Even the paid professional commentariat working for the privately owned media as well as the ABC have long publicly recognised a significant sameness between the Australian Labour Party (ALP) and the Liberal National Coalition (LNC). The convergence between the ALP and the LNC was recognised in the 80s by the wit who described them as […]
Article: The circus in late capitalist Australian politics. – by Max lane
In 1975, the then Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, urged people to vote for an Australia that would be ‘relaxed and comfortable” and where “sport would be back on the front page” of the newspapers. The long post-war economic boom and pretty much zero unemployment (noting that participation still did not really count women) […]
Article: Refugees and the ideological imperatives of late capitalism in Australia – by Max Lane.
As from July, 2013, the Australian government has a new policy as regards refugees arriving in Australian territory by boat, “without a visa”. The Australian government will no longer accept them as potential residents of Australia. They are to be shipped to detention camps in Papua New Guinea and, if recognized as ‘legitimate’ refugees, will […]
Revolutionaries and reformists in contemporary Australia – by Max Lane
By Max Lane — Rosa Luxemburg wrote the booklet Social Reform or Revolution in response to the writings of Eduard Bernstein. Bernstein was advocating an “evolutionary” path to socialism, counter-posed to revolution. “Reform or revolution?” became a fundamental question for the socialist and labour movements at the beginning of the 20th century. Defining the division […]
Mixing Marx and Indonesia by Mohammed Cohen
BALI – Max Lane is a Marxist and leading authority on Indonesia. That’s somewhat ironic since Indonesia has been a bulwark of anti-communism since the 1965 coup that brought General Suharto to power and led to the killings of up to 3 million alleged communists. Yet Lane says that Indonesia turned him into a Marxist. […]
Reflections on starting “anew” in Australia: some experiences from the Australian Left – by Max Lane
It has been almost five years since I was expelled in 2008 with 35 others from the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) or ‘Perspective’, as it had become by then. (And I think there were another dozen or so who had to leave in other ways.) It was a sad, angry and frustrating moment. I joined […]
Poem: Refugees I
Cartridge poppy fields drones not bees buzz above Stranger soldiers stand atop of armoured cars Turrets turning pointing spitting Roadside revenge awaits to mame Mother father boy girl radar surrounds searching for a future Cloak swaggering corruption advised by straightened ties Escape, escape the pings on the radar speak A boat brings them to […]
Indonesia, the new Pacific solution? Refugee rights and social justice in the Asia Pacific
Public forum: Indonesia, the new Pacific solution? Refugee rights and social justice in the Asia Pacific Date: Tuesday, 08 December 2009 Time: 18:00 – 20:00 A discussion forum with Pamela Curr and Setyo Budi Presented by Indonesia Solidarity Forum and the University of Melbourne Indonesian program Pamela Curr – Long term refugee rights activist and […]
Review: Refugees and Rebels: Indonesian Exiles in Wartime Australia, by Jan Lingard
Refugees and Rebels: Indonesian Exiles in Wartime Australia, by Jan Lingard (Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2008) Jan Lingard’s book, Refugees and Rebels – Indonesian Exiles in Wartime Australia is a humane, interesting, informative and readable book. Every person interested in the history of the Australian and/or Indonesian people should read this book. It should be on the reading lists […]
AUSTRALIA: “Labor stirs anti-refugee hysteria”
Kerry Vernon has written a new article on the current mistreatment of people trying to reach Australiaby boat via Indonesia hoping to apply for residence in Australia as refugees. She starts by saying: “Tamil asylum seekers from Sri Lanka, diverted from entering Australia and put on the Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking, had been refusing food […]
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