Meet the Socialist Alliance Candidates in the Tasmanian Election 2014

Socialist Alliance Candidate for Franklin, Tasmanian State Election 2014

Jenny Forward grew up in the Huon, where her family has lived for generations, but she now lives in Kingston. She’s well aware of the hardships faced by rural communities and therefore she will stand up for better access to employment, education and training, affordable housing, health care and community services. Jenny will also protect Tasmania’s share of the GST.

She’s currently a public hospital social worker and a union delegate for the CPSU. Jenny has also worked as tenant's advocate and child protection worker so she understands the challenges that many families face in making ends meet. She firmly believes that we need to increase the discount given to Tasmanian pensioners and low-income earners to help them pay their electricity, water, and sewerage bills and explore scrapping water and sewerage charges.

Jenny is also campaigning for: urgent action on climate change, an energy future based on renewables and green jobs, no fracking in Tasmania, no Tamar Valley pulp mill; marriage equality and equal rights for all; public ownership of essential services (including the Hydro) and free and frequent public transport and an increased funding boost for health, education and housing.

A vote for Socialist Alliance is not a vote lost as the full value of your vote will go to your next preference. Your vote for Socialist Alliance sends a clear message to the other parties that there is discontent in the Franklin electorate.

Jenny Forward is standing as a candidate for Socialist Alliance as she believes that together we can build an independent and grass-roots community that places the environment and people before profit. The needs of the battlers must take priority over the greed of big business. Vote for a progressive alternative by voting for Socialist Alliance and join us in the struggle for a better world.

                             

Socialist Alliance Candidates for Tasmanian State Election 2014

 

Press Release: Socialist Alliance opposes refugee detention centre at Pontville

Socialist Alliance opposes refugee detention centre at Pontville, calls for community-based processing and housing of refugees.

15 April 2011

The Hobart branch of the Socialist Alliance was angered to hear of the plans to build a refugee detention camp in Pontville , Tasmania because we oppose mandatory detention of refugees. We call on the federal government to use community-based processing and settlement alternatives that respect human rights. “We want to welcome refugees into the state and into our communities, not see them locked up behind barbed wire”, said Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance’s refugee spokesperson. 

“Mandatory detention is inhumane and breaches fundamental human rights. The treatment of asylum seekers in this country has been shameful and we do not want our state to continue this legacy. The detention process has resulted in the intensification of trauma and irreparable mental health issues. Furthermore the entrustment of the detention centres to a privatised company, Serco, shamelessly prioritises corporate profit over human lives”, Forward said.

The suicide of Mohammed Asif Atay in Curtin detention centre on March 28 was the sixth known refugee to die in detention in the past seven months. Victoria Martin-Iverson from the Refugee Rights Action Network (RRAN) in Perth said she was told there was a suicide attempt every day at the Christmas Island detention centre.

Socialist Alliance is pleased to hear that there are plans to house women and children in the community, but we call on the government to also treat the 400 men who will be imprisoned at Pontville in the same way. “They do not need to be kept under 24 hour guard while their applications are assessed. The Kosovo refugees were not locked up in this way – they were free to come and go at will - so neither should these current refugees be locked up,” Forward said.

Refugees are not criminals. Mandatory detention was only brought into effect in Australia in 1994.  Australia is the only developed country in the world that detains asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa. "Understandably some in the Tasmanian community resent that $15 million will be spent on preparing the detention centre at Pontville when many public services are facing cut backs. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre states that it is widely recognised by the UNHCR, an Australian parliamentary enquiry into the cost of detention centres and DIAC that community arrangements are far more cost effective than a detention centre," Forward said.

“We support the protests that will be held by refugee advocates at the Curtin, Villawood and Maribyrnong detention centres over the Easter weekend to call for an end to mandatory detention. In summary, we would welcome a project for housing new migrants and refugees in Tasmania but we oppose the building of yet another refugee detention camp”, Forward said.

For more info: Jenny Forward 0400 701 902

Legalising Euthanasia

Socialist Alliance supports legalising euthanasia and we've advised Dying with Dignity Tasmania (Inc) of this so they've included us on their election website at

http://www.dwdtas.org.au/political/candidates_2010.php


Here is part of our response:

"I am the Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin. I was given your letter to respond to regarding our position on the proposals outlined...

... I chose to respond to your letter because I currently work as a social worker in a public hospital. I therefore have seen first hand and heard from others the dreadful things that happen because people are not allowed to die with dignity.

