Oct 15, 2014

Turkey's 'Kurdish question' won't go away

[Green Left Weekly, #1029, October 22, 2014]

Ever since the foundation of modern Turkey in 1923, the country's Kurdish population has endured severe discrimination and national oppression. The nationalist officers around Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), the victor of Gallipoli, who led the struggle which established the republic, were ruthless Turkish chauvinists. They saw the large Kurdish minority as a problem to be dealt with.

Oct 11, 2014

'The defenders of Kobanê have given us an imperishable example of humanity, courage and determination'

[Speech at solidarity rally for Kobanê, Melbourne, October 11, 2014.]

Kobanê’s heroic resistance to the 'Islamic State' gangs has won admiration and support around the world.

Oct 9, 2014

Kobanê: Epic resistance increases pressure on US and Turkey

[Green Left Weekly, #1028, October 21, 2014]

OCTOBER 10 — Kobanê's epic resistance against the assault of the genocidal 'Islamic State' gangs has now entered its fourth week. The heroic defence has held out against overwhelming odds. The defenders have been forced back but their lines have not been broken. In some neighbourhoods street fighting is taking place.

Oct 5, 2014

Solidarity with Kobanê

[Speech to Kobanê solidarity rally, Melbourne, October 5, 2014.]

On behalf of Socialist Alliance, I want to express our solidarity with the people of Kobanê who are heroically resisting the forces of the genocidal Islamic State. Against overwhelming odds, despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the defenders of Kobanê have resisted the inhuman IS gangs. The IS thought Kobanê would fall in a week but it is now almost three weeks and they still have not taken the city.

Sep 25, 2014

Kobanê: Heroic defence resists ‘Islamic State’ assault

[Green Left Weekly, #1027, October 1, 2014]

Besieged since September 15, the northern Syrian Kurdish-majority city of Kobanê (Arabic name: Ayn al-Arab) has mounted an heroic, all-out resistance to the murderous 'Islamic State' gangs. As of September 25, despite all the superior heavy weaponry deployed by the IS, it appears that fierce resistance and determined counterattacks have halted or slowed the assault. Nonetheless, the IS thugs have pushed closer to the city centre than ever before and the situation remains perilous.

Sep 21, 2014

Say no to Abbott's new war

[Green Left Weekly, #1026, September 24, 2014]

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has committed Australia to join Washington's latest military intervention in the Middle East. Some 600 Australian military personnel and aircraft operating from a base in the United Arab Emirates will join US forces in bombing 'Islamic State' forces in Iraq and assisting the Kurdistan Regional Government with weapons and training.

Kobanê appeals for support against assault by 'Islamic State'

[Green Left Weekly, #1026, September 24, 2014]

Since September 15, the city of Kobanê in the Kurdish-majority liberated area of Rojava in northern Syria has been under intense attack by the murderous forces of the 'Islamic State'.

Sep 4, 2014

Rojava & the Kurdish freedom struggle


[These slides were the basis of an educational delivered to Socialist Alliance branches around the country in September-October 2014. For a PDF of slideshow see here.] 

Sep 2, 2014

Amid relentless fighting, Kurds search for unity

[September 2, 2014; Links online magazine ]

Across northern Syria and Iraq, Kurdish forces are locked in fierce battles with the murderous 'Islamic State'. Whether directly or indirectly, the whole Kurdish people is being drawn into this struggle.

Aug 15, 2014

Kurds fight 'Islamic State' over vast front

 photo Kurds_map.jpg

[August 11, 2014; Links online magazine]

The Kurdish people are facing an unprecedented challenge. Across a vast swathe of northern Syria and Iraq, the region's Kurds are locked in a desperate and heroic struggle with the genocidal forces of the so-called Islamic State (IS). Fighting is raging from Aleppo and Kobanê in Syria to Mosul and Kirkuk in Iraq — and all points in between. (The 'front' is enormous: for example, the direct distance from Aleppo to Kirkuk is over 650km.)

