2017

Mountain of scrapped bikes as bike-sharing companies go bust; School cleaners told to reapply for jobs; Centrelink use labour hire to chase welfare debts; Queensland apprentices owed $100 million; Cops with military-grade weapons to patrol Darwin; Shoppers find notes from exploited workers in their clothes

Queensland: Campaign against One Nation saves Labor

Labor has managed to hang onto power in Queensland despite early predictions of a One Nation-led right-wing resurgence.

Manus resettlement: Why NZ and PNG aren’t game to defy Australia

Malcolm Turnbull has flatly turned down New Zealand’s offer to take 150 refugees from Manus Island. But why it is Australia that has the power to control everything that happens on Manus?

United strike action can stop Sydney bus privatisation

Although government plans to privatise Sydney’s buses have moved forward, the fight to keep the buses in public hands is not over.

Third Sydney stop work rally as unions take on Turnbull

Thousands of workers in Sydney took illegal strike action on 16 November to rally against the Liberals’ anti-union laws.

Democratic Party a dead end for the anti-Trump rebellion

A slew of Democratic victories in November’s state and local elections have offered hope to those committed to the dead end of reclaiming the party for the left.

The hidden history of the disability rights movement

Defiant Lives, a documentary by Australian filmmaker Sarah Barton, charts the history of a relatively unknown struggle against oppression: the disability rights movement.

Robert Mugabe—from anti-colonial hero to dictator

Charlie Kimber looks at Mugabe’s move from leading the struggle against British colonial rule to authoritarianism and compromise with imperialism

Stalin: embodiment of the counter-revolution

After the ravages of foreign invasion and civil war, Stalin led a counter-revolution in Russia that installed a new class in power and betrayed the ideals of 1917, writes Tom Fiebig

Israel’s 1967 war: Six days that entrenched imperialism

Israel’s war on the Arab states 50 years ago entrenched Western imperialism in the Middle East and led to misery for Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, writes Tooba Anwar

Freedom now! Thousands protest brutal end to Manus siege

After three weeks of refugees’ fearless defiance, the 23-day government siege on Manus Island was brutally ended on Friday 24 November.

Shock loss for Lee Rhiannon: Does the left have a future in the NSW Greens?

Lee Rhiannon’s loss in the NSW Greens preselection is a major defeat for the left of the party. There are serious questions being asked about whether the left has a future in the Greens.

Lee Rhiannon: ‘social change is driven by movements’

Lee Rhiannon hosted a forum on protest, parliament and the future of the Greens last month to discuss debates about the role of the party. Below are extracts from her speech.

‘This preselection is a fork in the road for the Greens’

Phillipa Parsons, a former Greens councillor and member of the Newcastle Greens, spoke to Solidarity about the current pre-selection battle in the NSW Greens, where Lee Rhiannon is standing again for the Senate

Editorial: Turnbull’s nightmare continues—our chance to strike back

The coalition is in chaos. Every week seems to bring a fresh disaster for Malcolm Turnbull.

University bosses out to strip pay and conditions

In the wake of the cancellation of the union agreement at Murdoch University by the Fair Work Commission, the NTEU is bargaining with confident and aggressive university managements.

Termination—bosses going for the ‘nuclear option’

Train drivers, coal miners, university staff, power workers and ice cream makers—just some of the workers who have fallen foul of a new employers’ tactic, cancelling enterprise bargaining agreements.

Inside the system

Racist vigilantes bash Aboriginal kids; Westfield using facial detection software; Push to entrench discrimination against equal marriage; Jobs growth all down to NDIS; Glencore’s miltiary-style spying on unionists

Turnbull abandons climate action to entrench coal power

Turnbull’s energy plan will entrench coal and delay the shift to renewable energy—while delivering next to nothing to cut power bills.

Toothless Indigenous referendum too much for Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull has refused to support a referendum on enshrining an Indigenous “voice to parliament” in the Australian constitution.

Unions fight racist work for welfare scheme

Campaigners from the First Nations Workers Alliance, including three MUA members from Port Botany in Sydney, visited Central Australia in October to campaign against the exploitative Community Development Program.

Austria turns to the right as fascists join government

The Austrian election in October showed the dangerous growth of racism and the far right in Europe. The conservative People’s Party headed by Sebastian Kurz will form a coalition government with the fascist Freedom Party, which gained 26 per cent of the vote.