I have also just finished the Respecting Patients Choices training about advance care planning. Some of the readings recommended as part of this training highlighted how often patients choices are not respected which is unacceptable and for more needs to be done to ensure that people's choices are honoured...

Socialist Alliance believes that people should have access to legalised
euthanasia with the rigorous protection measures that you outlined in your
letter. We supported the Dying with Dignity private members bill which
was brought forward by the Greens last year. Of course Socialist Alliance
was extremely disappointed that this bill was voted down.

Socialist Alliance will continue to look for opportunities to support any
campaigns to legalise euthanasia in Tasmania and Australia. This is
supported by the majority of the community as highlighted by a recent poll
commissioned poll by Enterprise Marketing and Research Services found 78%
of Tasmanians support euthanasia becoming legal.

We commend your organisation for the wonderful work you do in campaigning
for euthanasia and we will continue to support you and the campaign to
legalise euthanasia in any way that we can.

Kind regards

Jenny Forward
Socialist Alliance for Franklin and

(on behalf of)
Mel Barnes
Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison

Save Ralphs Bay Election Forum

It was a great privilege to speak at the Save Ralphs Bay forum last night in front of such a passionate audience who’ve been fighting heroically now for 6 years against the disgusting canal development proposal which would privatise a publicly owned conservation area. I told them amongst other things that Socialist Alliance supports a ban on canal estates in Tasmania.

Our response includes:

The Socialist Alliance fully supports the Save Ralphs Bay campaign and the dedicated work that you have put into submissions and community protest to explain the inappropriateness of this development. It is obvious that the majority of the local community is opposed but furthermore that many others who appreciate the beauty of this area are also opposed.

We believe that the social and environmental impacts far outweigh the benefits of the development and let’s face it what would be the so called benefits if not just profits for a few already-wealthy corporate bosses and shareholders. Why should a greedy minority dictate what we do as ordinary people with the land? "

Socialist Alliance supports additional funding for the Tasmanian Planning Commission, to provide assistance for the Tasmanian community to engage large
corporations in the Commission process fairly and on an even playing field. We supprot this as I am sure that the Save Ralphs Bay group would have discovered through experience that this is necessary.

Socialist Alliance believes that additional funding for the Tasmanian Planning Commission needs to be provided to produce transcripts of TPC hearings, freely available for scrutiny by media and the public on the Commission's website. We believe that this would improve transparency and public accountability.

The SA supports a strong State Coastal Policy, able to protect Tasmania’s beautiful coastlines, coastal wildlife and peaceful communities from multiple threats.
The state government started a review of the State Coastal Policy in 2004 and why hasn’t the final policy been released.

See their website for our submission http://www.saveralphsbay.org/

We oppose the ALP's Post Yr 10 Education Reforms

Here is a speech I drafted for a talk I gave at Hobart College which was attended by over 50 students and staff. I ad-libbed a lot so this isn't exactly what I said...

Hi my name is Jenny Forward and I am the Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin. I’ll start by letting you know that the Socialist Alliance opposes the Tas Tomorrow reforms . Today though I’d firstly I’d like to give you some background information to the SA, and then I’ll talk to you about the SA’s position on the Tasmania Tomorrow reforms before finishing off with a brief summary regarding the SA Youth Policy recently adopted at out Seventh National Conference in January of this year.

Background re the SA
The Socialist Alliance is an anti-capitalist party, which formed in 2001 Since then members of the Socialist Alliance have been active in campaigns on a wide range of issues, from student’s and workers' rights, global warming to civil liberties, from refugee and gay and lesbian rights to justice for Aboriginal Australia and international solidarity.
We believe that ordinary people themselves, by acting in the workplace, the community, and the street, can develop the power to create a just and environmentally sustainable alternative to profit-driven capitalism.
The Socialist Alliance stands candidates in elections at every level of government, but unlike other parties we don't see parliament as the main vehicle for social change. If elected, our candidates will take only an average worker's wage, donating the balance to struggles for a better society.

What is education for?
Education is about personal growth and development and about creating new and different futures as TS Eliot so concisely out it : “It is in fact a part of the function of education to help us escape, not from our own time -- for we are bound by that -- but from the intellectual and emotional limitations of our time.” The SA does not believe that Tas Tomorrow is anyway assisting the young people of Tasmania to escape these limitations but in fact Tas Tomorrow is limited young people.



The SA Position re Tas Tomorrow
The SA opposes the Tas Tomorrow reforms for many reasons. Whilst these reasons are significant what also is of importance is how we’ve reached our position! We have concluded that Tas Tomorrow is having a negative impact on improving the educational outcomes for post Gr 10 students by consulting those who best understand and know about the current and potential impact of the reforms: namely teachers, the teachers unions and students. Personal note: one of students I’ve consulted is my 17 yr old daughter Gr 12.

