Socialist conference gathers momentum

The Socialist Ideas Conference, organised by the Socialist Alliance in Perth, is shaping up to be the biggest and most interesting socialist event in Perth for some time.

Alongside international guests such as Malaysian socialist parliamentarian Jeyakumar Devaraj and Green Left Weekly Caracas bureau journalist Kiraz Janicke, a number of respected speakers have confirmed their attendance in recent weeks.

Left-wing historian Charlie Fox from the University of Western Australia will speak on the history of the labour movement in WA. Palestine solidarity activist Alex Whisson will introduce a discussion about strategy for liberation of the Palestinian people.

Greens MLC Alison Xamon will speak on the plenary session about building a political alternative to the big parties of Australian capitalism.

Professor of health economics Gavin Mooney will scrutinise the Labor government’s health policy and discuss what a progressive health policy would look like.

“This conference will not be a talk-fest — it will be an activist conference that links discussion of left-wing ideas with practical plans for action”, conference organiser Alex Bainbridge told GLW.

“But action without theory does not get you very far, which is why gatherings like this one are important.”

“Socialist ideas are more relevant than most people realise because socialism is the basis of a practical alternative — arguably the only practical alternative — to the current capitalist system.

“This system not only generates hardship and misery, it is also destroying the basis of human life on this planet”, he said.

The conference will be held over June 26-27 at the State School Teachers Union function room at 150 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth.

[For more information, phone 08 9218 9608 or 0413 976 638 or visit www.socialist-alliance.org/perth.]