Socialist Party Australia - Letters to the SP web page

sp writes "Letters received at SP National Office in Melbourne via our web page

27/9/03
Did we get it wrong on the Solomon Islands?
Somewhat against the stream of public opinion, the Socialist Party has opposed the Australian/NZ intervention in the Solomon Islands as best outlined in our last issue (see articles on socialistpartyaustralia.org).
Melbourne Northern branch member Polly Walker-Dorras has responded in this letter putting a different point of view. What do you think?
Send your ideas to or PO Box 1015, Collingwood, 3066

Dear Editor,
As a member of the Socialist Party, I have heard a lot about what our party line is on the Solomon Islands (that being that Australian troops should not be there), however I am rather confused as to what my own feelings on the issue are and seek some clarification.
Having lived in Vanuatu, a Third world Pacific Island, for the past fifteen years, I know how hard life is in these places and how little oppurtunities there are for the local people. Vanuatu has no free education (only 50% of children actually get to school and less than a third of that will make it to year 10), no welfare system and a 90% unemployment rate. The country relies solely on aid from countries like Australia and Britian. Often that money is misused by corrupt governments and local people barely see a cent. Women’s rights practically don’t exist and the population continues to increase as resources decrease.
The Solomon Islands is even worse off than Vanuatu and has degenerated into a failed state. You may think I’m rambling here but to understand what I’m saying then I believe you need to have an understanding of what life is like in these places. In my opinion an Australian run Sol omon Islands is far better off than the one that exists now and perhaps even an Australian run Vanuatu would be better. There is little or no industry in the Solomon Islands and very little hope for the people there, and if Australia doesn’t help them than who will? I believe it is unrealistic to call for a socialist revolution in a country where there is very little infrastructure and no opportunities.
If Australia can return order to this island in chaos and perhaps even build schools and hospitals then surely that can only be a good thing. Admittedly perhaps troops is not the way to go about things- maybe the answer is more to send teachers, nurses and doctors and to create a good education system. But nevertheless, order does need to be restored before all that can happen.
Thank you for allowing me the chance to express my opinion, hopefully you can shed some light on the issue for me. Yours sincerely,
Polly Walker-Dorras,
Reservoir, Melbourne

29/8/03
Dear Comrades,
here are some of my thoughts on the Hanson issue.
I originally thought that the sentence was very harsh and that she had merely been in technical breach of the law (the law sates that a party must have 500 members which must have minimum democratic rights in order to be registered - as she clearly (unfortunately) had many thousands of supporters.
However on further consideration I believe that law exists for a reason.
Being a registered party carries a certain amount of clout. a voter for that party should have the confidence that it is not being run entirely at the whim of 3 people (as was the case with One Nation) regardless of what her thousands of supporters wanted. she deliberately mislead the electorate and gave her party a legitimacy it did not have or deserve. this led to the manipulation of several elections and undermined our entire "democratic" process.
This is very serious indeed and is something our society can not tolerate. However having said that I question the punishment handed down will not solve anything and will even serve to make her a martyr.
hope to catch up soon!
Comradely
Yorran Pelekanakis

29/8/03
Dear SP,
In response to the jailing of Pauline Hanson and the Howard government minister Tony "Mad Monk" Abbott's admitted role in pursuing Hanson to the point of establishing a slush fund one can only ask how far will this ideologically, maniacal government go to achieve their end.
This Miserable, Miserly, Dishonest, Lying, Rorting Federal Government (and I'm being nice) will stop at nothing, ruin the lives of anyone who stands in their way as Shaun Carney (Melbourne Age)recently wrote of securing "Absolute Power".
One would have thought that Howard, Anderson and the likes of state premiers such as Kennett, Court etc have achieved plenty in their short time belting all battling Australians including Workers, Families, Pensioners,Unemployed, Aborigines, Disabled etc whilst providing policies to favour the wealthy.
Pay rises to Ministers and Backbenchers of up to $150,000 for postage and election propaganda whilst cutting the benefits of the least fortunate in society including disability carers (up to $87.00 per fortnight)of these meagre entitlements of which most or all would go towards the costs in caring for the person saving the government millions or even billions if these unfortunate people were in government Institutions.
Legitimate Refugees fleeing Bin Laden, Hussain or Mugabe, Honest Workers defending job losses and entitlements whilst executives and Government ministers and backbenchers cant get their noses deep enough into the trough,Unions defending such workers are put through a waste of $70 Million in the Royal Commission targeting Martin Kingham as an individual and his union the CFMEU whilst at the same time not one word from the Morally Bancrupt and Corrupt Howard Government or its ministers on the Adler, Williams affairs in our largest corporate loss in HIH.
Should Abbott have pursued these two the way he admits he pursued Hanson? Ansett workers are still waiting for their entitlements while John Howard pays Stan Howards' workers their entitlements with Taxpayers money.
Bishop and the Kerosene scandal, McGauran staying at his girlfriends flat and claiming $300 per night Living away from home allowance as much as a pensioner or unemployed person gets in a fortnight.McGaurans punishment was he was given a pay rise and made Science Minister by John Howard.
From bringing thousands of Wealthy (and white) skilled people to Australia (pushing up house and land prices because they can pay cash whilst Australians get a 30 year loan if they can find a place.Howard needs an inquiry to tell him this!) whilst imposing crippling Hecs on Australian Youth and selling rich overseas students our own Australian Students University places and bringing trades men and women to this country because its cheaper and easier than training young unemployed Australians including Aboriginal Australians.(Howard would rather look after the Rich from another country than the Poor from his own).
Cuts to Public Schools and Universities while increasing funds to the wealthy private. This is the worst, talentless, miserable, uncaring, hypocrytical, Federal government ever in the history of this once great nation and the best part is "History will show prove it".
To end as much as I DISAGREE with Pauline Hanson's views, Policies and Party as an Australian in a supposedly free and democratic society I DEFEND her RIGHT to say what she believes in and my right to say she is wrong. That was what Australia and Australians used to be about. Abbott should resign in disgrace from this goverment but after habitual episodes of Lying from the Prime Minister and Corrupt or Incompetant episodes from the likes of McGauran, Ruddock, Bishop, Reith, "Iron Pen" Tuckey, Vanstone etc one won't be holding their breath.
If ever we needed a true Green, Socialist, Union, United Labour Coalition now is the time.
Steven Presley,
Morwell,
Victoria.

10-7-03
Dear SP

Why is the Bracks government spending $14 million on front number plates for motorbikes? 3.1% of rider speed camera photos are taken from the front. 2.8% of driver speed camera photos evade prosecution because their front plates are unreadable. The difference is 0.3% This 0.3% equates to 316 riders. The Victorian government is $14 million of taxpayers money to allow speed cameras to catch 316 riders- why don`t they turn the cameras around? But i guess citilink can dictate government policy.
With this in mind next election can i vote for my favourite revenue raiser?
Can anyone explain this to me? It seems obvious to me that no one can. Motorcyclists are voters,and it would be a shame to alienate us.

From Gary Paul

14th July 2003

Awesome website Cdes!!! Its one of the most accessible I've ever opened. Very user-friendly.
The section "Want a Laugh" can be developed - this could involve Rank&Filers readily.
We've got a paper, a website, growing branches, developing cadres - all we need now is for the working-class to move and we'll have a ****ing revolution!!
Cdely Rob Frost

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