Why do we oppose Tas Tomorrow:

1. Inequalities in the community are further reinforced by imposing a choice over academic or vocational pathways at the end of grade 10. (this is way to early – nowadays people change careers on av. 7 times in their lifetime – I didn’t decide on my degree until I was 40!)
2. The autonomy of colleges has been threatened by the state-wide management structure. This means that many teachers, support and admin staff now feel that they don’t have the power to influence changes that will improve how the colleges respond to student’s needs. (systems respond better when those closest to have a say and power over what affects them)
3. The work of managers is being duplicated on shared Polytechnic/Academy campuses which results in less resources being available where they are most need which is on the ground – with the teachers and students
4. Students have had their options for study reduced because of the difficulties of organizing the time tables on a shared campus. (We need system that increases options not
5. On one campus, in the second year of implementation, the reforms caused the situation where students had no timetables and teachers had no classrooms on the first day of term. (my daughter has experienced this – many enrolled in Rosny to escape the problems – as she did)
Of course the SA agrees that much more must be done to improve the retention rates from Year 10 into years 11 and 12 which were some of the lowest in the country, we also have the poorest participation rate for 16- to 24-year-olds, and the large percentage of people in the workforce who are deemed to be illiterate. In practice however, the reforms appear to have been developed and introduced with insufficient consultation and are now being mismanaged.
It appears that Cost-cutting measures and privatization are the main goals of the new organizations:
• Why haven’t they employed qualified adult literacy coordinators as recommended by a recent study by Queensland University?
• Why is the Skills Institute tendering for external providers at the lowest price?
It appears that Tasmania Together is more interested in reducing education provision simply to the pressures of the market!

If anyone doubts that here - it is very interesting to note that on the news the only group that I saw speaking out publicly in favor of the Tas Tomorrow changes was the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry whose only interests are those of big business owners!!

So it’s quite obvious to many of us that the majority of teachers, the majority of teachers who are members of the AEU, the majority of students, the Greens, some independents including Andrew Wilkie and the Liberal Party are not happy with Tas Tomorrow – and the only ones who support this obvious failure are the ALP and business. I’m sorry but since when has business had the real interests of ordinary people at heart – let alone young people who are keen to develop their full potential through quality education! (we only have to look at how many overseas students have had their education ruined by dishonest business owners who are solely interested in making large amounts of profit regardless of the consequences for students who are already disadvantaged)

Since Bartlett has decided to make this an election issue instead of reviewing the mistakes that have been made throughout the Tas Tomorrow process then it’s important that we spread the word and speak to your friends, workmates and family and tell them not to vote Labor as this will mean a vote for the continuation of Tas Tomorrow.

We need to ensure that:
• the college system returns to be managed by the Ed Dept
• TAFE needs to be restored
• That adequate numbers of support staff are provided such as social workers and psychologists
• Adequate consultations then must be held to ensure that any reforms are truly democratic and not in interests of big business
How do we ensure these? Vote against them – sure that’s important but it’s not the only way. We need not just to vote to bring back TAFE but more importantly than this we need to continue to agitate, educate and organize (to quote old slogan from the 60’s) because this is the only way that we can achieve positive changes in society whether in the area of education or others! (one of my favorotie examples of the power of students was May 1968 in France)
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. Wiliam Butler Yeats

SO it’s not about in this case filling young peoples minds – which are labeled either Academic or Polytechnic it’s about giving them the opportunity to dabble in both as they so choose – about lighting the fire of passion in education in all areas until they have developed enough to discover what they are most interested in


OTHER RELATED POLICY INFO:

The SA Education Policy
We belive in a universal, free, quality secular education system – this is highlighted by opening paragraph of Ed policy of Seventh National Conference January 2-5, 2010:
“Education is a fundamental right for all people, yet the policies of successive governments has
been to turn education into a privilege; with wealth as the main entry qualification. At all levels, the public education system has been systematically dismantled, while private schools enjoy billions in taxpayer subsidies.”

The SA wants to make sure “that all young people have the same opportunities no matter what there families socio-economic background.” Therefore “the Socialist Alliance supports the reintroduction of free university education, This is because the Socialist Alliance believes that education is a right for all people. We oppose the fact that the private school sector now gets more federal funding than the entire public university sector. We believe that federal funding should go into providing free and quality public education from primary through to tertiary and vocational. We would also drop the current HECS debts.” AUSTRALIA CAN AFFORD FREE EDUCATION.

