Socialist Party Australia - Yarra Council budget will be a test for the ALP and Greens

Regular colomn from Stephen Jolly, the Socialist Party's Councillor in the City of Yarra. Taken from the June 2005 issue of 'The Socialist'.

The French have a saying: "Show me who your friends are, and I'll show you who you are". The opposite is also true. So when I was attacked in the local media last month by ALP Councillors and the right-wing leadership of the Australian Services Union I knew I was on the right track.

They were upset with my criticism of the pro-development line of the Planning Department management at the City of Yarra - a criticism that only reflects the view of many residents. It is strange but true that while the ASU leaders have time to attack SP they are doing nothing to support three of their members being witch-hunted at Yarra Council. Nevertheless these workers are gaining more and more support in their fight for justice.

The 2005/06 budget is the biggest decision Council will make all year. SP want community input and involvement into the expenditure of their rates, fines and fees by Council. Is money being wasted on perks and privileges and consultants and outsourcing? Is the money spent on capital works going to the right projects such as child care centers or on needs of the road lobby? Is it right to spend $10 million-odd on debt reduction over the next three years when Council are way ahead of targets and in a period of low interest rates?

Couldn't this money be better used to create jobs, and build libraries and child care centers? Should 'Australia's most progressive Council', as it has been called, be increasing rates and fines and fees by more than CPI? These are just some of the questions SP will be raising.

The argument is one of continuing the neo-liberal economic agenda at Yarra vs a socialist alternative. The Socialist Party is campaigning in the community for a People's Budget for Yarra, that will take up the needs of ordinary people in the community and win their active support for the even bigger fight to stop 'cost-shifting' (equal to $500m to $1 billion a year by State and Federal governments) - which is a nice way of saying money stolen from Councils by the Howards and the Bracks of the world.

While we may not win the vote on Council, we will show the community that there IS an alternative - and with a stronger socialist presence on Council after the next election it is possible to see it in action.