Over the last decade Dave Kerin has been at the forefront of the struggle to blunt and overturn the Howard government’s assault on working people. A foundation member of Union Solidarity, he has been involved in numerous confrontations with employers and the State in his efforts to assist employees who are victimised by employers. Union Solidarity has been so successful in defending working people, the Howard government in one of its last acts of bastardry passed legislation that is designed to criminalise the activity of groups like Union Solidarity. Dave Kerin, unmoved by this new legislation, has vowed to continue to fight for the rights of working people in Australia.

In a representative democracy, the government - through the participation of the people in the electoral process - represents the hopes and aspirations of the electorate. The relationship between electors and their elected representatives in a parliamentary democracy is very clear – electors through their participation in the electoral process give their representatives the power to make decisions on their behalf for the next three years.

As far as the personal experiences of the stolen generations are concerned, although the pain and suffering they went through was related to specific government legislation that was designed over successive generations to smooth the pillow of a dying race by breeding the blackness out of indigenous Australians, that obnoxious policy was carried out by and on behalf of the Australian people. Those Australians who carried out government legislation that caused and continues to cause so much harm and damage to the indigenous community, did so on behalf of the successive elected governments that derived their authority to do what was done to the stolen generations from the Australian people.

For the Rudd led Labor government to apologise on behalf of the Australia government, not the Australian people, is a conscious abrogation of its responsibility to the people who have given it the authority to act on their behalf. Most importantly of all, their decision to apologise only on behalf of the Australia government, not the Australian people, casts doubt on the sincerity of the apology that will be delivered to the stolen generations on the 13th of February.

An economic system that flourished in a period of abundance is not the type of economic system you want to dominate the world economy, as people attempt to deal with the problems associated with scarcity. Continuing to demand increasing consumption to generate ever increasing profits is sheer lunacy. Faced with a catastrophe of biblical proportions may be the shock the world needs to create an economic system based on the satisfaction of real, not manufactured human needs.

The politics of scarcity are intertwined with the economies of scarcity. We either continue down the path to barbarism and eye off our neighbour as a potential food source or we embark on an economic and political journey that transfers power from the boards of national and transnational corporations and an economically impotent Parliament, directly into the hands of the community.

Democratising power through direct democratic methods and holding wealth in common so it is used for the common good, not that small minority that owns the means of production, distribution and exchange that currently exercises economic and political power, is the best way to avoid the major social problems caused by increasing population growth, finite resources and man made environmental devastation. If we do nothing, we will have to face the considerable problems associated with scarcity much sooner than we think.

The government does not need to go down the ‘opinion without power’ road; it can, if it had the political will, put real power back into the hands of the people by holding a referendum on ‘Citizen Initiated Referendums’. If the referendum was successful, a third major player - the Australian people – would be able to exercise power in this country (currently power is shared by that small section of the community that owns the means of production, distribution and exchange and Parliament).

‘Citizen Initiated Referendums’ – the ability to automatically call a referendum on a particular issue if 10% of the Australian population sign a petition that they want to change or add a new section to the Australian Constitution, allows the collective wisdom of the whole population (not just the nation’s ‘brightest and best’ brains) to be utilised to tackle issues and problems that all Australians face.

In case you think ‘Citizen Initiated Referendums’ sound like a fanciful utopian dream, the Swiss have used ‘Citizen Initiated Referendums’ for decades to successfully tackle problems Australia is still trying to find a solution to.

John Joseph was an Afro-American born in New York; John Manning was born in Ireland and educated in New York; Timothy Hayes, the Chairman of the Ballarat Reform League, was born at Kilkenny, Ireland; Raffaello Carboni, one of the central characters in the Eureka story, was born in the city of Urbino, Central Italy; Jan Vennik was born in the Netherlands; James Beattie was born in Cumberland, England; Michael Tuohy was born in Scariff County Clare, England; Henry Reed was born in England; James McFie Campbell, a black man was born in Kingston, Jamaica; William Molloy came from Ireland; Jacob Sorenson was a Jew; John Phelan was born in Ireland and Thomas Dignum was the only Australian born miner charged with High Treason.

The ideas that drove the Eureka rebellion transcend race, class, culture and religion. They’re enshrined in the oath taken by the miners at Bakery Hill in Ballarat 4 days before the rebellion was crushed in a sea of blood by the British Crown: - “We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties”.

