Socialist Party Australia - Howard won't give us economic security

This is the article analysing the post-Federal election situation plus why Howard won from the current issue of The Socialist. For technical reasons it has been late getting up on our web page. Also for technical reasons, the current issue of The Socialist will not be on this site in pdf until early next week.

Howard won't give us economic security
In 1993, 45 percent of the electorate saw a difference between the major parties – now that figure has dropped to 25 percent. The electorate were simply in harm minimisation mode on election day. The over-mortgaged swinging voters saw weaknesses in both Labor and Liberal but opted for who they thought would give them low interest rates and economic security. Howard’s lies on interest rates were the ‘Tampa’ of the election.

The concentration by Labor and the inner city liberal left on Howard’s moral fibre left most workers cold. They think ALL politicians are corrupt. Workers were more interested in Latham’s Family Tax package, which would have left those earning under $35,000 a year worse off under Labor! Unlike the Coalition, Latham pledged to maintain surplus budgets. It was not an election between Left and Right, but between two capitalist parties.

Now the gloves are off, with Howard having total control of both Houses. Student unions will be attacked via voluntary student unionism. Universities will have their funding linked to their attitude to individual staff contracts.

The gains of Family First (see page 3) will encourage the social conservatism of the Coalition to come out. Abortion rights – starting with late-term abortions – will be the first battle ground. Rights for same-sex couples will be next, closely followed by a new push for the benignly named ‘joint custody’ that will be a disaster for many women and children.

With this real power comes unchecked arrogance. Even the mass media were shocked at the open and craven support for Howard expressed by supposedly neutral Governor-General during the swearing-in ceremony.

Tony Abbott looks and sounds more like Mr Burns from The Simpsons every day. However the more astute representatives of the ruling class are not so sure. Costello is already fretting about the economic perspectives. The Australian (November 1) explained how: “Absolute Senate control could come back to haunt the Government...(they) will now live and die by its own unfettered judgment”.

They are closer to the truth than the demoralised Labor Party bureaucrats and some of our unions, many of whom have argued that the only check on the Government is the next election in 2007.

With or without these ‘leaders’, workers, students, benefit recipients and women will have to fight to defend themselves. We can expect the battlefront to move from the political arena to the streets.

Aggressive attacks from employers and Government – especially if a recession occurs – will lead to defensive battles, some of which we may lose, bearing in mind the standard of the current leadership. However, the arrogance of Howard and the bosses will have a radicalising effect on young people – this is what the more far sighted sections of the ruling class fear.

The key task now is to discuss and agree on a fighting strategy to defend our trade and student unions and the gains we made in the past.

The Socialist Party will be arguing for militant action, democratic organisation and a socialist vision in the battles that lie ahead. It’s time to stand aside or fight!