Who should socialists vote for? is a vexing question. Ostensibly, one might think that socialists should vote for socialist candidates. In the upcoming Australian federal election, there are several:
- House of Representatives
ACT
The Socialist Alliance (SA) is running a candidate in Fraser.
NSW
SA is running candidates in Blaxland, Cunningham, Grayndler, Newcastle and Parramatta. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is running candidates in Charlton, Chifley, Grayndler, Kingsford Smith, Newcastle and Parramatta. Finally, the Communist League is running a candidate in Watson.
NT
None.
Queensland
SA is running candidates in Brisbane, Griffith and Moncrieff.
SA
None.
Tasmania
SA is running candidates in Denison and Franklin.
Victoria
SA is running candidates in Corio, Gellibrand and Wills. The SEP is running candidates in Calwell and Melbourne. The Socialist Party is also running a candidate in the seat of Melbourne.
WA
SA is running candidates in Fremantle, Pearce and Perth. The SEP is running a candidate in Swan.
Senate
ACT
None.
NSW
SA is running four candidates: Alex Bainbridge, Susan Price, Kamala Emmanuel and Tim Dobson. The SEP is running two candidates: Nick Beams and Carol Divjak; as is the Progressive Labour Party: Klaas Woldring and Max Bradley.
NT
None.
Queensland
SA is running two candidates: Sam Watson and Amelia Taylor.
SA
SA is running two candidates: Renfrey Clarke and Liah Lazarou.
Tasmania
None.
Victoria
SA is running two candidates: Margarita Windisch and Jeremy Smith. The SEP is also running two candidates: Peter Byrne and Tania Baptist. Arguably, Joe Toscano and Jude Pierce may also be included in the list, as libertarian socialist candidates. (Joe is the Libertarian Workers’ for a Self-Managed Society, and has been since 1977.)
WA
SA is running two candidates: Trent Hawkins and Julie Gray.
In the latest issue of the Green Left Weekly, a publication of the SA/DSP, Chris Peterson & Simon Cunich of the DSP/SA’s youth wing, Resistance, address the question “Why socialists should vote for socialist candidates” (No.732, November 17, 2007). Not unexpectedly, they urge GLW readers to “vote 1 Socialist Alliance, 2 Greens and then Labor before the Liberals”:
Today, the primary aim of socialists running in elections is to use them as a platform for winning people to our ideas. By running in elections, the Socialist Alliance is following the example of past socialists, such as the Bolsheviks in Russia, who despite the undemocratic nature of the tsar’s parliament, used it as a platform to promote their ideas.
In other words, if it was good enough for the Bolsheviks under the Tsar, it’s good enough for Bolsheviks under Howard as the old saying goes. The DSP/Resistance’s former partners in the SA, the ISO, disagree, however, as does every other significant socialist (‘Bolshevik’) groupuscule in Australia — with the exception of the CL, SEP and SP, that is. “Should we support socialist candidates?” asks David Glanz: no, appears to be the answer; at least, not in this election (Socialist Worker, No.575, November 16, 2007). Instead, the message is: Vote 1 Green.
On a related note a young girl, 17, was featured on the SBS program Insight several months ago, possibly on one of the episodes to do with APEC, she had short cropped or maybe even shaved hair and she was very attractive… if only she wasn’t part of resistance.
I should reiterate… very, very, attractive.