NEWSLETTER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF AUSTRALIA (SA)
EDITORIAL - PUBLIC HOSPITALS - AN ATTACK BY STEALTH
You can wait a long time for attention at casualty at the Queen Elizabeth, Lyell McEwin or Royal Adelaide Hospital. The pressure on overworked staff is immense and the federal government is using these sorts of shortcomings across the country to justify root and branch changes in hospital funding and administration. They say that as the community ages, there simply won’t be enough money in government coffers to carry on as we are. But what are the real problems facing our hospitals? What’s the real agenda with the federal government’s supposed “fix”? The main problem is that our public hospitals are the last port of call for many people whose medical needs are not being met in the community. Neglect (often flowing from cost-cutting privatisation) in aged care, mental health, disability and primary care is causing many people to present in public hospital who might not have needed to do so if proper attention were available in their aged care accommodation or private home. Others find it hard to find a bulk-billing doctor and go to casualty instead. Rather than address these problems, the government appointed Christine Bennett, formerly of private health insurance transnational BUPA, to head up the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. Not surprisingly, that body’s report recommended changes that would increase the role of private hospitals and private health insurance and set public hospitals up for greater failure. The federal government wants to establish local area networks including public and private hospitals and an “Independent Hospital Pricing Authority” to determine an “efficient price” that would be paid to hospitals for a range of procedures. This “case mix” or piecework funding mechanism will see patients turned out quicker and sicker. Private hospitals will cherry pick simpler cases to increase profits leaving the more difficult cases to a crumbling public system. If people do not become active around this issue we will end up with a US-style managed health system that is hugely expensive for governments and patients but stupendously profitable for the big medical monopolies including pharmaceutical companies. The Communist Party has launched a campaign to safeguard the gains people made with Medicare and to press on for a nationalised system to secure first rate, affordable and sustainable healthcare for all Australians. Contact us if you would like to help (see details on the back page).
AUTUMN WE 2011 EXIST AND WHAT WE STAND FOR WHY
1
S E Q U O I A C MORE ‘PIE IN THE SKY’ AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Last year the Defence Housing Authority was given the Federal Government’s go ahead to redevelop land in Largs North. The state government’s Land Management Corporation sold the land so that homes for the increased numbers of defence personnel expected to come to Adelaide over the next few years could be built. The Seventh Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment will be transferred from Darwin to Adelaide and increased numbers of Royal Australian Navy personnel are expected to be posted to the hugely expensive Air Warfare Destroyer project. Defence families were to occupy 35 out of the 123 homes at the Bayriver estate and 15 per cent of the remainder were to be reserved for “affordable housing”. Work was supposed to start in January but, as can be seen from the photo taken from Wandilla Street recently, nothing has happened.
1500th issue of the CPA’s GUARDIAN
Everybody is welcome to come to a celebration of the 1500th issue of the Communist Party’s newspaper, The Guardian. 6pm on Monday May 16 at the Semaphore Workers Club, 93 Esplanade, Semaphore. There will speakers from the community, some examples of the paper over the years, some food to share and a toast to the future of the working class press. For further information contact Bob on 0418 894 366.
2
L
U
B
The land was once the site of the Meyer Oval built by ICI, owner of the local soda ash plant, for the enjoyment of employees and residents. The redevelopment means the loss of a considerable area of pubic space. It will require major soil re-mediation to the eastern side where local industries used to dump hazardous waste. No doubt the idea of specifying that a number of homes should be reserved for affordable housing was hatched to quell complaints about the net loss of affordable, housing trust properties in the area. The streets north of Willochra Street were cleared of significant numbers of housing trust homes to make way for the privately owned and relatively expensive homes that stand there now. The adjacent suburb of Taperoo was identified in the 2006 census as falling within the lowest 3 per cent on the Commonwealth’s Index of Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage. If affordable accommodation continues to be such a low priority for the SA government, will low-income earners be forced out to far-flung northern and southern suburbs – away from the increasingly gentrified Port area? It seems so. The ongoing redevelopment of the Port area should include a major commitment to affordable housing – not just crumbs off the defence industries’ table.
MAY DAY - A VERY BRIEF HISTORY May Day (also known as International Workers day) is a day of celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing groups. It commonly sees organized street demonstrations and marches by working people, and their trade unions, throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It is also celebrated unofficially in many other countries. But, did you know that May Day has its origins in Australia? On April 21, 1856, stonemasons working on buildings at Melbourne University downed tools to march to the city to demonstrate in favour of an Eight Hour Workday. Their victory became an international landmark in the history of the labour movement. At first, the day of action and celebration was intended for that year only but, due to it’s strong effect enlivening the workers of Australia to speak up for their rights, it was decided to repeat the celebration every year. The idea of mass work stoppage gave great strength to the courage and faith of workers and the idea of a workers celebration soon spread to other countries until it had conquered the whole world. The Haymarket massacre of protesting workers in Illinois, USA, in 1886, by police, solidified the date of May 1 to commemorate the plight of the working class and the difficulties it faces obtaining equal rights for all workers. To quote Rosa Luxemburg “The first of May demanded the introduction of the eight-hour day. But even after this goal was reached, May Day was not given up. As long as the struggle of the workers against the bourgeoisie and the ruling class continues, as long as all demands are not met, May Day will be the yearly expression of these demands. And, when better days dawn, when the working class of the world has won its deliverance then too humanity will probably celebrate May Day in honor of the bitter struggles and the many sufferings of the past.” AUTUMN 2011
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT AIR POLLUTION? The air and soil in the Le Fevre Peninsula and surrounding areas have been contaminated by industry over many years and residents need to take action to remedy this unacceptable risk.