The diggers involved in the rebellion were not interested in a person’s race, religion or nationality; they accepted anyone into their movement who was willing to take up arms to defend what they believed were their alienable rights and liberties from those who attempted to remove their rights and curtail their liberties by force.

The Eureka legacy has nothing to do with the antics of political movements that attempt to use the Eureka flag to push ideas that are diametrically opposed to the ideas that the Eureka diggers fought and died for.

While this happens, the Victorian government makes plans to enter into private State partnerships (whose financial burden will be carried by generations of Victoria) to build a desalination plant, and transport water over the ranges that is needed by local communities and farmers to ensure the people of Melbourne can continue to use clean drinking water to flush their toilets. Looking at what’s happening, it’s important we seriously consider the solutions that are being proposed to guarantee Melbourne’s water supply.

Instead of looking into ways the sewage system can be separated from the city’s fresh water supply, and instead of banning logging within Melbourne’s water catchment areas, the Victorian State government continues to propose fanciful infrastructure plans that do little if anything to save water. While our gardens, some of which have been lovingly tendered for generations die before our eyes, it is business as usual at Spring Street.

Anybody with even one synapsing neurone would look at ways of increasing storage and decreasing consumption - using the infrastructure they have - before they embark on expensive new solutions that need to reinvent the wheel to tackle a problem that could be solved by using the available infrastructure. It seems that vested interests, sweetheart political deals and a process that is used to award contracts to privately owned corporations that is far from transparent, continue to take precedence over the needs of government to provide essential services to the people they govern.

To continue to log Melbourne’s catchment area is sheer lunacy. To continue to refuse to investigate methods by which non drinkable water could be used to flush Melbourne’s toilets is also sheer lunacy. When governments can’t even provide their citizens with essential services, it is time for people to seriously consider replacing the political processes that have been hijacked by that minority that owns the means of production, distribution and exchange by political processes that are controlled by the people, and use the common wealth to service the needs of the people, not line the pockets of an unaccountable minority.

Increasing population growth, finite resources and the domination of the world economy by an economic system based on the creation of ever increasing profits, irrespective of the human and social costs, is about to tip the world economy from one that is suited to deal with abundance to one that must deal with scarcity.

An anarchist society – a community based on the federation of community and workplace councils where wealth is held in common and everybody has the right to be involved in the decision making processes - is the type of society that is best suited to deal with the very real problems associated with scarcity.

As the world moves from abundance to scarcity, private and State capitalism – the economic systems that have flourished while another market was able to be created, more resources were sacrificed on the altar of Mammon and new populations that could be exploited were ‘discovered’ - are dying as we speak.

Faced with the choice of full speed ahead and descending into barbarism or adopting a new social and economic system based on cooperation and the utilisation of the collective, experience and knowledge of everyone in the community so we can successfully deal with the problems associated with scarcity - anarchism as a political, social and economic force will come to the fore.

Welcome to the 21st century – the anarchist century.

‘Scarcity thinking’ is based on raising real alternatives in the community to the ideas that are currently being raised as solutions to the problems caused by increasing greenhouse emissions. Carbon trading and green capitalism – the ideas that are currently being bandied about in the community as solutions to increase greenhouse warming is a little bit like putting a large cork into the top of a large volcano that is about to explode.

We need to talk about co-operation as an alternative to competition. We need to raise the idea that money in superannuation funds, that is currently being used to bankroll the economic system that has created increasing greenhouse emissions, should be funnelled into co-operative enterprises. We should be raising Direct Democracy as an alternative to parliamentary rule. We don’t need more rulers; what we need is more participation in the decision making processes so the collective wisdom of the people can be used to tackle the problems associated with an economic system based on scarcity.

We need to talk about the common wealth being held in common and used for the common good, not the good of minorities who impose their will on us because they enjoy a monopoly on the use of force in the community through their domination of the State. We need to talk about the decentralisation, not the centralisation of power and wealth. We need to hammer home the idea that increasing population growth and finite resources makes supporting an economic system based on the creation of profits is an untenable and dangerous proposition.

We find ourselves at a critical juncture in human history; we continue to think and act as if there is no tomorrow or we use the language and ideas in our conversations that makes communalisation - the transfer of power and wealth from the hands of the State and the corporate sector into the hands of the community - a goal that is worth striving and fighting for in an era when barbarism beckons if we don’t radically change the way we have been taught to think.

