk and can lead to accidents and even death. Unions need the clear right to bargain around climate change and its impacts on workers.
NSW Liberals install new hard right Premier as Berejiklian departs
NSW’s new Premier is a hardline neo-liberal, anti-abortion conservative who celebrated Donald Trump’s election win in 2016.
‘People should be taken through the journey and educated about vaccination’
Celeste Liddle is an Arrente woman, a union activist, social commentator and The Greens candidate for the federal seat of Cooper in Melbourne. She spoke to David Glanz for Solidarity’s podcast The Sound of Solidarity recently. Here is a part of that interview.
Greek health workers strike to defend jobs against vaccine mandate
Health workers in Greece are fighting government efforts to sack unvaccinated workers due to a mandatory vaccination rule in hospitals.
‘Don’t scab, get the jab’—a slogan no unionist should use
Unions have rightly been encouraging members to get vaccinated. But the idea that people unsure about getting a jab are all “anti-union” or “scabs” is wrong.
NTEU committee pushes back on employer vaccine mandate
The branch committee of the National Tertiary Education Union at the University of Melbourne yesterday called on their employer to hold off on a vaccine mandate and to discuss COVID safety with union members.
Adelaide ‘no nuclear subs’ campaign sets sail
A rally in Adelaide has kicked off the campaign against nuclear-powered subs and the AUKUS alliance for war.
John Elliott—vile corporate raider and racist bigot
John Elliott, who died ten days short of his 80th birthday, was a corporate raider of the 1970s and 1980s and loyal servant of the Melbourne establishment and the Liberal Party.
Racism and neglect drives COVID outbreak in Wilcannia
Paddy Gibson from Solidarity spoke with Monica Kerwin, a Barkindji woman and community spokesperson, and Lizzie Jarrett, a Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Dunghutti activist based in Sydney.
Urgent call for prison releases after COVID outbreaks in NSW
Advocates are calling for the release of low-risk inmates from prisons following COVID outbreaks in three NSW jails.
Residents speak out against punitive policing under lockdown from Camperdown to western Sydney
A meeting on the politics of lockdown on Thursday night heard a series of first hand accounts from residents facing authoritarian police controls used as part of Sydney's COVID restrictions.
NSW reopening plan fails on health and workplace safety
The NSW government has released a "roadmap to freedom" for when it reaches the 70 per cent “double-dose” COVID vaccination target.
More action needed to ensure COVID safe return-to-school plan in NSW
The NSW government has announced a staggered return to school from 25 October for those areas of the state in lockdown.
Iran’s Khuzestan province rocked by protests and strikes
Since Iran’s shambolic presidential election on 18 June, the country has again been rocked by protests and strikes, especially in the province of Khuzestan.
Aboriginal people hit hard by homelessness crisis
Recent weeks have seen a series of homeless people die on the streets of Perth. Last year there were at least 56 deaths.
Lockdowns, Delta and a new stage in the pandemic
Sydney's Delta outbreak has dramatically changed the situation with the pandemic in Australia.
Worried about health? It’s a matter of class
Working class people have poorer health than the rich—and things are only getting worse, according to a new report.
Financial support and workplace safety still missing as Delta heads out of control
The Delta outbreak has now infected thousands in Sydney, leaking into rural NSW, Victoria, the Northern Territory and New Zealand.
Poverty, police powers and life under lockdown in Western Sydney
Solidarity spoke to residents of Western Sydney about the police targeting of the area to impose stay at home orders and how people are struggling under lockdown
US humiliated in Afghanistan as Taliban seizes Kabul
The 20-year occupation of Afghanistan has ended in a major defeat for the US and its allies.
Vaccine inequality produces surge in deaths across Africa and Asia
With so few vaccinated in the Global South, countries are seeing an appalling—and largely unnecessary—surge of deaths.
Olympics fuel nationalism that distracts from our real problems
As the Games wrap up, it is clearer than ever that they have represented a very expensive insult to public health for the Japanese people
Vaccinations need to be encouraged, not compulsory
Vaccinations save lives. But should employers be able to make vaccinations compulsory for their workers? We argue, No.
Stopwork at Coles warehouse shows companies can’t be trusted to stop COVID’s spread
Companies are still risking workers’ lives by cutting corners over COVID safety through Sydney’s lockdown.