Lower the voting age to 16
“Many studies have shown that the youth actually have a stronger sense of social justice. There are also many decisions which are made based around youth issues without the input and views of the youth being represented or expressed. To make sure that youth views are expressed and addressed properly by parliamentarians the Socialist Alliance supports the lowering of the voting age to 16.”

Socialist Alliance Hobart: 2010 Election Fundraising Dinner

Please come along TONIGHT and support Socialist Alliance at our election fund-raising dinner. There will be gorgeously delicious Latin American food, drinks and music. Invite your friends!

Date:	Saturday, 13 March 2010
Time:	18:30 - 23:30
Location:	Hobart Activist Centre, 225 Murray St, Hobart

Cost: $15 concession $20 waged $40 solidarity

PUBLICSERVICES@WORK Response

Here is the Socialist Alliance response to the Community & Public Sector Union's (CPSU SPSF Tas) campaign called PublicServices@Work which asked ALL candidates for their response regarding how they will support the Tasmanian Public Service. This was signed by Jenny Forward Socialist Alliance Candidate for Franklin and current delegate for the CPSU (SPSF TAS)and Melanie Barnes Socialist Alliance Candidate for Denison. For more info see it online at http://www.abettertasmania.com/


Dear Tom

Firstly we would like to congratulate the CPSU on organising the Better Tasmania campaign that highlights the important role of the public service as well as asking candidates to outline their commitment to your document Public Services @ Work: Tasmanian Public Sector Policy. Furthermore we would like to congratulate the CPSU on providing ALL candidates with an opportunity to respond to your proposed policy and not just the major parties.
I am happy to inform you that Socialist Alliance fully supports the principals outlined in the Public Services @ Work: Tasmanian Public Sector Policy. We believe in ensuring fairness, security, innovation and governance in Tasmania public services.
We have always supported the salary nexus that would provide workers with pay parity with workers in the rest of Australia. We therefore have supported unions including the CPSU and their members in the Tasmanian Public Service who have been courageously fighting for pay parity despite the State Labor Governments opposition to it over the years. We will continue to support unions and workers who oppose wage agreements that renege on keeping the salary nexus. We were also opposed to the Labor Governments' proposal to try to slash about 800 public service jobs due to the global financial crisis and we were opposed to their axing of the entire Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts.
Community mental health services are also struggling as they are staffed well below the benchmark when it comes to both allied health and nursing mental health professionals. The Bartlett Government has released glossy papers on Mental Health Promotion and Early Intervention yet people with acute mental illness and complex co-morbidities sit on waitlists. Grassroots mental health clinical staff would like to extend their services to do early intervention and health promotion activities but because of the chronic understaffing, they end up having to spend all their time responding to those in crisis. Also the hospital psychiatric ward in the Royal Hobart Hospital absolutely needs at least one more social worker, psychologist and occupational therapist to be able to provide real multi-disciplinary treatment to the large numbers of patients.
Health workers play a crucial part in providing public services to Tasmanians yet a Mercury article dated January 29, 2010 stated that a national Report on Government Services reveals that "Tasmania had a lower rate of public hospital doctors and nurses than the Australian average". Socialist Alliance therefore supports an increase in the number of hospital doctors and nurses and this would have a positive impact on services and on the elective surgery waiting lists.

Socialist Alliance therefore believes that the Bartlett Labor Government is not committed to fairness and guaranteed services as they state in their comments regarding your public sector policy. We are also concerned with their apparent push to de-professionalise many areas of the public service which we consider to be a threat to the quality of services to meet the needs of the Tasmanian public.
Socialist Alliance would properly fund all health services to ensure that Tasmanians receive the quality care they deserve. However Socialist Alliance also believes that the public sector should be extended to cover all those economic sectors where public provision would be cheaper, more efficient or provide equality of access. Our belief is that energy and water utilities, postal and telecommunications services, financial institutions, airports and airlines, shipping, railways, the extraction and sale of natural resources, public housing, transport, prison facilities, aged care, child care and health care services should be publicly owned. We also believe that drug development and production should be entrusted to a state pharmaceutical firm; and there should a state superannuation fund, eliminating the risk of workers losing their savings.
For the past two decades both the Labor and the Liberal party have lied to us claiming privatisation would provide cheaper and better health and education along with more affordable and efficient transport, housing and communication and care for our children and elderly. This period has shown us that this is not the way privatisation works and instead and it has forced bills up, jobs down and created a larger division between the rich and poor.
Instead Socialist Alliance supports the rebuilding of our public sector, one that is very well funded and encompassing latest technologies with boards comprising workers, consumers and administrators to ensure accountable, transparent and democratic management. This would provide a system where the government would be directly accountable to the people and would deliver a system of quality, efficiency and duty of care.
Furthermore we propose an alternative to the privatisation of public assets and resources and call for the nationalisation of Gunns Ltd to put these resources in public hands and make the government accountable for their practices.
Another public asset that demonstrates the dangers of privatisation is the Tasmanian rail system. We want to avoid another disaster after it was sold off and then bought back in worse condition. We need to massively expand the rail workforce so that we can provide quality and publicly owned rail services in Tasmania. Unlike the Liberals, Socialist Alliance does not want to expand the Midlands Highway but instead we support the introduction of fast speed trains between Hobart and Launceston as these are a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative.