The executive wouldn’t have a bar of Fleming’s attempts to table the letter. In a huff, Fleming wrote to fellow workers ‘Workers Awake! Free yourselves from political shysters. Don’t Vote! Declare for the General Strike’.

Krapotkin had written to Fleming: -

“Things must be worse than I thought if the Labor organisations are entirely in the hands of politicians. I have still the hope that apart from those working men who lay their hopes into Parliament, there are men who will understand that the progress of Labor Unions is not politics, but in Latin countries is described by the working man as Direct Action”.

“Do you follow the movement in France? The synodical (Trade Union) movement which, for a number of years was in the hands of political socialists, is now freeing these bonds, and we see really a new birth of what was the International Workingman’s Association before the Franco German War; their aim now is the Direct Action against capital and Philistine Rule – Even when they want to obtain something from Parliament they think – quite right – that it would be better to impose their will by strikes etc. instead of begging. They prepare as you know, the General Strike for May 1, 1906”.

Krapotkin’s letter then addresses Fleming directly: -

“What are you doing in Australia for this eventuality? It is time to think of it. I would be happy to go to Australia, and to help the Labor movement in any way. But since I have had an attack of the heart, I have had to give up all lecturing. Are you receiving regularly ‘Freedom’? There is a general revival of the movement in Europe - With best brotherly greetings – P.KRAPOTKIN”.

Fleming, keen to have Krapotkin’s letter tabled at the Trades Hall Executive meeting, was livid at the Trades Hall successful suppression of Krapotkin’s letter to him. He sent letters to radicals in Melbourne decrying the suppression of Peter Krapotkin’s letter to him.

Interestingly, Fleming who was a boot maker by trade had become a full time agitator by 1906, signing his letter to the Trades Hall Executive as J.W. FLEMING - Anarchist Lecturer, 6 Argyle Place, Carlton, Melbourne.

“It is 50 years since Tunku Abdul Rahman held his fist aloft and cried Merdeka, not thrice but seven times”. Fifty years later, freedom seems to be the missing ingredient in a nation increasingly divided by culture, race and religion.

“Keep the poor divided (by race, by region, by job, by status) and you deprive them of their major asset – mass”.

I was struck by the similarity of the problems faced by Malaysians and Australians. When you think about it, in a globalised world, both the problems and solutions to those problems need to be global as well as local. Sonia Randhawa treads a fine line between writing what she feels and thinks in a way that is acceptable to the censors. She needs to make these compromises so her work is accessible to Malaysians. Readers who are not willing to read between the lines would have trouble seeing the revolutionary potential in ‘A Manifesto for Independence’.

“What is freedom like? It is hard to imagine a free society”,

“Freedom is not an individual enterprise, it is a collective enterprise”,

“Anarchism - political not social, cannot be imposed from the top, it has to be built from the bottom”,

“Build from the bottom, on the basis of respect, mutual dependence and co-operation and we have freedom”.

Anyone who is willing to make the effort to tease the author’s thoughts from the dead hand of covert and overt censorship would soon see the revolutionary potential in ‘A Manifesto for Independence’.

I encourage readers to buy this book. It is the least we can do to repay Sonia and her Malaysian publisher for the courage they have shown. If you want to discuss ‘A Manifesto for Independence’ with the author, email Sonia Randhawa at << soniarandhawa1@yahoo.com.my >>

Pre order a copy, contact the Malaysian publisher today!

Matahari Books, matahari.books@gmail.com
B-8-2A, Opal Damansara, Jalan PJU 3.27, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Tel: +6012 2311 584

Akin Sari’s turn to plead. Brought out from Barwon Prison; 183 days in prison, 60 in isolation, currently day 6 of another isolation stint. He looks the same; dark curly beard, dark curly hair, horn rimmed glasses sitting on a gaunt face perched on a gangly frame. He smiles. The Judge enters, all stand; 2 court officials, 3 detectives, Crown Prosecutor, assistants, 4 reporters from the press – pads in hand, take a back row seat. Akin’s barrister and his assistant, 11 members of the public - their common bond, Akin - scattered in the bowels of the court. A police officer sits next to the dock.