Police crackdown targets unionists’ convoy demanding income support through Sydney lockdown
Police have launched a crackdown against a car and bike protest convoy in Sydney demanding adequate income support payments and improved safety at work.
Australia outbids China on vaccines as contest for Pacific influence grows
Vaccine diplomacy has become the latest front in Australia’s cold war with China, as the two governments battle for influence in the Pacific islands.
Dispatch from Malaysia: doctors on strike
On 26 July, thousands of contract doctors across Malaysia walked off the job to demand permanent jobs and pathways to specialisation.
‘Freedom rallies’ no answer to lockdown woes
The rallies of thousands against lockdown in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities on Saturday show how the pandemic and governments’ responses are driving many people to breaking point.
The Dark Emu debate—Respecting Indigenous societies doesn’t require claims of agriculture
Respecting the sophistication and success of Indigenous societies doesn’t rely on pretending they were agricultural, argues Ian Rintoul
Eight years is enough—refugee detention onshore and offshore must end
This year 19 July marks the beginning of the ninth year of Offshore Detention Mark II.
Queensland to invest $2 billion in renewables—but not in publicly-owned power
In June Queensland’s Labor Government announced a renewable energy and hydrogen jobs fund with up to $2 billion for government investments. But while welcome, the funding boost doesn’t mandate government ownership of renewable energy projects.
Cops swarm Western Sydney as migrant communities scapegoated for virus’ spread
A major police operation is underway in south-west Sydney, as the NSW government looks to scapegoat and punish workers and migrant communities for the current COVID-19 outbreak.
More border controls not the answer to Morrison’s COVID failures
Renewed lockdowns in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Northern Territory show that the pandemic is still far from under control.
Resisting the new Cold War panic on China
David Brophy’s new book China Panic outlines an alternative to the rising militarism and xenophobia around China. He spoke to Solidarity about how to understand the tensions
Liberals’ COVID contempt puts workers’ lives at risk
The fourth Victorian lockdown has highlighted how the Morrison government’s incompetence and negligence is putting millions at greater risk from the COVID pandemic.
Carceral feminism—will new laws and longer sentences protect women?
New laws around coercive control have been proposed as a way to tackle violence against women. But the police can never be relied on to protect women, argues Thandi Bethune
Protest works, but the Tamil family is only half-way to freedom
Protest works! That’s the lesson from the last couple of intense weeks that have finally seen the Murugappan Tamil family reunited and put in community detention in Perth.
Labor’s small target strategy fails to dent NSW Coalition
NSW Labor is in crisis, with leader Jodi McKay resigning after last week’s Upper Hunter by-election loss. McKay took the small target strategy to the extreme, essentially disappearing from public view. It didn't pay off.
Editorial: Morrison spends up on fossil fuels and election fixes—keep fighting to force him out
Scott Morrison is hoping budget spending will put his failure on sexism and the vaccine rollout behind him.
Australia beats the drums of war and fuels confrontation with China
Australia’s rulers are feeding a conflict that could see war between two nuclear-armed powers, the US and China. It’s madness.
Palestine strikes ‘from the river to the sea’ to defy Israeli terror
Palestinians are fighting back against Israeli terror. On 18 May, they held a general strike across Israel and the occupied territories.
Budget spending can’t hide Liberals’ big business, fossil fuel agenda
The Liberals are preparing for the next election by spending money on issues that have hurt them in recent months—aged care and violence against women. But their budget offers no real solutions and is riddled with nasty measures that illustrate their real agenda.
West Papua: a rising tide of struggle for liberation
David Glanz talked to Veronica Koman, an Indonesian human rights lawyer exiled in Australia, about the fight for freedom in West Papua and the rise of a solidarity movement within Indonesia, inspired by Black Lives Matter.
Derek Chauvin is guilty, and so is the whole rotten system
Relieved celebrations broke out as police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd last year.
‘We are not cattle’—refugees moved again from hotel prison but more protest can free them
The Kangaroo Point hotel prison was closed when the last 19 Medevac refugees there were hastily moved. “We are treated like cattle,” Mo, a Sudanese refugee, told Solidarity.
Liberals’ plan for NDIS cuts stalled—now stop them for good
New NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds has halted plans for compulsory independent assessments for the NDIS.
Cancel culture: How the right defends the indefensible
The powerful who say they stand for ‘free speech’ are trying to snuff out resistance to oppression, writes David Glanz.
