Tasmanian fundraising appeal letter

The more you can give, the more our socialist message will be heard!

A letter from Sam Watson, leading Indigenous activist and lead Senate candidate for Socialist Alliance in Queensland, and Matthew Holloway & Susan Austin, candidates for Franklin & Denison.

FEDERAL ELECTION 2007
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFITS!
PLANET BEFORE PROFITS!

Dear member or friend of the Socialist Alliance,

In this election—the most important federal poll in decades—the Socialist Alliance needs your support more than ever. How much you give will directly determine how powerfully we get out the socialist message.

Since the 2004 poll the Socialist Alliance has been at the forefront of the struggles that have helped put John Howard in the desperate position he is in today:

Whether it was pressuring the ACTU to call the protests that allowed working people to say how much they hate Work Choices, helping organise the “Stop Bush” rally at APEC, leading the protest movement against the disgraceful treatment of Dr Mohamed Haneef, building the struggle for equal marriage and adoption rights for gay and lesbian couples, or demanding justice for Mulrunji, Socialist Alliance was in the thick of it.

Through such struggles we helped build real resistance to the union bashers, warmongers, environmental vandals and racists.

But now election time is fast approaching and with it the chance to put forward our alternative policies, policies that put people and the environment before profits. It’s important that we get the socialist message out far and wide at this poll. The stronger the vote for the Socialist Alliance (and the Greens), the clearer the message that people don’t want Labor in Canberra to be a continuation of the Howard years.

Just as importantly, success in the elections will strengthen the Socialist Alliance’s ability to build all future struggles “on the ground”—the better placed we will be to continue the struggles for environmental sustainability, civil liberties, workers rights and justice for Indigenous Australians. That will be true whichever party wins government.

The Socialist Alliance election campaign is already under way. First, we have successfully jumped over the bureaucratic hurdles needed to regain our federal electoral registration—the precious name “socialist” will again appear on the ballot paper. Our campaign materials are now coming out, led by our groundbreaking Climate Change Charter (rated by Vote Climate 2007 as the best party policy against global warming).

But how much more we can do depends directly on you. We begin this election campaign with a fund of around $15,000. But we need at least $50,000, and to make a serious splash $100,000. While Liberal and Labor rake in millions from the public funding of parties and from their corporate friends, our socialist election campaign depends totally and exclusively on the support we get from our members and supporters.

Your donation will make a difference, for this election campaign and beyond. And remember, all donations up to $1500 are tax deductible. Please give as generously as you can manage, and make an investment in the socially just and environmentally sustainable world to which we are all committed.

Yours in solidarity,

Sam Watson, Matthew Holloway and Susan Austin