This is a Plea Hearing to determine the length of his sentence. Akin pleaded guilty to 9 charges arising from the G20 protests in November 2006, including riotous behaviour previously. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison as well as pay over $20,000 in compensation. His barrister complains he needs more time with his client; he couldn’t see him properly this morning. The Crown team fidgets; the 3 detectives hunched over, listen intently. Court adjourned till 11.30am. Akin led back into the cell in the County Court by the police officer sitting in the corner of the court. 11.30am, the Crown outlines their case, more delays, court adjourned till 2.30pm. At 2.30pm, the Crown continues their case; the court watches Akin’s antics on that fateful day on a video screen in the court.

The Defence barrister, poorly fitting wig, black gown, gets on his feet and slowly outlines Akin’s plea. No, he was not mentally ill when he participated in the G20 protests. Yes, he believes the tactics used where unacceptable. Police action at past demonstrations is given as the justification for the tactics he used. Snippets of information about why he was involved in the G20 demonstrations filters through the court. Another adjournment at 4.00pm for his barrister to take further instructions from Mr. Akin Sari. The crowd had thinned to 7 members of the public - Akin in the dock and 2 reporters, one who’s keen to file her story for the evening news. I left; I understand the plea hearing went on for another hour. Nothing was finalised. The plea hearing to continue at 10.30am on Monday 11th of February 2008.

Australian courts are open to the public. I was surprised so few members of the public had turned up. If you’ve got nothing to do or even if you’ve got something to do, you should make the effort to turn up to court to see what eventually happens to Akin Sari – a Turkish political refugee who was granted political asylum and Australian citizenship in 2005.He’s taken responsibility for his actions at the G20 protests in 2006 by pleading guilty at the first available opportunity and now awaits his fate in court.

10.30am – MONDAY 11th FEBRUARY 2008,

COUNTY COURT, 250 WILLIAM ST, MELBOURNE.

The story could have been very different if these same prominent people had stepped in when the project was first mooted. Instead of throwing their weight behind the Blue Wedges Coalition – a coalition of small community groups - they stood silently on the sidelines. When the government inquiry was held into the desirability and feasibility of the project, they continued to stand silently on the sidelines. When the Victorian State government got the report they wanted from an inquiry process whose impartiality was questioned from the start, they continued to say nothing.

The dredging of the Bay, when it goes ahead in the next few weeks, can be laid directly at the feet of the ‘Johnnies come lately’ who have kept their powder dry till now. To a large degree, their reluctance to step forward is a result of the Victorian State government’s and the Ports Authority successful campaign to marginalise the Blue Wedges Coalition. It is also related to the fact that many privately owned businesses were concerned that if they stood up, they would be denied access to lucrative State government contracts because the processes by which these contracts are allocated are far from transparent.

The last minute hiccup in the plans of the Brumby led Victorian government to dredging the Bay will be overcome in the next few days unless hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets.

UMANITA NOVA Vol 88 No.3 EL 27th JAN 2008, Settimanale Anarchico, C.50 Palermo 46, 10152, Torino ITALY.
Tel/Fax : (011) 857850
Mobile : 338-6594361
Email : fat@inrete.it

Write to:

AKIN SARI, c/- Port Phillip Prison,
P.O. BOX 376, Laverton 3080,
Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

SENTENCING PLEA to be continued
10.30am MONDAY 11th FEBRUARY 2008
Victorian County Court. (250 William St, Melbourne)

“We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other & fight to defend our rights & liberties”

NOMINATION CLOSE – 31st OCTOBER 2008

Send in one nomination or as many as you like. Send us the following information:

• The name of the person nominated
  
  
• A few sentences outlining why they should receive the award
  
  
• A contact address for the nominee (We need to contact them if they wish to receive the award)
  
  
• The person you nominate can be a public figure or somebody only known to a few people.

SEND YOUR NOMINATIONS ASAP TO

EUREKA AUSTRALIA DAY MEDAL
P.O. BOX 20
PARKVILLE 3052, VIC
AUSTRALIA

or email your nomination to anarchistage@yahoo.com

“SEDITION – Conduct or speech inciting to rebellion”

SIGN THE SEDITION CHARTER ONLINE - www.seditioncharter.org

If you’re computer literate and many of us are not, write to us for a copy of the Sedition Charter, at :

P.O. BOX 5035,
ALPHINGTON 3078,
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Terrible things happen when good people do nothing. Openly defy this government’s attempts to muzzle and intimidate opposition to their neo conservative authoritarian agenda – SIGN the ‘Sedition Charter’ TODAY!