Organising at work key to stopping wave of harassment against women
To fight sexual harassment at work, we need to fight for secure and well paid jobs that give women the confidence to stand up to abuse.
Kevin Cook—from BLF unionist to land rights activist
After starting as an organiser in the militant BLF construction union, Kevin Cook went on to play a key role in Indigenous education and the fight for land rights, writes Niko Chlopicki
Refugee activist found not guilty on incitement charge
Refugee Action Collective Victoria member Chris Breen has been found not guilty on the charge of incitement.
Labor conference to cull policies and confirm move to the right
Anthony Albanese is dumping many of the policies Labor took to the last election, moving to the right and adopting a small target strategy.
Medevac refugees stuck in detention Catch-22—free them all
Even as the hotel-detention of Medevac refugees seems to be ending, the government is waging a bitter battle to keep the legal facade of offshore detention intact.
Teaching consent won’t counter the sexism all around us
Consent lessons cannot solve rape. The degradation, humiliation and objectification of women in our society have deep roots.
Labor wins big in WA election but bosses can breathe easy
Labor has won the West Australian election in a landslide, on course to take 52 of the state’s 59 lower house seats. But its policies are no threat to business's priorities.
‘Porter must go’: Students rage against sexism and rape
A rally led by survivors and young women, many of them high school students, took to the streets in Sydney on Friday to call for an end to sexual violence and for Christian Porter’s sacking.
Workers have power to block Myanmar coup
The people of Myanmar have been on the streets for six weeks, defying the military. Mark Goudkamp looks at the history of struggle in Myanmar and how workers can lead the fight against the coup.
CFMMEU split a diversion from fight for a just transition
A major left-wing union, the CFMMEU, is in turmoil, with its mining division looking to split away. Tom Orsag argues why demerger won't help win the fight for a just transition.
Sauce workers’ anger boils over
About 100 workers are on indefinite strike at McCormick sauces factory in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton South after five years without a pay rise.
Morrison’s plan driving gas-fired climate catastrophe
Gas giant Santos’ Narrabri coal seam gas project in northwest NSW is a key flashpoint for the climate justice struggle.
Hundreds protest against anti-trans website
Staff, students and members of the NTEU union are organising against a transphobic website published at the University of Melbourne.
Stop the Liberals’ attacks on people with disability
This year the government plans to introduce changes to the NDIS that will restrict the range and amount of supports disabled people can access through NDIS funding.
South Australia set to finally decriminalise abortion but women still not in control
A Bill to remove abortion from the criminal law passed in South Australia’s lower house in the early hours of 19 February by 29 votes to 15.
Facebook v Murdoch—Battle of the media giants tramples voices of dissent
The decision by Facebook to ban news from feeds in Australia took millions by surprise and highlighted the company’s power to control what we see.
Victorian lockdown highlights gaps in public health system
The snap Victorian lockdown in response to a COVID cluster at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne airport marks a further failure of the state’s under-resourced public health system.
Navalny’s arrest sparks mass protests against Putin’s authoritarian regime
Protests erupted across almost 200 Russian cities in late January. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets demanding the release of Alexei Navalny, a key opposition leader.
As Morrison backs fossil fuels, is the world finally acting on climate?
Scott Morrison’s pathetic failure to act on climate change has left him increasingly isolated globally.
Chicka Dixon—Unionist and mentor to a generation of Aboriginal radicals
Tom Orsag examines the life of Aboriginal activist Chicka Dixon, a wharfie, unionist, and bridge between the activists of the 1930s generation and the 1970s radicals
Invasion day protests are right to challenge COVID anti-protest rules
Mass protests planned for Invasion Day on 26 January are shaping up to be a more serious confrontation with anti-protest COVID-19 regulations.
US election—Biden’s narrow win ensures ongoing crisis
Joe Biden may have defeated Trump, but his weak position and centrist politics mean he will be unable to deal with the crises that dominate the US, writes James Supple
Workers left behind in NSW Liberals’ energy plan—keep fighting for public renewables
The NSW Liberals' renewable energy plan rests on corporate investment and does nothing to secure the jobs of workers in fossil fuel industries.
Victory for Labor’s conservatism in Queensland as One Nation takes a dive
The Queensland election has handed the Labor Party a third term in government, with an increased majority. One Nation’s vote plummeted, and The Greens also took their second seat, in South Brisbane
Greek Nazis jailed in victory for the anti-fascist movement
The leadership of Greece’s Nazi Golden Dawn party is behind bars, with leader Nikos Michaloliakos and six other former MPs sentenced to 13 years’ jail and another 11 former MPs to between five and seven years.