While we agree with the policy on consultation when any major changes are put on the table, we would argue that unions, as workers’ representatives, need to be involved from the start and major changes to the public sector would need union approval.
To conclude Socialist Alliance has a proud and long history of supporting worker’s rights and struggles both in Tasmania and at a National level and we will continue to do so. The Tasmanian Public Service needs more support to enable it to better meet the sometimes complex needs of the people of Tasmania.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any further clarification.

Kind regards


Jenny Forward
Socialist Alliance Candidate for Franklin
Current CPSU Delegate


Mel Barnes
Socialist Alliance Candidate for Denison

Emailed 26/2/10

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Policy

Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin Jenny Forward was asked to meet the sexual & gender diverse community at the Kingborough/Huon Valley Coming Out Proud (COP) Community Liaison Committee election forum and to outline our GLBTI policy.

Here is the speech given by Jenny Forward who grew up in the Huon Valley in response to the questions provided by COP. The responses were mainly drawn from the recent national policy adopted at the 2010 Socialist Alliance Conference after extensive consultations with members of the GLBTI communities and Scarlet Alliance:


How will your Government provide access to the GLBTI Community to discuss its issues and develop appropriate policy and practice responses?

We believe in supporting independent social movements to pressure governments. Socialist Alliance believes that the best way for the GLBTI community to influence policy and practice is by being organised and active themselves. The Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group TGLRG led the successful 1988-1997 campaign for gay law reform in Tasmania and it is a wonderful example of what you can achieve and how you can influence political parties through your own activism. Tonight’s forum and ongoing activism and organising by representative groups such as the Tasmanian Council for Sexual & Gender Diverse People are a crucial means of influencing policy and practice.

It is worth noting here that the ALP has recently set up a Social Inclusion Unit within the Dept of Premier and Cabinet but it doesn’t go far enough regarding the GLBTI community as Rodney Croome from the (TGLRG) stated: “We are pleased the Strategy is the first in Australia to acknowledge the exclusion GLBTI people face, but frustrated there’s no pointers for how to tackle this exclusion.” The Tasmanian Council for Sexual and Gender Diverse People also lobbied for greater inclusion to the communities they represent in the Social Inclusion Unit too.

What does your Party see as the major issues faced by the LGBTI community in Tasmania.

We live in a society which attempts to dictate sexual preference and gender identity through promoting the gender stereotypes and homophobic attitudes which underpin the heterosexual nuclear family, and by promoting marriage and the nuclear family as the only legitimate model for relationships. Lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, trans people and intersex people suffer oppression because their lives are a challenge to the nuclear family which is an economic cornerstone of capitalism.

The Socialist Alliance opposes all attempts to shoehorn people into sexual and gender conformity. We believe it is a basic democratic right that a persons’ self-definition of sexual preference and gender identity should be recognised. Heterosexism exists at almost every level in this society, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is entrenched in all of the key institutions of society - education, health, the law, the media, family, church and state.

The Socialist Alliance supports politically independent and self-organizing social movements that fight the oppression of women, lesbians and gay men, trans and intersex people, people with HIV and sex workers through mass action, public demonstrations, lobbying, voting and by building alliances with the broader working class, feminist, and anti-capitalist movements.

We oppose sexism, racism, ageism, and discrimination against people with disabilities within the lesbian and gay communities, as we do in the broader community.

Therefore we see that the major issues in Tasmania are:
• Discrimination- schools, workforce, public places and services such as aged care
• Safe Public Housing for LGBTI
• Recognition of same sex relationships
• Funding boost for organisations especially those focussed on youth (as many leave and some suicide)
• There needs to be more acknowledgment of the diversity within GLBTI communities
• Self-determination for the Tasmanian GLBTI community

How would your Government respond to these issues?