#MeToo exposes systemic problem of sexual assault

#MeToo shows how pervasive sexual harassment and abuse are in the lives of all women. The Weinstein case is just the tip of the iceberg in an industry where wealthy sexual predators operate with impunity.

US and regional powers crush Iraqi Kurds’ independence bid

In September, Iraqi Kurds voted by 93 per cent to support independence. The referendum result drew immediate opposition and threats from the neighbouring governments of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria.

Trump, racism and the alt-right: Is fascism on the rise?

Racist populists and far right parties are breaking through in elections across the US and Europe. How do we drive them back, asks James Supple

Catalonia—national struggles, Marxism and class

Some on the left see battles for independence as dividing workers, while others back them as fights for liberation. Dave Sewell looks at how to judge national struggles

Lenin: Organising for revolution

The October Revolution is the only time so far in history where workers have taken power. This could not have happened with Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, writes Esme Choonara

Opening shots in NSW Greens pre-selection—it’s time to fight the right

As The Greens NSW Senate pre-selection campaign starts, it can be difficult to see the politics through the fog of official statements. But this is not a personal contest between Lee Rhiannon and Mehreen Faruqi.

Editorial: Strike a blow at Turnbull—and send Labor a message

Malcolm Turnbull has passed a new milestone—trailing for 20 Newspolls in a row. He is fast closing on Tony Abbott’s 30 in a row that was the justification for Turnbull toppling Abbott.

Homophobia of equal marriage’s opponents comes out

The “No” campaign is grounded in homophobia. But unbelievably, it has tried to present itself as the victim of abuse and intolerance.

Inside the system

Police ramp up harassment to try to silence Dylan Voller; Facial recognition scanners to target Commonwealth Games crowds; Surge in Afghan deportations leads to violence and death; Woman shoots homeless man who asked her to move Porsche; Male primary school teachers disappearing; British soldiers face neo-Nazi charges

Dutton scorns as Manus mourns

The Daily Telegraph headline screamed, “From Manus to Manhattan” as if, after four years of hell on Manus, refugees were about to live in luxury apartments next to Central Park.

Setback as Sydney Uni EBA campaign brought to a halt

After two well-supported strike days and an enthusiastic vote for a 48-hour strike, the NTEU at Sydney University has abruptly voted to accept a new agreement.

UTS staff to strike for 24 hours

Staff at UTS will strike for 24 hours on 19 October in the last week of classes.

Murdoch termination takes effect as staff demand fair deal

On 26 September Murdoch staff walked off the job for the second time since the Fair Work decision to terminate their agreement.

Catalonia on the brink as Spanish state unleashes crackdown

The Spanish government is facing a major crisis as the struggle for independence in the Catalonia region intensifies.

Australia complicit in Rohingya ethnic cleansing

Australia is complicit in the Rohingya crisis, both turning away the refugees and refusing to sever its ties with the Burmese military.

Far right enters German parliament

The far right has entered the German parliament for the first time since 1945, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning 12.6 per cent of the vote to become the third largest party.

Players defy Trump as anti-racist protests sweep the NFL

Football fields, baseball pitches and basketball courts across the US have transformed into the latest political battlegrounds against racism, police violence and President Donald Trump.

Dissecting the moral panic over Safe Schools

Benjamin Law’s Quarterly Essay “Moral Panic 101” is a timely dissection of the 2016 backlash against the Safe Schools program, the non-compulsory set of resources that schools could use to progress toward eliminating LGBTI school bullying.

Market failure: coal plants, power prices and privatisation

Privatisation is responsible for the crisis in the power industry, writes Chris Breen

North Korea: the war that never ended

The Korean war involved an unbelievable level of destruction and death, writes James Supple, and North Korea remains caught up in the game of imperialist rivalry

Russia 1917: Why did ‘soviets’ matter?

The October revolution of 1917 in Russia saw the soviets take power. What were the soviets and how did they work?

Editorial: Turnbull backs bigots and the rich—drive him out

Turnbull is facing disaster at every turn.

Equal marriage campaign must take on the bigots

It is right to point out that equal marriage is an issue of equal rights and ending discrimination. But the campaign for marriage equality will be the most effective blow against homophobia and transphobia in general if it takes on the wider bigotry as well.