THE POWER OF RECALL – Electors having the constitutional right to recall parliamentary representatives in between elections

CITIZENS INITIATED REFERENDUMS – The people having the power to initiate constitutional change through referendums

DIRECT DEMOCRACY – Electing delegates with limited mandates, to co-ordinate decisions that have been made by the people, not electing representatives to make decisions for us.

(We Currently Have 120 Paid Up Members)

DIRECT DEMOCRACY NOT PARLIAMENTARY RULE - www.rulebythepeople.org

At 11.30am - WEDNESDAY 13th February 2008

Come & join us & demand a Royal Commission into the links between corrupt business, police & political Interests & organised crime in Victoria – All welcome

An anarchist analysis of local, national & international events. Tune into your local community radio station to listen to the Anarchist World This Week. If they don’t broadcast it, ask them why not! If they’re one of the 150 community radio stations around Australia that are affiliated to the National Community Radio Satellite, they are able to broadcast the Anarchist World This Week.

2BAY, 2BBB, 2BLU, 2DRY, 2HOT, 2OCB, 2WOW, 2XX, 3CH, 3CR, 36CR, 3MGB, 3REG, 4NAG, 4RRR, 5BBB, 5RRR, 6YCR

MULTI-COLOURED GLOSSY A3 POSTER AVAILABLE FOR 20 50c STAMPS.
(Price includes packaging, poster in secure cylinder and postage anywhere in Australia)

‘LIFE WASN’T MEANT TO BE EASY’

Go to www.3CR.org.au to access the podcast.

The Anarchist Savants Monthly
P.O. Box 43
Clunes 3370, VIC, AUSTRALIA.

Or email Andrew directly on andrewpstretton@yahoo.com.au for further info.

Come out to a great gig on Sat, 9th February at the Noise Bar in Brunswick.

8 Great Bands - *Rock* *Funk* *Folk* - Dj and Comedians

The Shivering Timbers, Go Genre Everything, The Nervous Pilots, Green Green Green, Emma Tonkin, It’ll Be Sweet, Hey Pilot and Loukia.

Homemade Veggie Food - Cheap! Help support APEC arrestee Marcela and stand up for the right to protest. - $10 cover – all door charges and food sales go straight to helping out.

Using unnecessary force and intimidation, police arrested peaceful protesters at the end of the rally at the APEC summit in Sydney in September 2007. While filming these police actions, Melbourne-based independent filmmaker Marcela Olea was arrested and her gear destroyed. She now faces two charges of assaulting police and one charge of resisting arrest. Expenses for travel, court, counseling and equipment replacement have and will take an immense toll on her and her family.

Support the right to peaceful protest without police intimidation.

Support independent media. For any questions

contact Daniella Olea on 0404 189 272 or email daniellaolea@hotmail.com

QUOTE OF THE MOMENT: "Don't suffer from PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder], go out & cause it." - The slogan chosen by the most recent graduating class of the Idaho Police Officer Standards & Training Academy to appear on their graduation programs.

QUOTE OF THE MOMENT: "I think it would be irresponsible." - "I cannot make that commitment." - "It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting." The leading Democratic candidates for US Pres, Barack Obama, John Edwards & Hilary Rodham Clinton, when asked if they would commit to have the US military out of Iraq by January 2013. Sen Democrats recently helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another US$150 billion for the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.

QUOTE OF THE MOMENT: "There is clearly a massive difference b/w necessary govt info for the community & blatant govt electoral propaganda...propaganda should be paid for by political parties." - John Howard, 95. Since Mr Howard came to power in 96, the govt has spent almost $2b on govt advertising, incl $850m of public money spent since the last election in 04.

QUOTE OF THE MOMENT: "Formerly the master selected the slave; today the slave selects his master." Albert Parsons.

QUOTE OF THE MOMENT: "I confess that I’m not charmed with the ideal of life held out by those who think that the normal state of human beings is that of struggling to get on; that the trampling, crushing, elbowing, & treading on each other's heels, which form the existing type of social life, are the most desirable lot of human beings." John Stuart Mill.