• Enact enforceable anti-discrimination legislation to protect lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, people living with HIV and trans and intersex people. We will remove existing exemptions from anti-discrimination legislation in relation to employment for private schools, religious organisations, the insurance industry, the tax system, superannuation etc. The Socialist Alliance will legislate for the right of trans and intersex people to be issued with passports, drivers licenses and other documents specifying the gender (or non-gender) of their choice.

• Legislate full social, legal, trade union and industrial recognition of same sex and gender variant relationships. This would include extending to same sex relationships equal status with heterosexual de factos in superannuation, immigration, taxation, family law, industrial relations and any other laws and regulations; ensure the right of gays, lesbians and gender variants to choose to marry if they so wish; provide independent incomes [Newstart, Pensions, etc] for all regardless of relationship status - this will end state-enforced economic dependency.

• Guarantee the right of gay men and lesbians to adopt or foster children and to access free, safe reproductive technology like IVF. End discrimination against gay men, lesbians, trans and intersex people in child custody cases.

• Legislate against use of non-violent homosexual “advance” as a defense of “provocation” in violent crime.

• Provide full state funding for gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans people and intersex youth programs including refuges and housing services, health services, coming out, self-esteem and suicide prevention programs;

• All public funding for education, youth, aged, health, employment and welfare to be directed though non-discriminatory government and/or secular non-profit community organisations. Education in schools to incorporate positive material on homosexuality, trans and intersex peoples.

• Support Pride Marches, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, film and video festivals and other queer community events; defend and extend gay, lesbian trans and intersex programming on the ABC, SBS and community broadcasters; work vigorously for an end to the vicious and destructive portrayal of gay men, lesbians and trans people people in some sections of the media.

• Mandatory sensitivity training and refresher courses for the police force in how to deal with LGBTI issues. This education and training must be developed with and by the LGBTI community. The selection of LGBTI liaison officers should be under the control of the LGBTI community and recallable.

• Support gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans and intersex workers; promote strong policies within unions to defend gay, lesbian, trans and intersex workers; support the establishment of gay and lesbian caucuses within trade unions.

Do you believe that GLBTI people are entitled to register and celebrate their relationships as for the Marriage Act?

Socialist Alliance has been active across Australia at a grassroots level on LGBTI issues. We have strong representatives and spokespersons on these issues such as NSW activist Rachel Evans who was the National Union of Students Queer Officer in 2006, she has also been active in Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), she also stood in Parramatta NSW Lower House in the federal election in 2007 and was the spokesperson for the NoToPope Coalition in 2008. And I would like to point out that Socialist Alliance has worked closely with the CAAH and has given regular spots to it to discuss issues in our paper the Green Left Weekly. WE have brought up not only these issues but have also highlighted issues facing queer refuges. And through our work in the CAAH we also initiated a petition calling for a repeal of the ban on same-sex marriage.

Socialist Alliance was a key force in Sydney to building mass pressure against discrimination through the passing of the same-sex marriage ban in 2004. When the ALP voted with the bill in the house of Reps, Socialist Alliance organised a snap occupation of the Marriage Registry including a “marriage ceremony” in which two of our members committed themselves to protesting for their right to marry.

Under the growing pressure specifically from the CAAH and the Alliance, the ALP backed away from passing the government’s legislation in the Senate, stating that “not enough community debate” had been had and bringing forward a senate enquiry; of course a week later the National Marriage Forum took place in Canberra, where the ALP announced their changed position to the Christian Right of stating their intention to end the Senate inquiry. I think that this really highlights the need for a mass left movement such as Socialist Alliance which is working on the ground with other organisations to create grass roots pressure on the major parties.

Socialist Alliance members in Hobart have also always played an active role in public campaigns promoting the rights of the LGBTI community and in favour of equal marriage rights.

We believe that marriage rights for GLBTI people are a key demand that must be met. There seems to be wide-spread support for de-facto rights which is also supported by the Labor party, but Socialist Alliance says that this is not enough. De-facto rights do not give comparable rights to those of married couples and to only promote de-facto and shy away from full marriage rights still continues ongoing discrimination.

Free the Brighton arrestees, put Bartlett on trail for cultural vandalism!

In response to the first of many cases around those arrested defending Aboriginal cultural heritage, the Socialist Alliance has called on the government to drop all charges against the protestors and immediately halt its construction of the Brighton Bypass.

