CELEBRATE 1000

This week The Guardian is celebrating the 1000th issue of the 
Communist Party's weekly paper. In every one of those issues the paper has 
been an unrelenting voice for workers battling for jobs and better wages 
and conditions, a fighter for the rights of Indigenous Australians, of 
women, migrants, young people, the aged and unemployed.

The first edition was published in March 1972, following the formation of 
the Socialist Party of Australia in December 1971.

It was called SPA, the initials of the Party. The name was changed 
to The Socialist during 1974 and then to its present name in 1984.

Guardian is the name of the old Victorian publication of the 
original CPA. Today's Guardian strives to uphold the fine traditions 
of the original Guardian in defending workers' interests, taking the 
Communist Party's policies to the people and working toward the alternative 
to an economic system based on exploitation — a socialist society.

In looking back over the years, it is interesting to note how many themes 
keep recurring — unemployment, cuts to hospital funding, nuclear tests, 
the wages struggle, attacks on working conditions, strike struggles and 
victories, anti-union legislation, sackings, profit booms, attacks on 
democratic rights, the environment, rights of refugees, East Timor, rights 
of Indigenous people, defence of Medicare (Medibank), taxation, 
privatisation, deregulation, women's rights.

The victories and setbacks illustrate how no gains are permanent under 
capitalism, how the employing class keeps clawing them back.

The Party's paper has covered the wide spectrum of international events and 
developments, including the many examples of peace initiatives by the 
former Soviet Union.

It has paid detailed attention to imperialist offensives, wars and 
occupations — East Timor, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, Falklands, Grenada, 
Yugoslavia, Bougainville, West Papua, etc.

It pages record the struggles against nuclear testing, foreign bases, 
weapons of mass destruction and uranium mining; the ongoing campaigns in 
the struggle for peace.

Over the years the paper has progressed from eight to 12 pages and from 
monthly to fortnightly to weekly production.

For a period during the mid-1980s it carried Greek and Arabic language 
pages.

During the years the technology has changed considerably, from typewriters 
to computers, and from typesetting to desktop layout which was introduced 
in 1989.

Our old eight-inch floppy discs look like museum pieces now and have since 
been overtaken by several generations of computer discs.

Guardian articles are now available on the Party's web site on the 
internet:

http://www.cpa.org.au

Extensive use is made of the internet to bring readers the latest news and 
analysis from overseas, as well as on local issues.

Throughout the years the paper has offered a real alternative to the world 
according to the Murdoch and Packer media monopolies.

It has no corporate sponsors and relies on contributions from readers and 
Party members and supporters to supplement income from sales. Sales revenue 
is not enough on its own to meet the costs of production.

We also rely on all the other contributors and those who do the less 
visible, but vital work of handling subscriptions, wrapping papers, taking 
them to the post office, etc.

Please join us in celebrating the 1000th issue, an achievement to be proud 
of.

Anna Pha, Editor