William Cooper—activist who helped found the Aboriginal rights movement
Aboriginal activist William Cooper led one of the earliest Aboriginal political organisations to fight against discrimination and racism, writes Feiyi Zhang
Handouts for business and the rich in budget that fails those hit by pandemic
The Liberals will shovel billions in subsidies and handouts to business and the rich, in a budget that fails those worst hit by the pandemic.
Race for a vaccine fuels imperialist power play
Across the globe a race is on to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, with the major powers scrambling to ensure supply to get their economies back on track.
End of Trump won’t fix unravelling of America
Trump has fed the polarisation of US society, but neither he nor Joe Biden have a solution to the multiple crises facing America, writes David Glanz
Protester facing jail under COVID rules after police attack anti-cuts protest at Sydney Uni
Students and staff protested against plans for massive jobs cuts at the University of Sydney on Wednesday—only to again face a draconian and hypocritical police operation to disrupt and disperse them.
Melbourne needs more support for workers and the health system, not authoritarian controls
Melbourne faces months more of authoritarian lockdown measures, following Daniel Andrews' announcement yesterday
Don’t cheersquad for lockdown—governments and the health failure over COVID-19
We should not promote lockdowns as a response to COVID-19. If governments had taken
adequate health measures, they would not be necessary
Aged care disaster exposes understaffing and corporate greed
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a harsh spotlight on the state of aged care, revealing a system that all too often delivers suffering, isolation and humiliation to the elderly.
US-China rivalry creating a dangerous world
Phil Griffiths looks at the escalating imperialist tensions between the US and China
Walkouts demand safe workplaces amid Melbourne’s COVID surge
Workers have been forced to take safety into their own hands at a series of workplaces across Melbourne, after their employers refused to take COVID-19 infections on site seriously.
‘Eat the Rich!’ Vale Paddy Garritty
Paddy Garritty was, tragically, one of the too many Victorians this week dealt a death blow by the pandemic. A militant all his life, Paddy was in the Painters and Dockers Union, ran the bar at Trades Hall for many years and had an abiding interest in creative writing and art.
Woolies workers win big on permanency and pay, but more to be gained
After almost two weeks outside the gates, members of the United Workers Union at Woolies' Wyong distribution centre in NSW have won big pay rises and an increase in permanent jobs.
Andrews’ failures produced Melbourne outbreak, not distancing slip-ups
The new wave of infections in Melbourne is the first large-scale community spread of coronavirus Australia has seen.
Racist government policies fuel deaths in custody
Paddy Gibson examines how racist government policies have led to the surge in Indigenous imprisonment and deaths in custody
Malcolm X—fighting racism by any means necessary
Cooper Forsyth looks at the ideas of one of the US’s most uncompromising fighters against racism, and what they have to teach the Black Lives Matter movement todayThe racism...
Families lead Kempsey march against deaths in custody to kick off weekend of action
Over 200 people joined a young, energetic rally in Kempsey last Friday, the home of Dunghutti man David Dungay Jnr, who was killed in Long Bay Jail in 2015.
Authoritarian display in racist lockdown of Melbourne towers
The lockdown imposed on public housing residents in Melbourne is a piece of racist authoritarianism that has to end.
Solving the jobs and climate crises together
Penny Howard looks at the proposals to create hundreds of thousands of jobs through government stimulus that addresses climate change, and how we can win them
Defund the police—until we can abolish them completely
The demand to defund the police has resonated with the multi-ethnic Black Lives Matter demonstrations in hundreds of US cities.
Sydney Uni students and staff start the fight against cuts and fee increases
Students and staff at Sydney Uni are leading the way in the fightback against cuts on campus. With the Liberals announcing new plans to increase student fees, we need to escalate the fight to defend our education.
Eyewitness from LA: Burning rage engulfs the US in rebellion against racism
The combination of the public health crisis, with the pandemic killing people of colour at the highest rates, the economic misery many face due to lockdowns, and Trump’s catastrophic leadership have created a tinderbox which Floyd’s execution set aflame.
‘The video of George Floyd took me back to when I saw my uncle’s death’
Paul Silva, whose uncle David Dungay Jr died in custody in disturbingly similar circumstances to George Floyd in Minneapolis, sends a message of solidarity to the uprising in the US.
