Communist Party Congress in April

The 9th Congress of the Communist Party of Australia will be held in 
Sydney over the Easter holiday period in April. In the four and a half 
years since the previous Congress in 1996, there have been many struggles 
and changes in Australia and internationally, and the Congress will review 
these developments.

At the 1996 Congress the Party changed its name from Socialist Party to 
Communist Party and this has proved to be a popular decision.

We have had four years of the Howard Government which have brought many 
attacks on social welfare and workers' conditions but at the same time, the 
resistance of the trade union movement and of many progressive community 
organisations has strengthened.

However, the resistance has not been strong enough to change the direction 
being vigorously pushed by both the Federal Liberal Government and by 
right-wing Labor Party state governments.

The Howard Government's anti-trade union industrial legislation has imposed 
serious restrictions on the trade union movement and often limited the 
struggles that many workers expect and demand of their trade union.

One of the big concerns is the number of workers being sacked and employers 
simply thieving their entitlements. A high-water mark in the period since 
the last Party Congress was the MUA dispute which remains one of the 
outstanding trade union and community struggles in recent times.

Another remarkable development is the strong world-wide opposition to the 
globalisation policies of the transnational corporations.

The S11 demonstrations in Melbourne last year against the World Economic 
Forum were part of this network of opposition.

As part of the preparations for the Congress, a draft Political 
Resolution has been under discussion throughout Party organisations for 
the last few months. Many amendments have been submitted from Party 
organisations.

The Political Resolution sums up the Party's policies for the 
present period and puts forward the CPA's perspective for a new type of 
government which will give priority to the interests and needs of the 
working people.

Congress will finalise the Resolution and it will then be published 
for general distribution.

The Congress will bring together elected delegates from Party organisations 
all over Australia

A public opening of the Congress will take place on Friday, April 13 
(Easter Friday). Details of the venue and times will be published later.

As this will be a time of considerable extra expense for the Party, the 
Central Committee has launched a $5,000 special Congress Fund to help meet 
interstate travel expenses, the hiring of halls for the Congress and the 
extra printing, postage, etc.

We are appealing to all readers of The Guardian and to members and 
supporters of the Party to help fill the Fund as quickly as possible.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH CONFIDENCE AND OUR THANKS.

Contributions may be sent to CPA 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. NSW 2010 
by cash, Money Order, Cheque or by Credit Card.