It’s left versus right in the NSW Greens pre-selection

It is now obvious that the right-wing of the NSW Greens will support NSW MP Mehreen Faruqi as their best chance to remove left-winger Lee Rhiannon and decisively shift the party to the right in the upcoming pre-selection.

Fight for jobs and pay at unis ramps up

The termination of the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement at Murdoch University has sent a shock through the university system.

Inside the System

Workers in UK stage first ever McStrike; Poor bear the brunt of Hurricane Harvey; Elite jobs run in the family; Leaks reveal Pine Gap’s role in drone killings; Arms companies exempt from anti-discrimination; Research shows why you can’t live on Newstart

Dutton’s callous cuts for ‘Let Them Stay’ refugees

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s announcement that he was going to cut the income and housing support from around 100 refugees brought to Australia from Manus and Nauru for medical treatment has created outrage.

Despite leadership wobbles, bus drivers still fighting privatisation

Despite an aggressive state Liberal government, and court orders against industrial action, the fight by Sydney’s inner west bus drivers against privatisation is very much alive.

Construction union ends non-compliance with Turnbull’s Building Code

The CFMEU’s defiant stance against signing enterprise agreements that comply with the anti-union “Building Code” came to an abrupt end in August.

US rejects Trump and the far right after murder in Charlottesville

On 12 August a white supremacist ploughed his car into counter-protesters in Charlottesville, killing anti-fascist activist Heather Heyer. This was the shocking end result of the most significant mobilisation of the US far right in recent memory.

Right-wing opposition prepares end game as crisis engulfs Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro is being challenged by an emboldened right-wing opposition as the country spirals into disaster.

Trump’s ‘new’ Afghan strategy more of the same

Donald Trump has announced a “new strategy” for the war in Afghanistan, which after 16 years is America’s longest running war. His strategy is anything but new.

Revolutionary constructivist art one hundred years after 1917

A new exhibition in Melbourne celebrates the constructivist art that emerged out of the Russian Revolution.

Why equality alone won’t bring LGBTI liberation

Winning equal marriage will be a blow against bigotry, but homophobia and transphobia will persist until we get rid of capitalism and the family, write Amy Thomas and James Supple.

Trump, China and the new world disorder

The decline of US power has led to increased imperialist tensions and war, with the rise of Donald Trump a new element of instability, writes James Supple.

Latrobe Valley’s 1977 power strike

Workers in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley showed their clout when they shut down the power, writes Tom Orsag, but the support they needed to win was never mobilised.

Editorial: Equal marriage, inequality, racism—all out to turn up the pressure on Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull is lurching from one disaster to the next. Way behind in the polls, he is continually pandering to the right of his party, with his political authority fatally damaged.

Inside the system

‘Sophisticated’ mincer attack feeds terror scare; One hundred companies cause bulk of emissions; Police decorate cars with Aboriginal art; One million homes empty across the country; Banksia Hill hell for child inmates

Lee Rhiannon faces challenge in Greens pre-selection in NSW

Another polarising pre-selection contest has begun in the NSW Greens, over the party’s Senate ticket for the next federal election. NSW upper house MP Mehreen Faruqi is standing against sitting Senator Lee Rhiannon, who is up for re-election.

Campus record of sexual assault product of a sexist society

Australia’s universities are fostering an environment where sexual assault and harassment are commonplace, a new Human Rights Commission report shows.

Tokenistic plan for Indigenous ‘voice to parliament’ stalls

In July, the government-appointed Referendum Council delivered their final report, following two years of consultation with Aboriginal people about “recognition” in the Australian constitution.

Shackled to a hospital bed, Indigenous man dies in custody

Eric Whittaker, a 35-year-old Gamilaroi man and father of five, died while shackled to his hospital bed on 4 July.

Another Manus death—Turnbull is worse than Trump

The death of Hamed Shamshiripour has rocked the Manus detention centre. Hamed, a 31 year-old Iranian refugee, was found hanging from a tree on 7 August behind the school, near the East Lorengau Transit Centre.

Wages and inequality: Why are we feeling the pinch?

If you’re feeling worse off financially, it’s because you are. Wages in Australia went backwards in real (after inflation) terms in the first quarter of 2017. It’s part of a...

NSW universities move towards strikes

Workers at three NSW universities are moving closer to strike action in the face of their managements’ attacks on working conditions and pay.

Bureau outlook stormy as staff step up industrial action

CPSU members at the Bureau of Meteorology have been ramping up industrial action.