The NTEU Framework Agreement is dead—Now we fight the cuts
The withdrawal of the NTEU executive’s proposed National Jobs Protection Framework (NJPF) is very good news.
Marx, ecology and industrial agriculture
British climate activist and socialist Martin Empson writes on why the fight against climate change must be a fight for system change and for socialism
Luck, not Morrison’s management, explains Australia’s control on coronavirus
Australia has avoided a similar coronavirus catastrophe to elsewhere mostly because of geography and luck
Pressure on women and families during lockdowns due to sexist system
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the reliance of capitalism on the nuclear family and women’s unpaid domestic labour.
Why taking wage cuts won’t save jobs
The calls to accept wage cuts or forego wage rises won’t save jobs, they will simply encourage bosses to demand even more concessions, argues David Glanz
Poverty and unemployment surges as coronavirus sweeps Indonesia
Alang, a member of Socialist Unification and the union Sentral Gerakan Buruh Nasional in Indonesia explains the impact of the coronavirus and the economic crisis it has triggered.
Stopping work to stop the war—the Vietnam Moratorium fifty years on
The first massive Vietnam Moratorium marches were held 50 years ago this month. What made them a new high point was the scale of workers' strike action to "stop work to stop the war"
Keneally’s attack is racist scapegoating—Migrants don’t take jobs
Kristina Keneally has revived the racist myth that immigration costs workers' jobs, with an opinion piece on Sunday that has spared a furore.
May 1 convoy protest says no to job cuts and attacks on wages through coronavirus recession
Over 150 cars and bikes people joined the May 1 convoy in Sydney today, calling for an end to the efforts to make workers pay the costs of the coronavirus crisis.
Morrison and Trump fuel racism in opportunistic attack on China over COVID-19
Scott Morrison has joined Donald Trump in fuelling anti-Chinese racism, with escalating attacks on China over the COVID-19 outbreak.
Teachers pay the price as COVID-19 exposes school inequality and workload crisis
There can be no talk of a return to “normal” in schools. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed pre-existing inequalities in education.
Coronavirus spending—How can governments suddenly fund everything?
The scale of the government spending announced in recent weeks is staggering. Scott Morrison has revealed three huge spending packages totalling $320 billion.
Coronavirus and capitalism—Big Pharma’s addiction to profit
As the coronavirus spreads around the world, David Glanz looks at how capitalism and the corporate control of medicine means profit comes before public health
Strikes in a time of pandemic: The 1919 seafarers’ strike
Almost exactly 101 years ago, the first great pandemic of the twentieth century struck Australia. But 1919 was also the year of the biggest strike wave in Australia’s history.
Saving capitalism from itself: lessons from Rudd’s GFC stimulus
With the world facing the sharpest economic downturn in the history of capitalism, governments are again turning overnight from neo-liberal budget-balancers to Keynesians on steroids.
Crackdown on protest as refugee activist arrested and others fined over Melbourne cavalcade
On Friday Solidarity's Chris Breen was arrested and charged with "incitement" for helping to organise a car cavalcade protest past the Mantra Hotel in Preston, Melbourne.
Car convoy protests demand wage support for all—#NoWorkerLeftBehind
Unions have pledged to keep fighting for income support for all, holding car convoy protests in Sydney and Melbourne demanding #NoWorkerLeftBehind.
Shocking Hutchison Covid-19 cover-up puts profits before safety on the waterfront
Profits are being put before safety and lives at Hutchison Ports’ Sydney terminal, where two employees have now tested positive for COVID-19.
Coronavirus─the myth that we’re ‘all in it together’
“There are no more unions or bosses. There are just Australians now.” So said Scott Morrison last week.
Vale John Passant
It is with great sadness that Solidarity members have learned of the loss of comrade John Passant.
Editorial: Morrison’s failure to stop the virus the result of a sick system
The coronavirus pandemic could see 150,000 people in Australia die in a “worst case scenario” if it spreads unchecked.
‘Never again’—understanding the horror of the Holocaust
On the 75th anniversay of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, David Glanz looks at the causes of the Holocaust and how it emerged from Hitler’s fascist ideology
Morrison spends big to bail out business not protect workers
The coronavirus pandemic means the world is facing a major recession. Morrison has announced $189 billion in economic measures—but his focus is overwhelmingly on bailouts for business, not workers.