It has been known for over a decade that some suburbs within the North West metropolitan Adelaide have lung cancer mortality up to twice that expected from state averages WHY? A study in 2004 conducted by the faculty of health science University of Adelaide states in part “Cigarette smoking is likely to be the primary cause of elevated lung cancer mortality in suburbs of NW Adelaide” These spurious arguments were used by employers in the 50s-60s to explain the high incidence of lung cancer in coal miners, used in the 70s to explain the high rates of lung cancer in people exposed to asbestos fiber, airborne particulate matter and chemical fumes. Examples of actions that can be taken collectively or
individually are: •
Writing to your local politician and telling them that they must act in the interests of the residents who elected them and they must require industry to clean up its act and stop polluting the area.
•
Start a petition and present to the State Minister for Environment.
•
Write to your local council representative asking them what are they going to do about stopping industry and rail transport with their open wagons polluting the environment.
•
Send letters to the editor of the Messenger Press about the unacceptable pollution.
•
Residents should consider taking a class action against the polluters and make them pay for the pollution and removal of contaminated soil.
AGITATE – EDUCATE – ORGANISE
Let’s all march on May Day This year May Day takes place against a backdrop of important local, national and international developments including a deepening environmental emergency. The theme of this year’s May Day in South Australia is Agitate, Educate, Organise. And with the Rann Government continuing to cut essential public sector jobs and services, an ongoing campaign to scrap the ABCC and intensifying labour struggles overseas, there is a lot to agitate, educate and organise about. May Day is also a celebration and we aim to have a bit of fun with a range of family friendly activities.
Sat 30 April
Sun 1 May
10am assemble in Victoria Square for live music & short speeches. Then march to the Torrens Parade Ground for more speakers, more music, stalls, refreshment tent, sausage sizzle, face painting and other kids’ entertainment.
10am Traditional ceremony at the Worker's Memorial at Black Diamond Corner in Port Adelaide 12pm BBQ at the Semaphore Worker's Club 93 Esplanade Semaphore.
AUTUMN 2011
3
WHY WE EXIST AND WHAT WE STAND FOR The Communist Party of Australia believes there is a way to overcome Australia's economic and social problems. To do this it is necessary to change the direction of politics in Australia and, eventually, to replace the capitalist system with a socialist one. The Communist Party is a party of activists who work in trade unions, peace and environmental groups, solidarity organisations and a variety of other community movements as well as running campaigns in the name of the Communist Party. The members of the CPA work to eliminate unemployment, poverty, injustice, homelessness, racism and war. These problems arise from the domination of our society by huge profit-hungry private corporations. We work for a society in which publicly owned enterprises will play the major role in the economy. We encourage the participation of people in democratic decision making and management. We want a society in which Aboriginal people, women, and migrants are treated equally and with dignity. We work for a society where the environment is protected. We believe that the needs of the people should be put first and not the wealth and profits of private corporations. We strive to develop the Communist Party into a party capable of helping to educate, organise, unite and fight together with all the left, progressive and democratic political forces in building a broad people's movement with the working class as its core. Many demands have been won in the past and we believe much more can be achieved by a movement which is united and determined to stand up for what is right. The work of Party members and the Party's policies are guided by a set of ideas which are called MarxismLeninism. Wage and salary earners and their families, professional people, farmers, pensioners, unemployed people, students make up over 85 per cent of our population. They are the overwhelming majority. These are the people suffering because of the exploitation imposed by monopolies, the privatisation of public enterprises, deregulation, cuts in government spending, and unemployment. The Communist Party of Australia is on their side.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF AUSTRALIA?
If you would like further information on becoming a member of the Communist Party of Australia or if you are interested in subscribing to the party’s weekly newspaper, The Guardian, then complete the slip below and mail it to Left Focus, PO Box 612, Port Adelaide DC, SA 5015 or send an email with your details to sa@cpa.org.au We also encourage feedback regarding anything written in Left Focus. And visit our website at www.cpa.org.au
COMRADES!
I am interested in finding out more information about becoming a member of the Communist Party of Australia I’m interested in subscribing to The Guardian I would like to continue receiving copies of Left Focus NAME_____________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ _________________________________ PHONE___________________________________ EMAIL____________________________________ tear off and send to LEFT FOCUS, PO Box 612, Port Adelaide DC, SA 5015 4
BLUES BANDS every Friday 8pm & Sunday 4pm (BBQ on sunday) 93 Esplanade, Semaphore
WHERE THE REDS GET THE BLUES
Electoral comment on behalf of CPA authorised by Bob Briton C/- 66 Wattle Ave Royal Park COMRADES!
AUTUMN 2011