Opportunities to build unity - election analysis

Vanguard September 2010 p. 1

At the centre of the nationally strong vote against the two main parliamentary parties is the people’s backlash against the effects of the economic rationalist (neo-liberal) policies of multinational corporations, implemented by both the ALP and Liberal/National Coalition governments.

The election result has brought out into the open the widespread disillusionment with the policies of the two main parliamentary parties and shone the spotlight on the common demands and aspirations of the people on climate change and the environment, workers’ rights, better public education and health, infrastructure and services for the people in cities and rural communities. The main thread that unites the diverse national protest vote against the two main parties is the reaction to the burden of imperialist, economic rationalist deregulation of the economy and the shift to market forces. The people are demanding leadership with a clear vision and direction that upholds the interests of ordinary people and the environment.

The struggle will continue regardless of who is in government. The leadership of struggle is paramount. It has to be for the people against big business, for our rights and for people before profits. The immediate issues of struggle are for a strong mining tax, for dismantling of the ABCC, for protection of the environment, for the rights of Aboriginal people, against privatisation, and for development of a sustainable integrated national economy including broadband, green energy and rail developments, protection and development of local manufacturing and agricultural industries and defending and developing peoples’ health, education and transport services in cities and rural communities.

The overall crisis of capitalism has deepened, particularly since the 2008 global economic and financial crisis. Super profits of big mining and financial monopolies have risen to obscenely high levels, whilst the exploitation of workers has also intensified. People see governments and monopolies shifting the burden of crisis onto them through conversion of the private debt of banks and big companies to growing public debt. Governments administer this system of capitalism on behalf of monopoly corporations’ constant hunt for bigger profits. Conflict with the people is inevitable.

Working people’s anger at the ALP leaders, their grubby manoeuvrings and their embrace of economic rationalism with the cost it has imposed on workers and farmers, has grown. That anger feeds the idea that a solution lies in the Greens and independents. This is a part of an overall struggle for finding the way forward.

The anti-big business and anti-monopolist sentiments of the Greens and many rank and file members in the ALP, people from rural Australia and others, provide a natural basis of united struggle with advanced workers against the sell-out reactionaries.

This sentiment was nearly ignited with the mining super profits tax that was watered down by Gillard as one of her first acts.

A line must be drawn on the Australia Building and Construction Commission and its draconian industrial powers.

With progressive calls by some unions, independents and Greens MPs, for action on the protection of Australia’s manufacturing and agricultural industries, opportunities have opened up to build wide unity and expand struggle. That unity will include those progressive ALP members disgusted with the reactionary leaders in parliament and the ALP machine.

Differences in regional and state economies, industries and classes, in the size and strength of the organised working class and different degrees of experience with state ALP governments, have produced uneven voting results between and within states and regions.

The nationally strong 11.5% vote for the Greens is seen as a way to break out of the reactionary policies of both parties. The high informal vote, particularly in Queensland and NSW, also reflects growing frustration and disillusionment with both the ALP and Liberal/National Coalition.

The strong vote against the two main parliamentary parties and the unreliability and instability of a hung parliament has sent a shudder through the ranks of the ruling class and frightened foreign and local monopoly corporations.

These monopoly corporations, represented by the Business Council of Australia, are the real faceless men pulling the strings of the two major parliamentary parties. They are the ones who decisively run the country to ensure that profits are protected and maximised.

The early signs of the people’s willingness to go beyond the boundaries erected by multinationals will only grow and strengthen in the grass roots movement of united people’s actions.

The sight of the two major parties bowing to the demands of big business corporations on climate change, degradation of the environment, the mining tax, WorkChoices/FairWork Australia, the ABCC, war in Iraq and now Afghanistan, “free” trade agreements and opening up Australia to even greater foreign big business capital investments to plunder the country’s vast natural resources, agricultural land and food production, repelled many people in both country and cities.

The rising cost of living and skyrocketing house prices and rents are increasing the hardships of many ordinary people across Australia. This is at a time of a virtual freeze on most workers’ wages whilst the biggest monopolies are clocking up record profits.

The disgraceful continuation of Howard government’s racist NT intervention in the Aboriginal communities by an ALP government that called itself “progressive” disappointed many of its supporters. Its cynical opportunism in the inhumane treatment of refugees, discrimination on the basis of sexuality, promotion of racism and many other social issues important to people’s lives alienated many of its supporters.

The continuing sell-out by the ALP, and a weak and muted leadership in the organised working class, pushed some of the poorest, alienated and unorganised in the working class, in cities and country, into the arms of the more reactionary Liberal/National Coalition. Small business people, suffering from crippling debts and a precarious existence, either stayed with the Liberal/National Coalition or moved to the independents or the Greens.