Morrison fails on coronavirus: expand testing, medical services and sick pay now
The spread of the coronavirus has created a global health crisis and precipitated a global economic crisis. Australia’s economy was already stalling and is now almost certainly in recession.
Morrison backs NSW fossil fuel expansion as the planet burns
Scott Morrison and the NSW Liberals have agreed to ramp up fossil fuel use through a fresh expansion of gas and coal production.
Can Bernie beat the corporate Democrats this time?
Bernie Sanders’ campaign has galvanised support in the early Democratic primaries, but will he be sabotaged again, asks Lachlan Marshall
Spread of new virus no excuse for racist panic
Media-driven panic over the spread of a new coronavirus has produced a wave of anti-Chinese racism.
Captain Cook—rotten crook?
The 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing in April will see him defended as a great navigator and explorer. But he was part of the imperialist scramble to colonise the world, writes James Supple
Workers and toxic smoke: ‘People’s health has got to come before the dollar’ says Sydney port worker
Solidarity’s Erima Dall talked to Justin Timmins, the safety committee rep at DP World at Port Botany in Sydney, about their fight to avoid unsafe working conditions.
Injustice ongoing as Indigenous people jailed and killed
This year began with another shocking Aboriginal death in custody, the product of an injustice system set up to criminalise, jail and kill.
After decisive vote, no more excuses on delivering independence for Bougainville
The people of Bougainville, a province of Papua New Guinea, have voted for independence by a huge 98.31 per cent, in their long-awaited referendum held in November.
Corbyn’s compromises with Labour right led to defeat
The British election is less a rejection of Corbyn’s left-wing policies than a judgement on his compromises over Labour’s position on Brexit.
Climate change is a health hazard—Stop work action over toxic smoke shows how to fight
Air pollution and smoke has blanketed Sydney for days, as bushfires burn across the state. Up to 100 workers at Port Botany refused to work as smoke reached hazardous levels last Thursday.
Greg Adler 1951-2019
Greg Adler's life was a principled and determined fight for justice and socialism, sometimes to his own detriment, and his death is a loss to the workers’ movement.
Anti-union bill defeated, but relying on racist Hanson is no strategy
Unions have dodged a bullet after Morrison’s Ensuring Integrity Bill was narrowly defeated in the Senate.
Vale Sam Watson: warrior, socialist, comrade
It is with great sadness that Solidarity comrades have learned that comrade Sam Watson has passed away, in Brisbane, on 27 November. Sam has been a giant on...
Election review confirms Albanese’s rush to the right
Labor’s post-election review has confirmed the party’s shift to the right which began when Anthony Albanese became leader.
Outrage at police killing in Yuendumu forces murder charge
A wave of outrage and protest has forced murder charges against police officer Zachary Rolfe, after he shot 19-year-old Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi Walker.
Exploring a world in revolt
With anti-government movements erupting across the globe, Sadie Robinson looks at the root causes and how the struggles can win
Cops crackdown on Extinction Rebellion—defend the right to protest
Extinction Rebellion actions blocking traffic and producing dozens of arrests have ignited a media backlash. Police have launched a major crackdown.
Why green business can’t solve climate change
The trillions invested in fossil fuels and the cost of shifting to alternatives economy-wide means green business cannot solve the climate crisis, writes Lachlan Marshall
Australian neo-colonialism and the climate crisis in the Pacific
The Australian government’s performance at the Pacific Island Forum laid bare a ruthless agenda of regional domination and profit making at all costs.
Why 100 per cent renewable energy requires public ownership
Penny Howard argues that public spending and ownership are the only way to ensure a rapid transition to 100 per cent renewable energy—and to protect workers’ jobs
Berejiklian pandering to anti-choice bigots on abortion bill
In an effort to appease the bigots in her party, Premier Gladys Berejiklian delayed the vote on the abortion bill and is considering amendments.
As the climate crisis accelerates, strike back on 20 September
The climate crisis is rapidly accelerating. July was the hottest month since records began. This is leading to a new wave of climate activism.
Marxism and ecology
Karl Marx argued that capitalism was a system that distorts humanity’s relationship to the environment
Deregistration—union busting the BLF
Tom Orsag looks at how deregistration in 1986 virtually destroyed the Builders Labourers Federation, in a warning for unions facing the same thing today
Lessons from the last climate movement
A large grassroots climate movement emerged from 2008—but the decision to defend the carbon tax sent it into decline, writes Chris Breen
Workers and unions organise to join September’s Climate Strike
Unionists are gearing up to join the next Strike for Climate on 20 September.