Mosul ‘liberation’ leaves city destroyed

Last month Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against Islamic State in Mosul. But there was little to celebrate for the city’s residents.

How enterprise bargaining traded away our conditions

The acceptance of enterprise bargaining has seen union officials trade away rights like penalty rates, preparing the ground for the Fair Work decision, writes James Supple

The 1945 Saigon uprising: Workers and anti-imperialism in Vietnam

When France returned as a colonial power to Vietnam in 1945, the Vietminh were determined to hold back social revolution, writes Mark Goudkamp

What is class in the 21st century?

Apparent changes to the way we work can make it seem as if the working class no longer exists. But Joseph Choonara argues that we still have the potential to change the world

NSW delegates meeting calls October stopwork rally

Union delegates in NSW have voted to hold a union-wide stopwork rally on Wednesday 18 October to step up the fight against the Turnbull government’s war on workers.

Editorial: Weak and divided—United action can beat Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull’s headaches are growing larger and larger as he falls further behind in the opinion polls. If an election was held today, Labor would win decisively. Even Treasurer...

Construction strike takes the fight to Turnbull

Thousands walked off construction sites around the country on 20 June as the CFMEU construction union took its second national day of action against the Australian Building and Construction Commission and the new Construction Code.

Inside the system

Turnbull expands $4 an hour intern program; Border Force sends Australian citizens to Christmas Island; Terror attacks involving Muslims get four times more coverage; Could Grenfell fire happen here?; Executive pay at big banks $300 million

Gonski 2.0 shovels cash to private schools at expense of public system

Malcolm Turnbull presented his Gonski 2.0 package as a breakthrough delivering a significant funding boost for schools. This is an enormous con. It locks in significantly higher funding for private schools even than the original Gonski deal.

Greens’ direction at stake in attack on Lee Rhiannon and NSW left

The decision to exclude Lee Rhiannon was a disgraceful attack on her, the NSW Greens, internal party democracy and the left in the party. The compromise announced by Richard Di Natale, to establish a pretentiously named “Balance of Power Subcommittee” involving all the other Greens MPs except Lee, does not resolve anything.

Dutton’s citizenship changes a racist attack on migrants

The Coalition’s citizenship changes are facing defeat in parliament, after Labor’s decision to oppose them. Labor’s move is a welcome shift, after Bill Shorten initially suggested he might accept them, and months of hesitation.

Turning the screws on Manus refugees

PNG Immigration and Australia’s Border Force are relentlessly turning the screws on Manus refugees and asylum seekers to try to force them out of the detention centre.

Victory against casualisation at Sydney Uni

Casuals have had a significant win against outsourcing at Sydney University, as negotiations continue for a new enterprise bargaining agreement.

Mass protests against poverty and repression shake Morocco

Ordinary people in Morocco have again taken to the streets, as the protest movement which started last October spreads. Last month, hundreds of thousands of protesters filled the country’s capital, Rabat, after activists were arrested as part of a crackdown on opposition.

Blockade on Qatar highlights Middle East rivalries

On 5 June this year, Saudi Arabia and its Middle East allies made the shock decision to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar, cut off transport access and expel Qatari citizens from their territories.

Poverty, terror and martial law in Mindanao

On 23 May, the Philippines’s President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law over the southern island of Mindanao. The declaration came after several hundred fighters in Marawi City in Mindanao clashed with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Don’t let the bastards grind you down

The Handmaid’s Tale is dystopian TV with great timing. A story of women’s oppression and state violence, it presents as a powerful warning—and a call to arms—against political complacency in the Trump era.

Corbyn, austerity and left reformism in Europe

The Corbyn surge shows that left alternatives to the political mainstream can succeed. But left reformism runs the risk of repeating the old parties’ mistakes argues Miro Sandev

Turkey, the Kurds and the war in Syria

Yildiz Önen will visit Australia for Solidarity's Keep Left conference next month. She spoke to Solidarity about Erdogan’s Turkey, the Kurds and the war in Syria

The Bolsheviks and the July Days

By July 1917, workers and soldiers in Petrograd were desperate to seize power. The Bolsheviks’ decision to hold back the uprising averted disaster, explains Sophie Joo

Editorial: Take the fight to Tory Turnbull’s war on workers

Jeremy Corbyn’s spectacular success in the British election should have worried Malcolm Turnbull. The Tories were humiliated for their agenda of cuts, in the face of socialist Jeremy Corbyn’s promise to tax the rich to fund services.