Independents and Greens
In contrast, the three ex-National Party independents were returned in a stronger position, vigorously championing the needs of country people and communities. The effects of imperialist globalisation and the economic rationalist policies of “free” market forces and privatisation of infrastructure and services, unequal “free” trade agreements, monopolisation of food production and retailing by Coles and Woolworths, big debts to the banks and the destruction of agricultural land by mining monopolies have brought hardship to many farmers and rural communities.

On some important matters the three independents have, between them, taken a positive stand in the interest of the people against the domination of Australia by the multinationals. Bob Katter strongly denounced the Howard government’s WorkChoices and the ABCC, voting in parliament against both of these anti-worker and anti-union laws. Andrew Wilkie, the new independent, is widely known for his opposition to the continuing war in Afghanistan and support of progressive social issues.

The big swing to the Greens reflected the disillusionment and anger with both the ALP and Liberal/National Coalition on climate change, the rights of Aboriginal people, refugees, neglect of public transport, workers’ rights and conditions and the overriding power of big developers in inner cities. Barbara Shaw, a long time highly respected Aboriginal community activist, from Mount Nancy town-camp outside Alice Springs, stood for the Greens, receiving 12.5% of first preference votes.

In the mining towns of West Australia and north Queensland, a ferocious campaign by the mining monopolies and the Murdoch press against the mining tax and the ALP government spooked local communities into fearing the loss of jobs and livelihood.

ALP weakness
Bowing to the demands of monopoly capital, the ALP betrayed the people on most fronts. It abandoned even its own mild reforms for reduction in carbon emissions and a meagre super profits tax on the mining monopolies. The replacement of Rudd by Gillard – who immediately announced she had “thrown the doors of the government open to the mining companies” – was as clumsy as it was treacherous. The people wanted the ALP government to stand up to the thuggery of the polluting corporations and mining monopolies, to lead the fight and mobilise mass support behind it.

The ALP government continues with the lighter version of WorkChoices under a new brand name of FairWork Australia and refuses to abolish the ABCC. Some union leaders chained the union movement to the increasingly reactionary ALP, whilst the rank and file workers were crying out for leadership dedicated to fighting for the interests of working people. The people felt insulted by the vacuous, celebrity-style election campaign of the two main parties, void of any policies and any real vision for the nation.

Ruling class panic
In the lead up to the elections the ruling class of foreign and local monopoly corporations loudly demanded that a future government continues to roll out the economic rationalist agenda of privatisation, more attacks on workers, making the people pay for any carbon tax, further cuts to company taxes and no tax on mining profits.

The Business Council of Australia, the Minerals Council, the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented their list of demands to make sure ordinary people pay for the global economic crisis, and that their super profits are preserved above all else.

Murdoch’s media monopoly, the powerful mouthpiece for the most reactionary section of the ruling class, strongly campaigned for the victory of their most loyal servant, the Liberal/National Coalition under Abbott’s leadership. Divisions and competing interests in the ruling class between the more aggressive and powerful mining interests and the struggling manufacturing industry were evident in differences in approach to the mining super-profits tax and the elections.

For the ruling class, the two party parliamentary system is the most efficient means of controlling the people and ensuring stability for the capitalist exploitation of workers and natural resources. When the government of the day can no longer rule by deception and disillusionment sets in, the people’s attention is directed to the other main party promoted as the only alternative available for the resolution of economic and social problems. And the merry-go-round continues endlessly. It’s the use of parliamentary deception that disarms the people, to convince them there is no other alternative outside the parliamentary system.

The unreliability of a hung parliament, with the election of progressive Greens into the Senate from every state, shook the ruling class out of its smugness and comfort zone. Chris Richardson from Access Economics declared, “This is the worst outcome. Business would have been far happier to see either side win comfortably.” Stephen Walters from JP Morgan wrote, “For financial markets, a hung Parliament is the worst outcome possible.” “Foreign investors flee political uncertainty” screamed a newspaper headline.

The powerful Business Council of Australia was quick off the mark issuing warnings to the ALP, Liberal/National Coalition, the Greens and the independents, demanding faster implementation of so-called “reforms”, driven by the economic rationalism of imperialist globalisation. It demanded any future government and elected politicians implement their blue print for the Australian economy.

Opportunity to build unity
The success of the Greens and the wide support for independents grew out of many years of broad based progressive grass roots struggles and movements by the people, including members and supporters of the ALP, Greens, other smaller parties and even some members and supporters of the Liberal/National Coalition.

These struggles need to be deepened and broadened in the progressive movements of the people in workplaces and communities. Crucial to the expansion and strengthening of this powerful movement is the working class leadership. The conditions are good for popularising the immediate demands listed in this issue on page 7.

Explanation and presentation of facts in the light of classes and class forces will arm the people, identify the main source of many problems and build broad alliances and a powerful movement for real change. Central in all of this is an understanding of which class holds power, the strength and leadership of the working class, and the inability of parliamentary institutions to bring about fundamental change to put the workers and their allies in charge of the country.