Liberals put their surplus above jobs and the economy
Scott Morrison went to the election boasting about the “strong economy” that six years of Liberal government had delivered. That claim has already unravelled.
Vietnam and the 1960s student rebellion
The US student movement in the 1960s began by rejecting ideology and the ‘old left’, but was soon forced to grapple with the power of capitalism and the state, says Sophie Cotton
Religious freedom no excuse for Folau’s homophobia
The right has seized upon the sacking of football superstar Israel Folau to further a homophobic campaign in the name of “religious freedoms”.
Why didn’t workers trust Labor?
Labor was unable to win over working class voters at the election with its promises of change—reflecting long term decline in its class roots and credibility, writes James Supple
Tiananmen square—30 years since China’s revolt
In 1989 students in Beijing sparked an upheaval that drew in millions of ordinary workers, and spread all across the country, writes Mark Goudkamp
Change the Rules never seriously mobilised workers
Thousands of union members gave up their time to doorknock, phone-bank and staff polling booths for Change the Rules. But the campaign has been a spectacular flop.
Labor never campaigned on clear call to tax the rich
In the aftermath of Labor’s shock loss, commentators have blamed its plans as too radical and ambitious. But the real failure was their unwillingness to fight for their policies as attacks on the rich.
Bob Hawke—Australia’s Thatcher
Bob Hawke has been lauded for his consensus politics, but he waged a brutal assault on unions and Labor’s own working class supporters, argues Ian Rintoul
Rich reap the real benefits from Morrison’s tax handouts
The tax cuts at the centre of Morrison’s budget were a transparent effort to buy votes.
Unions and Aboriginal people unite to save Deebing Creek
A developer has backed down and allowed the protest camp at Deebing Creek to remain after unionists and Aboriginal people united to hold off police
Editorial: Kick the Liberals out and start the fight for real change
Between now and 18 May we need more mass stopwork rallies and demonstrations to kick out the Coalition government on the best possible terms.
Putting government investment in renewables on the agenda
The most straightforward way to begin cutting emissions is to replace all the coal and gas-fired power stations with renewable energy.
Sending in the army: How Labor broke the 1949 coal strike
Even in its supposed golden age, a Labor government was prepared to use all the tools at its disposal to wage war on unionism and break a strike, writes David Glanz
Corporate irrigation profits drain towns and rivers of life
Towns are running out of water and fish are dying in alarming numbers in Western NSW, providing a glimpse of what is at stake as the climate crisis drives temperatures to record levels.
Making students pay—30 years since the end of free education
Student debt levels have exploded since HECS fees were introduced 30 years ago, explains Tom Fiebig, as governments have moved to slash spending on universitiesToday, a university student will...
Rosa Luxemburg—a fighter for revolution
Rosa Luxemburg defended the need for revolution to end the horrors of capitalism, and her ideas were tragically confirmed by the outbreak of world war, argues Sadie Robinson
Toothless ‘Voice to parliament’ will change nothing for Aboriginal people
Bill Shorten has reaffirmed Labor’s support for a new Aboriginal “Voice to parliament”. This is another piece of symbolism that will do nothing to address ongoing oppression and racist government policies.
Socialists and the fight to end the frontier massacres
Paddy Gibson explains the key role unions and the Communist Party played in preventing the punitive expedition planned in Arnhem Land in 1933
Show of unity leaves refugees and union rights in the lurch at Labor conference
Labor leader Bill Shorten told the party’s national conference in Adelaide people were looking to them for “unity” and “stability”. And the Labor factions made sure they gave it to him.
Liberals’ thumping defeat in Victoria ends Morrison’s last hopes
The Liberals’ rout in the Victorian election is also a massive defeat for Scott Morrison and the federal Liberal Party.
Morrison uses Bourke Street attack to spread racism and fear
Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton have again blamed the Muslim community and spread fear and racism following the violent attack in Melbourne's Bourke Street last Friday.
Why do the union leaders back Labor?