Back Sydney’s bus drivers, No to privatisation

Bus drivers in Sydney’s inner west are fighting privatisation, staging strike action in defiance of the Industrial Relations Commission.

Inside the system

Household share of income nears 50-year low; ‘Wealth boom’ for richest 200; Google says gender equity check too expensive; Chevron fights for right to pay no tax; Murdoch throws tantrum over Corbyn result; Asset manager shuts shop in fear of market meltdown

Construction workers strike over industrial manslaughter

Thousands of Brisbane CFMEU construction workers took another day of illegal strike action on 23 May, marching off the job to Parliament House to demonstrate against the Labor state government delaying industrial manslaughter legislation.

Sydney Uni staff move towards strike action

A packed meeting of 250 NTEU members at Sydney University on 8 June voted to begin balloting for industrial action.

UTS stands up to Islamophobic attacks

Over 150 students and staff gathered at UTS in Sydney on 23 May to protest and condemn a series of targeted Islamophobic attacks.

More police powers won’t keep us safe from terrorism

Turnbull has stepped up his rhetoric, talking of the “growing threat” of “Islamist terrorism”. He is using the attack carried out by Yacub Khayre in Brighton as an excuse for bringing in further draconian measures.

Dutton’s deadline threat to asylum seekers

Peter Dutton has threatened to deport or cut off income support to thousands of refugees living in the community. In a disgraceful piece of dishonesty he branded 7500 of them “fake refugees” for not yet lodging their refugee claims.

Refugees are not a terrorism risk

In the wake of the Brighton siege, the right-wing media is again scaremongering about refugees and terrorism.

Corbyn surge shows support for left alternative

Jeremy Corbyn’s dramatic success in the British election shows the wide support for left-wing ideas.

General strike in Greece as Syriza enforces brutal austerity demands

Tens of thousands of workers flooded the streets of central Athens in Greece in late May, as the country was brought to a standstill by a general strike.

Has Trump killed the Israel-Palestine ‘peace process’?

It might be too early to declare the death of the so-called Palestinian “peace process” but after Donald Trump’s visit it is sicker than ever.

Trump abandons climate deal as world dithers on action

Donald Trump’s decision to quit the Paris climate treaty has been condemned worldwide. It means one of the world’s two largest carbon polluters has abandoned the global effort to tackle climate change.

How the West creates terrorism

It is not Islam or extremist ideas but the destruction of the Middle East by Western imperialism, and the racism accompanying it, that causes terrorism, argues Miro Sandev.

NT Intervention: a decade of racist brutality

In May, events were held to mark 50 years since the 1967 referendum, widely seen as winning full citizenship for Aboriginal people. But June is the ten-year anniversary of the Northern Territory Intervention, a policy that has turned black people into second class citizens, once again.

Temporary migration in Australia under the microscope

Peter Mares’ book, published mid-last year, argues there has been a significant shift towards temporary visas away from permanent migration in Australia. He sets out to uncover the impact on temporary migrants, who can go years living in uncertainty without the rights held by other workers.

Uluru Statement: Pearson’s advisory body will not bring real change

Noel Pearson’s plan to enshrine a toothless advisory body in the Constitution will change nothing for Aboriginal people, writes Paddy Gibson.

1967 referendum victory left hopes unfulfilled

The referendum victory in 1967 failed to deliver the improvements for Aboriginal people in health, employment and land rights that many expected, writes Lachlan Marshall

New unions join Victorian teachers in workplace refugee actions

Unionists across Victoria joined a week of action in support of refugees in early May. Inspired by the success of the Teachers for Refugees t-shirt actions in December, nurses, librarians, health workers and university staff all staged their own actions.

Editorial: Budget, penalty rates, ABCC—united action can stop Turnbull

Turnbull’s budget is a desperate attempt to boost his shattered popularity. But it has done nothing to improve his support. Post-budget polls show that Labor would win an election...

Turnbull budget targets students, workers, unemployed—but no real pain for the rich

Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison have delivered a budget aimed at avoiding unpopular cuts, in a desperate effort to reverse their slide in the polls. The pundits say it’s a budget Labor could have delivered. But its tax increases deliver no real pain for the rich. Instead ordinary workers and the unemployed are being targeted.

