Latest Statements, News, and Analysis

Defeat Western Australian “Personhood” Law

The Liberal government in Western Australia (WA) is preparing an assault on abortion rights. Some time this year, Attorney General Christian Porter will introduce a “foetal homicide” bill that would make the destruction of a

They call it suicide — we call it murder! Remembering Eddie Murray and Douglas Scott

The tragedy of deaths in custody is not a new story — you’d be hard pressed to find a single Aboriginal family that has not lost a loved one to a system that locks up

Freedom Socialist Organiser challenges Wotton gag!

On 29 February, the High Court missed an opportunity to help right a wrong against Palm Island Aboriginal leader, Lex Wotton, when it handed down a judgement upholding parole conditions, which have seen Lex politically

Free Maori sovereignty activists, the Urewera Four! Special solidarity film screening — Operation 8: Deep in the Forest

The Freedom Socialist Party is hosting a special solidarity screening of Operation 8: Deep in the Forest to support the campaign to free political prisoners, Taame Iti and Rangi Kemara. On October 15, 2007, activists

“Zero Budget” targets New Zealand workers and welfare beneficiaries

Anger exploded across New Zealand on Thursday, 25 May as the National government released its so-called “Zero Budget,” containing some of the biggest attacks on living standards since the notorious 1991 financial statement. This attack

Secure Jobs, Better Future campaign creates potential for radical unionists

Forty percent of Australian workers have jobs that are insecure, according to the Independent Inquiry into Insecure Work. “Insecure” is the broad term used to describe casual work and fixed-term contracts as well as subcontracting

End mandatory detention: Free Ranjini and her sons Now!

On May 10 Ranjini, a Tamil refugee living in Melbourne, was summoned to the Department of Immigration. Within hours, she and her two young children, aged six and eight, were whisked away to indefinite imprisonment

Lynne Stewart needs our solidarity

Lynne Stewart, known as the “People’s Lawyer,” is a political prisoner sentenced to a 10-year sentence in a U.S. prison. Described in the Freedom Socialist newspaper as “a hero for these times,” she’s been disbarred

How to occupy the planet: Lessons from 150 years of struggle

The Occupy movement — with its focus on targeting the excesses of the 1 per cent — has concentrated attention on one of the unspoken truths of capitalism: it only works if there is massive

Pay Justice Action challenges ACTU to act on insecure work

In late 2011, the Australian Council of Trade Unions commissioned an inquiry into insecure work in Australia and invited public submissions. Pay Justice Action (PJA) is a grassroots campaign, working to both expose and close

Book Review – The masses make history – We built this country: Builders labourers and their unions

Ginninderra Press, 2011, (361 pages) ISBN 978 1 74027 6979 The latest offering by radical historian Humphrey McQueen is a cracking yarn. It provides an overview of the struggle of builders labourers in Australia from

Unequal Pay Decision for Community Workers: No More Nice Gals. The Gloves are Off!

On February 1, Fair Work Australia (FWA) issued its decision on equal pay for the community sector. National headlines announced an “historic victory!” and “45% pay increases!” for this grossly underpaid female workforce. It’s nearly

Transphobic and racist death entirely preventable

Aboriginal woman, Veronica Baxter, was born in Cunnamulla country in outback Queensland; she died in Silverwater Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre. On 16 March 2009, she was found dead in her prison cell, hanging from

Ports of Auckland dispute escalates with week-long strike

The Ports of Auckland company is pressing ahead with its drive to casualise conditions for wharfies. The company is demanding redundancies and wants to contract out its entire stevedoring workforce. This would mean that Auckland

International Women’s Day 2012: Occupy the World!

It’s fitting that Occupy Melbourne initiated the call for this year’s International Women’s Day in Melbourne. Radical Women is proud to have worked with other Occupy women to make this happen. Five months after the

The Shocking Death of Terrance Daniel Briscoe: Family rejects police investigating police

It was a busy and sad start to 2012 with another Aboriginal death in custody. On January 5, police arrested Terrance Daniel Briscoe in Alice Springs for public drunkenness. The life of this young 28-year-old

Exposing war crimes is not a crime

Saturday, 17 December 2011 was U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning’s 24th birthday. The day prior, a military pre-trial hearing began at Fort Meade, Maryland. Manning was arrested in May 2010 in Iraq. He’s spent almost

Massive campaign to save Auckland sexual violence crisis line shows potential for broader fight back

Less than a week after being returned to office in New Zealand’s general election, the conservative government of Prime Minister John Key cut the funding to a critical sexual violence crisis line in Auckland. The