Union leaders see the Labor Party as a vehicle for their interests in parliament, argues David Glanz, even though Labor ultimately governs in the interests of capitalism
How Russia’s revolution reshaped the Australian left
Adam Adelpour looks at the impact of 1917 on the left and the workers’ movement in Australia
Migrant workers—a proud history of union struggle
The history of migrant workers’ struggles in Australia shows that they are not simply victims of exploitation but potential trade union militants, argues James Supple
Historic swing in Wentworth shows Liberals are all but finished
The Wentworth result makes it clear that the government is all but finished. The focus is now on what a future Labor government will deliver—and the struggle that will be needed to reverse the damage of five years of Liberal rule.
Unions condemn Labor’s backflip on TPP trade deal
Daniel Wallace, secretary of Hunter Workers, the Newcastle Trades Hall Council, resigned from the Labor Party in response to their decision to support the Trans Pacific Partnership-11 trade deal. He spoke to Solidarity.
Marx’s most revolutionary idea
Karl Marx’s most important insight was the potential role of the working class to overturn capitalism and build a new kind of society, writes David Glanz
Coalition’s cuts undermine potential of NDIS
Unfortunately for the NDIS and people it hoped to empower, the Coalition's priority is not delivering social services but delivering a balanced budget.
Right-Wing victory in Sydney Uni student elections—build the fightback
Liberal-backed right-wing factions dominated this year’s student elections at the University of Sydney. The left-wing fightback has to start now.
Coup culture: Why is Australian politics so unstable?
Malcolm Turnbull has become the latest Prime Minister dumped by his own party. Miro Sandev looks at how the neo-liberal ‘reform agenda’ has brought political instability
Sudanese youth step up the fight against racist media and politicians
A defiant 500-strong protest led by South Sudanese youth and students stood up to the barrage of government and media racism, rallying on Saturday 28 July against Channel 7.
The Prague Spring of 1968
Russia’s invasion that crushed the mass movement for political reform in Czechoslovakia in 1968 showed the reality of Stalinism in Eastern Europe, argues Miro Sandev
Rape, violence and the fight against the system
Blaming men for sexism and rape obscures the way women’s subordination is structured into capitalism, writes Lucy Honan, and our common interest in fighting it.
Inequality and the class divide
It’s widely acknowledged that inequality is growing. Behind this is the enormous wealth and power of a tiny minority—the capitalist ruling class, argues Miro Sandev
Labor, the unions and the fight to close Manus and Nauru
The move by the Industrial Left group of unions to join with the right-wing AWU to prevent a slew of resolutions (including one on refugees) being debated at the Victorian ALP conference has left many refugee supporters angry and dismayed.
Fighting Casualisation—union power and the right to strike
Casualisation and insecure work is a growing problem. Union organising and industrial action have defeated it before, and can do so again.
Class, Power and Revolution—Anarchism or Marxism?
Anarchists and socialists share a common aim, but anarchism’s rejection of leadership, party organisation and the need for a workers’ state doom it to failure, writes Caitlin Doyle
Teachers say no to NAPLAN, and no to Gonski’s testing tool
NAPLAN does not have many friends left, but some of its critics just want more relentless testing. But NAPLAN must be replaced with greater time and respect for teachers, and fully funded public schools, rather than with more tests.
May 1968—worker and student revolt that stopped France
May 1968 showed the power of the working class to take control of society—even in the rich countries of the West, argues Miro Sandev
Left hangs on in NSW Greens, but fight against the right far from over
Left-Wing Greens MP David Shoebridge win in the latest Greens NSW pre-selection battle is a welcome reprieve for the left of the NSW party, who have suffered a series of pre-selection defeats over the past two years.
The Western Front: How war turned into revolt
As efforts to celebrate the role of Australian troops on the Western Front ramp up, Lachlan Marshall looks at how the horror of war gave rise to mutiny and revolution
Victorian union delegates ready to fight—but what about the right to strike?
Two thousand unionists filled Melbourne Town Hall and spilled out onto Swanston Street for the “Change the Rules” delegates meeting on 17 April.
Defending the union—the war on the waterfront 20 years on
Twenty years ago, Patrick Stevedores sacked its entire workforce in the most serious union-busting effort in decades. Solidarity spoke to Bob Lee, a union delegate at the time, and Glen Woods, then Deputy Branch Secretary of the MUA in Sydney about what happened.
Zelda D’Aprano—a fighter for women workers and equal pay
Zelda D’Aprano, who died last month at the age of 90, became a symbol of the struggle for Equal Pay in Australia in October 1969 when she chained herself to the doors of the Commonwealth Building in Melbourne.