Inside the system

Santos admits business plan based on 4oC warming; Catholics direct funds to rich schools; Aboriginal man tasered to death; US company in Iraq hides smuggling, theft, sex trafficking; Fairfax pays CEO $7.2 million as it cuts jobs; Keating says the rich are over-taxed; Macquarie not taxed by massive CEO pay

Fight back Turnbull’s $2.8 billion uni cuts and fee hikes

The budget is a massive attack on students and university education. It rips $2.8 billion over four years out of universities across Australia.

Liberal schools plan a con, but Gonski’s model flawed from the start

The Liberals have managed to coax back corporate executive David Gonski in an effort to legitimize their “Gonski 2.0” school funding deal. But there is no rationale for accepting $22...

Opposition to new Year 9 NAPLAN hurdle

Parents and teachers are campaigning to reverse a NSW government decision to make NAPLAN scores a requirement for passing the HSC.

Impact of Turnbull’s 457 visa changes clearer

Evidence is mounting that Turnbull’s changes to temporary worker visas will create a new class of “guest worker” migrants with fewer rights.

New Zealand channels Turnbull and Trump in attack on migrant workers

National Party Prime Minister Bill English launched an attack on rights and opportunities available to migrant workers in New Zealand in April.

Macron’s victory in France won’t stop the fascist Le Pen

France’s historic presidential battle between fascist Marine Le Pen and neo-liberal Emmanuele Macron may be over, but the crisis in French politics that produced this remarkable contest is far from resolved.

Hanson’s influence aided and abetted by major parties

In 2016, Pauline Hanson made her way back into parliament for the first time since 1998, obtaining 9 per cent of the Senate vote in Queensland. Despite her many electoral defeats over this time, the racism at the core of Hanson’s politics has never gone away. Instead it has become part of mainstream politics.

Enterprise bargaining and the un-Fair Work Act

The system of Enterprise Bargaining restricting lawful strike action to bargaining periods is at the core of laws that have removed the right to strike explains David Glanz

How revolution in Russia liberated women

The 1917 revolution put great effort into freeing women from domestic drudgery and giving them a leading role in the unfolding political struggle, writes Caitlin Doyle

CFMEU workers’ defiance keeps union flags flying at Watpac

For three days, Watpac bosses in Brisbane tore down CFMEU flags and posters on building sites, but stop work action has kept the union flag flying on the job.

Manus chaos: no safety, no future for refugees

Confusion and increased tension surrounds the abrupt announcement of the closure of sections of the Manus detention centre.

Editorial: Unite against Turnbull’s racism and his attack on penalty rates

Turnbull has taken another lurch to the right, whipping up racism in a desperate effort to claw back support, as the Liberals keep trailing in the opinion polls.

Building unions prepare to defy code

The CFMEU construction union has pledged to fight new laws aimed at stripping workers’ conditions and pushing the union off building sites.

Don’t fall for Turnbull’s racist campaign against migrant workers

In a further slide to the right, Malcolm Turnbull has announced the end of 457 visas and new tougher citizenship requirements for migrants. Racist Pauline Hanson celebrated the moves as the work of One Nation.

Wharfies stop work as Patrick tries union busting again

On 9 April, wharfies and activists held a three-hour blockade of the Patrick terminal at Port Botany in Sydney, to protest the latest attempt at union busting on the waterfront. Then, in a significant escalation, on Thursday 20 April, workers refused to load a train and began an almost 24 hour sit-in.

Inside the system

Punchbowl Boys’ replacement principal ran prison school; Same-sex marriage reduces youth suicide; 48 people on over $1 million paid no tax; Xinjiang bans beards; Target charge $72 for water after Cyclone Debbie; UK cuts cause 30,000 deaths in a year; Twiggy Forrest launches tax crusade while paying no tax

Responding to RISE: Class power not identity politics needed to fight racism

The thousands willing to march in the pouring rain at Melbourne’s Palm Sunday rally was a sign of the solid commitment of the refugee campaign. But for a month in the run up, two organisations, RISE and Democracy in Colour, tried to sabotage the rally.

Navy shooting rampage fuels calls to close Manus Island

The Good Friday attack on the Manus detention centre has brought renewed calls for its closure. Both the Refugee Council and the Australian Churches Refugee Task Force issued statements;...

Fresh abuses show: it’s time to shut down youth prisons

More horrific abuses have been exposed through the Royal Commission examining juvenile detention and “child protection” in the Northern Territory.