Apr 12, 2014

Are you patriotic? Some reflections on a topical question

[Green Left Weekly, #1006, April 29, 2014]

'Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.' Samuel Johnson's aphorism (1775) is well known. But if a lot of scoundrels are patriotic, where does that leave patriotism itself? Are you patriotic? Should we be?

Feb 10, 2014

Climate action must include people-protection measures

[Green Left Weekly, #995, February 3, 2014]

Victoria's scorching January heatwave has focused a lot of attention on the problem of coping with the immediate fallout from climate change. According to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, in the period January 13-23 there were 139 deaths in excess of the expected average. There were reports of homeless people being forced away from airconditioned areas as they sought relief from the relentless heat.

Dec 3, 2013

In defence of Socialist Alliance's strategy of mass action: A reponse to Socialist Alternative

[Text of a talk given to the Geelong branch of Socialist Alliance on December 3, 2013]

The unity discussions between Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative have come to an end. In a November 3 letter on behalf of the Socialist Alternative National Executive Mick Armstrong wrote: 'The overall political projects of both organisations are not sufficiently similar to carry through a sustained and productive unity that could advance the cause of the revolutionary left in Australia and the broader class struggle.'[1]

Nov 2, 2013

Fighting for socialism today

[Talk given at Socialist Ideas Conference, Melbourne, November 2, 2013]

In Australia, as in all the imperialist countries, the capitalist class is carrying out a massive assault on all the gains won by working people in over 150 years. Every TV news bulletin these days features reports of cutbacks, selloffs and outsourcing, attacks on workers rights and attacks on civil liberties — as well as wars and massive misery abroad.

Oct 25, 2013

In memory of Doug Lorimer

[These brief remarks were delivered at a memorial meeting for Doug Lorimer in Melbourne on October 25, 2013, organised by Socialist Alternative. The photo above was taken outside an Annandale polling booth in the 1975 federal election. It shows (from right): Joy Ecclestone, Dave Holmes, Doug Lorimer, (unidentified), Geoff Payne.]

The July 27 Green Left Weekly carried an obituary for Doug written by Pat Brewer. For comrades interested in the basic details of Doug's political CV I would recommend it.

Aug 12, 2013

Abolish Australia's secret police

[Green Left Weekly, #977, August 12, 2013]

According to its Wikipedia entry, 'The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and terrorism.'

Jun 9, 2013

How should a united socialist party work?

[This is the slightly edited text of a presentation given at the Socialism of the 21st Century seminar held in Sydney, June 9, 2013. Included at the end is a response to comments; for the full discussion see Links.]

Today I want to talk about how socialists need to work to win mass influence and how that relates to the unity process between Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative.

Feb 28, 2013

Development issues

[The following short presentation was made to a meeting of Moreland Socialists on February 28, 2013 to kick off a discussion on developing our policy platform.]

Scope of the question

What are 'development' issues? 'Development' concerns housing and all the issues of liveability associated with it: transport; urban environment; sustainability; green spaces and parks; schools and other facilities; jobs; and food (how and where it is produced, the cost to the consumer); and many more.

Jan 18, 2013

In defence of the transitional method

[This was originally a talk given at the Socialist Alliance National Conference, Geelong, January 18, 2013. When it was run in Links online magazine it attracted a number of responses. I have included my rejoinders below. The four pieces form a more or less coherent whole. See the whole debate at Links.]

Socialist Alternative comrades take us to task

Socialist Alliance is currently engaged in a process of discussion and clarification with Socialist Alternative, with a view to exploring the possibilities of greater cooperation and unity. How this will ultimately develop is an open question. But I think it is fair to say that on both sides today there is a much greater interest in the political positions and approach of the other.

Mar 24, 2012

Marxist philosophy: A primer

[This is the slideshow for a talk given at the Socialist Ideas Conference in Melbourne on March 24, 2012. At this stage there is no accompanying text as I spoke from rough notes but I hope the slides are useful. For PDF of slideshow see here.]