Judy McVey is a Community and Public Sector Union delegate, a leader in the Refugee Action Collective and a member of the International Socialist Organisation. She is the preselected Socialist Alliance candidate for the Victorian State seat of Brunswick.
“I’m standing to show people that there is an alternative to the world we live in today. Internationally, globalisation is wrecking people’s lives, not only in the third world but in the first world too. The gap between rich and poor continues to grow. Even the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank and the IMF agree.
These policies affect us at the grassroots of society. There is pressure on both State governments and local council to privatise. Ordinary working class people who live in areas like Brunswick are the victims. It is not only workers who suffer, but also people who are poor and marginalised in our society through no fault of their own — like the unemployed and particularly refugees. Socialist Alliance aims to show people the link between the big picture and their everyday lives.
We’ll campaign for the State government to welcome the refugees and give support through state-funded programs. We’ll campaign for women’s rights and against measures like the restrictions on IVF services for lesbians and single women.
The Kennett years wrecked Victoria. The Bracks Government has not reversed all the funding cuts made by Kennett, let alone increased funding to public schools, health services and community services.
Services have been cut at our local Community Health Centre. Council services are also affected by inadequate State government funding. For example, funding for Meals on Wheels has not been increased for the last ten years! People can’t get decent home help if they are sick, injured or have a disability. The State Labor government must be held responsible for failing to fund these services properly.
The State government has accumulated a surplus. Socialist Alliance will argue that the government must spend this surplus for services needed by the people who pay taxes.
Socialist Alliance is standing so that we can show there is an alternative to the Labor disaster. It means more than just voting. We want to give a lead to ordinary working people in their everyday struggles and show that another — socialist — world is possible.”