Trump’s threats against North Korea a dangerous game

US President Trump has issued a series of military threats as he pursues gunboat diplomacy against North Korea.

US bombing no solution in Syria

Donald Trump’s strike on the Shayrat airbase in Syria demonstrated his willingness to flaunt the US’s military power. It will do nothing to end the brutal war in Syria. More US bombing can only feed the conflict and increase civilian deaths.

Civilian deaths soar as US coalition unleashes bombs on Mosul

There has been a surge in civilian casualties in Iraq, as US bombing intensifies in the city of Mosul.

Homophobic horror in Chechnya: a product of Putin’s power

Over 100 people in Chechnya have been tortured in secret detention centres many are calling concentration camps. This follows an anti-gay offensive pushed by Putin for the last several years.

Fossil fuelled capitalism pushing Earth system into unknown

Ian Angus’ new book Facing the Anthropocene will aid anyone who wants to fight governments that put profit before planet. It will serve as an introduction for many activists to the scientific concept of the Anthropocene—a new geological era that has no analogue in the Earth’s history.

The April Theses: Lenin rearms the Bolshevik Party

Lenin’s April Theses argued that a second, socialist revolution was possible in Russia and re-oriented the Bolshevik Party to the fight for workers’ power explains Michael Douglas

Nordic socialism: the alternative we need?

Bernie Sanders and others hold up Nordic welfare states as a model for winning change through reforming capitalism. But they too are under attack writes James Supple

Defy the law to defend penalty rates and fight Turnbull

New ACTU leader Sally McManus gave heart to unionists everywhere when said that workers were right to break unfair laws. This is exactly what we will we need to do to stop the attack on penalty rates, scrap the ABCC and win basic union rights.

‘Fair Work Commission’ process designed to benefit the bosses

The Fair Work Commission’s cut to penalty rates is the latest in a long line of Arbitration Commission decisions attacking workers.

Construction workers defy the law to protest Turnbull’s war on workers

Thousands of construction workers defied the law to join stopwork rallies around the country on 9 March. This is the kind of action needed across the union movement to fight Turnbull’s war on workers.

Mass union campaign can stop the cut to penalty rates

Turnbull’s support for the penalty rate cuts shows his commitment to anti-worker policies that benefit business and the rich. This is the issue that can put a finish to his government.

Inside the system

Gas giants pay no tax despite record boom; Australia Post tells workers to work around corpse; Michaelia Cash forgets $1.4 million property; US demands Cambodia pay ‘war debt’; Fruit pickers told to leave union or lose work; Welfare discrimination against Aboriginal people

Open the borders—Bring them here

Testimony to a Senate committee from Australia’s People Smuggling Ambassador, Andrew Goledzinowski, has confirmed the scale of uncertainty that surrounds the US resettlement deal.

Europe resists racism and the far right as Wilders gains ground in the Netherlands

Marches against racism have been held across Europe, from Vienna to London, Warsaw, Athens and Paris, during a national weekend of action beginning on 18 March.

South Korea: protests continue after President Park is impeached

Demonstrations have continued after President Park Geun-hye was removed from office in the middle of March.

Trump and the rise of fake news: How powerful is the media?

Trump’s attack on the media as “fake news” shows his authoritarian style, writes Miro Sandev, but the mainstream media itself reflects the values of the rich and powerful

Imperialism in the Pacific: Does the US want war on china?

John Pilger’s new film exposes the ruthless US military buildup against China, but also refuses to let the Chinese government off the hook, writes Mark Gillespie

Russia’s 1917 revolution: When workers took power

The October revolution is derided by establishment figures. But it saw workers overthrow capitalism and establish real democratic control of society, writes David Glanz

SBS documents racism in Australia that isn’t fading away

Journalist Ray Martin’s documentary, part of SBS’s “Face up to Racism” week, exposes the racism of everyday life in Australia. But it fails to target the source of racism in Australia in government and major institutions, and show how we can fight it.

WA election: Liberals humiliated, One Nation flops

After two terms of government under Colin Barnett the Liberals have taken a belting in Western Australia. Anger at high unemployment and the threat of further privatisation has delivered the ALP a landslide win.

Editorial: Time to resist as Turnbull backs Trump and fans the far right

Donald Trump’s ban on Muslims and refugees entering the US has ignited demonstrations across the US and across the world. Malcolm Turnbull distinguished himself as practically the only world leader to support the appalling, racist ban.