”It’s ridiculous that members of Aboriginal community and their supporters have been charged for “trespass”, when all they were doing was trying to protect their heritage from being destroyed by an arrogant and out-of touch government who has a history of trying to push through projects regardless of how unpopular it is. It is reasonable and responsible in the wake of cultural vandalism to try and prevent that destruction. Bartlett should be facing a judge about why he is willing to destroy an Aboriginal heritage site, not those who defend it. If the law cannot recognize the difference between those who destroy heritage and culture and those who protect it, then it confirms Charles Dickens saying that “the law is an ass”, said Melanie Barnes, Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison in the state election.

Bartlett’s attempt at talking tough and setting two-week deadlines is an obvious attempt to intimidate campaigners to back down.

“When you have archeologists comparing the site to Pompeii, it shows how utterly important it is that this site is protected. If Bartlett goes ahead with the project, it will show that this Labor Government doesn’t care about Aboriginal heritage, Aboriginal people nor about history itself. If the bypass can be diverted to ensure that a European heritage house isn’t disturbed, then why can’t the same be applied to Aboriginal heritage? Or better still, why not put the $250 million towards the construction of a fast speed train network between Hobart and Launceston, as a way to both reduce pollution and road fatalities” said Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin.

Both candidates have vowed to continue campaigning against the destruction of Aboriginal heritage and for Aboriginal land rights, both during the election campaign and afterwards.

Bus it Challenge -- February 1-7 2010.

Your Socialist Alliance Candidates for Tasmania will be participating in the Bus It Challenge and for 48 hours, during February 1 – 7 2010 we will use only public transport to travel to all our appointments and meetings.

Yours in Solidarity

Mel Barnes Socialist Alliance Candidate for Denison and

Jenny Forward Socialist Alliance Candidate for Franklin

See http://blog.snoz.com.au/ for more information

The Bus It Challenge reminds politicians, candidates and prominent Tasmanians what it is like to be staking your livelihood on the reliability of public transport in the hope to spark debate and action towards better outcomes. By committing to use nothing but public transport for up to 48 hours, politicians and candidates will be able to gain a real understanding of our public transport system, the challenges and also a chance to listen to the everyday conversations that take place. The Bus It Challenge will take place from February 1-7 2010. While participants take part in the challenge - they'll have the opportunity to record their experiences online and take part in solution based conversations about how do we head towards better outcomes for Tasmanians who wish to use public transport.

Tassie's shame of surgery wait

I've just read the following article regarding Tassie's shame of surgery wait at
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/01/29/124531_lifestyle.html
and it is disgraceful that the ALP State Gov has made Tasmanians wait triple the national average time for elective surgery.

It also says " It also shows Tasmania had a lower rate of public hospital doctors and nurses than the Australian average"! This just shows that the Bartlett Labor Government is not committed to fairness, security, innovation, governance and guaranteed services as they state in their comments regarding their public sector policy at http://www.abettertasmania.com/

The Tasmanian public needs to vote for a real progressive alternative such as Socialist Alliance that is really committed to a well resourced public sector.

Inquiry into why the state government supports Gunns

I agree that there needs to be an enquiry into why the Bartlett Gov has supported Gunns yet again!!

http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/yes-mr-gay-call-for-inquiry/

and also into the trip to Japan!!

http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/pr-article/minister-looking-after-gunns-interests/

For the sake of peoples lives and the environment, invest in Public Transport

Socialist Alliance candidates in the March state election are calling for a big investment in public transport to deal with the horrible amount of road fatalities and to reduce carbon emissions.

"There were 64 deaths on Tasmanian roads in 2009, this compares unfavorably to the 40 deaths in 2008 and 45 in 2007. Every death that occurs on the road is tragic but the Government isn’t willing to admit it hasn’t got the answers. It’s time to look at the bigger picture. While increased driver education is useful, the fact remains that public transport is a much safer mode of transport than private car usage. According to the National Safety Council in the United States, riding a bus is over 170 times safer than using a car. In this context, instead of investing money in widening the Midland highway, the money should instead be invested in a high-speed rail network and a public bus system between Hobart, Launceston and Devonport. This, more than any other measure, will help to reduce the amount of deaths occurring on Tasmanian roads” said Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin

The Socialist Alliance is also running on a platform of a Free and Frequent public transport system for Hobart.