Inside the system

Dylan Voller free at last; Uber scabs for Trump; Rage as French cops say black man raped ‘by accident’; Emmet Till accuser finally admits to false evidence; Disabled Norfolk Islanders told to work; Ex-Labor Premier to lobby for the banks

NSW Greens: Left Renewal goes public… but the right is going hard

Left Renewal has held successful public launches in Sydney and Canberra, to showcase its vision for The Greens and begin a badly-needed discussion. But, just days after the Sydney launch, the right of the party escalated its attack on the left.

Police still denying justice for Palm Island

Aboriginal people on Palm Island scored a small victory in December with a court finding police guilty of racial discrimination. But killer cop Chris Hurley has still not been brought to justice.

Unions prepare to resist as return of ABCC speeds up

Construction unions are gearing up for a fight, after the Senate approved changes to speed up the re-introduction of the anti-union Australian Building and Construction Commission.

NSW disability workers strike against privatisation

NSW disability support workers have defied a legal order to strike for 24 hours, in a bid to halt the state government’s callous privatisation push.

Centrelink workers join fight against robo debt

Workers at Centrelink are opposing the scandalous “robo-debt” collection process, despite bullying and the threats of action under their Code of Conduct. Whistleblowers have fed crucial information about the scheme to the media.

Sydney College of the Arts shows how to fight the corporate uni

The campaign to save Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) has shown students across the country how to fight an increasingly corporate university system that puts profit before students, staff and quality education.

US eyewitness: resistance to Trump spreading

Crisis after crisis has plagued Donald Trump’s first month in the White House. He has the lowest approval ratings of any incoming president ever recorded.

Trump’s racist shock and awe builds on Obama legacy

Trump’s first days in power produced a sweeping series of executive orders. Most dramatic was his ban on people from seven Muslim majority countries entering the US.

New evidence of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya in Burma

A new UN report reveals the shocking persecution faced by the Rohingya Muslim minority in Burma.

What do we mean by socialism?

Sophie Joo explains what’s wrong with capitalism and why we need a socialist alternative

The February 1917 revolution: How Russian workers toppled a dictator

Russia’s year of revolution began in February with an uprising that brought down the Tsarist regime, writes Feiyi Zhang on the 100th anniversary.

Unity against racism: American Communists and the black struggle

The American Communist Party's work in the 1930s showed how it is possible to win white workers to the fight against racist oppression, argues Adam Adelpour.

Moonlight, a black gay film in hiding from itself

Ffor all the accolades and praise it has received so far, there really isn’t that much to Moonlight. One Guardian review proclaims “Moonlight portrays black gay life in its joy, sadness and complexity”. It’s hard to agree.

As US deal disintegrates, time to #BringThemHere

Although Trump hung up on Turnbull 25 minutes into their famous phone call and tweeted doubts about the deal, Prime Minister Turnbull still says there is a deal to resettle refugees in the US. It's hard to believe him.

Editorial: Liberal Minister resigns: one down—but they’ve all got to go

While the world prepares for the inauguration of Donald Trump, the good news in Australia is that one greedy, self-entitled Liberal former Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, has resigned.

Inside the system

Centrelink bullies target the poor in phony debt scam; Obama drops three bombs per hour; More evidence of abuse in NT juvenile detention; Hillary Clinton throws party for millionaire donors; Elite US unit’s atrocities revealed; Top CEOs earn average year’s wage in five days

Dylan Voller still fighting for release from racist prison system

Dylan Voller, the youth infamously tortured at the Don Dale prison, has launched a searing indictment of the criminal justice system.

Coroner goes soft on cops in Ms Dhu killing

The coroner investigating the death of indigenous woman Ms Dhu in Western Australia has decided not to call for criminal charges against police and other officials involved in her killing.

Left inside Greens must fight for an activist party

The formation of the Left Renewal faction, to begin organising against the right inside the NSW Greens, has exposed the ongoing battle between left and right inside the party.

Teachers defy threats to take a stand for refugees

Hundreds of teachers across NSW and Victoria wore t-shirts carrying the slogans “Teachers for Refugees; Close the Camps, Bring them Here” during Human Rights week in December. Despite threats from federal and state governments, we wore them to class, at lunch time, or before school, and found ways to make sure the school community could see our message.