"Besides safety, we need to invest in public transport for environmental reasons. In Melbourne it was found that petrol cars emit 286g of CO₂ per passenger per kilometere, with diesel buses it is 22g. A huge saving. But to facilitate the shift away from private car use, a much-improved public transport system is needed, that is why we’re calling for public transport to be free and frequent in Hobart. In the city of Hasselt in Belgium, free public transport has seen a 1319% increase in usage in just ten years. In cities like Perth and Wollongong, we’ve seen limited free public transport implemented to great success. If it can succeed elsewhere, then it can succeed here” said Melanie Barnes, candidate for Denison.

Media Interviews:

Jenny Forward: 0400 701 902

Melanie Barnes: 0423 978 518

Bay of Fires: “It’s time to give it back to its rightful owners”

The recent article by travel magazine Wanderlust that named the Bay of Fires as one of the world's most threatened tourist sites confirms the need to return the land to Aboriginal control immediately.

"The area is of very high significance to Aboriginal people, with burial grounds and cultural artefacts all throughout the area. Aboriginal cultural sites are now being destroyed because of the amount of tourists, not consciously, but because there is little awareness or signage as to what is culturally significant in the area. Returning the land to Aboriginal control will ensure that these sites are protected and there will be a higher awareness of why the area is so important to Aboriginal people,” said Melanie Barnes, Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison.

The Bay of Fires was announced one of the world's "hottest" destinations in 2009 by Lonely Planet, resulting in a surge of tourist numbers.

"If Premier Bartlett turns the area into a national park he would be turning his back on a promise to give the land back. Certainly the area should be protected from unsuitable development, and the Aboriginal community are best placed to manage the risks associated with increased tourism. The presumption that governments are better managers of the land than Aboriginal people hasn’t been borne out in practice, as shown by the environmental destruction occurring across Australia,” said Jenny Franklin, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin

The Socialist Alliance campaigns for full Land Rights and compensation for land taken, and recognises the existence of Indigenous self-governance and the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination.

Media Interviews:
Melanie Barnes: 0423 978 518

Jenny Forward: 0400 701 902

Election Poster - Jenny Forward

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2010 Tasmanian State Elections

2010 TASMANIAN STATE ELECTIONS
Resource public services, not Gunns!
For a healthy, socially just, sustainable and democratic state

225 Murray St, Hobart, TAS 7000 / Phone: (03) 6234 6397 /

hobart@socialist-alliance.org

MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2009

Socialist Alliance pre-selected two candidates for the March 2010 Tasmanian State Elections at a meeting in Hobart last week. Young climate activist Melanie Barnes will run in Denison and experienced human rights activist and social worker Jenny Forward will run in Franklin.

Both will be campaigning on a strong platform of environmental and social justice reform, including for:
· A big funding boost for public health, education, and housing
· Tasmania to lead the way on climate change by protecting old growth forests, achieving 100% renewable energy by 2020 and stopping subsidies to big polluters
· Scrapping water and sewerage charges, returning it to local control with state government back-up
· Public transport – free and frequent local buses or light rail, fast-speed trains not more Midland highway lanes.

Both activists are passionate about transforming Tasmania into a more democratic and sustainable state that can ensure jobs a good quality of life for ordinary people and lead the way on preventing climate change.


Melanie Barnes is a 26 year old climate change activist who works for an environmental NGO. She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indonesian and political science from the University of Queensland. She has been a leader of Students Against the Pulp Mill protests, Walk Against Warming actions, as well as anti-war, refugee, education and women’s rights campaigns. She is the Hobart organizer of the socialist youth group Resistance. She has also studied in Indonesia and represented Tasmania in an educational solidarity tour of Venezuela.

Barnes said: “I am running in these elections because I take these issues seriously and want to inspire people to believe that there is an alternative and change can happen. Tasmania has so much potential to be able to deliver the things people really need and care about – a healthy environment, fulfilling jobs, community democracy and good healthcare and housing. But we need politicians who will put these issues ahead of big business concerns.”

Melanie Barnes, Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison Ph 0423 978 518

Jenny Forward has been a long term activist over the past 25 years both here in Tasmania and in Chile, in many areas including women's and human rights. She has also been active in the National Council of Single Mothers and Their Children as she is also a single parent herself of a daughter who is now 17. Jenny and her daughter have been living in Kingston for 3 years now after having lived in Taroona for 9 years. Her family are long time residents of the Huon Valley where they have worked as saw millers, truck drivers and farmers and her mother has worked as a teacher. Jenny became a social worker as a mature age student in 2001. She worked as a child protection worker for 5 years and for the past 2 years she has been working with migrants and refugees.

Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin Ph 0400 701 902

Authorised by Susan Austin, 225 Murray St, Hobart, 7000.