Communist Party of Australia

Guardian – March 30, 2020 – click here for index of articles.

COVID-19: WORKERS MUST BE PROTECTED

In line with other countries around the world, Australia faces serious health, social, and economic crises. The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 continues to rise exponentially, doubling every few days. Thousands of people have already lost their jobs as businesses close or wind down. more ...

THE FRAGILITY OF CAPITALISM REVEALED

Last week, the government announced a second stimulus package – worth $66 bn, on top of the $17.6 bn – as well as $100 bn in other emergency measures to prevent against a credit freeze. In this package, recipients of jobseeker, youth allowance jobseeker, parenting payment, farm household allowance, and special benefit will see their benefits essentially doubled. Sole traders and the self-employed are also eligible. For those who won’t receive the $550-a-fortnight Coronavirus supplement, such as veterans and other income support recipients, a second one-off $750 payment will be made available. more ...

VALE SHEILA SUTTNER

It is with sadness we learnt of the passing of our WA Party branch member comrade Sheila Suttner. Originally from South Africa she was a stalwart fighter against apartheid and a campaigner for racial equality in WA. more ...

WORKERS WILL NOT PAY FOR THE CRISIS AGAIN!

I would like to start by asking all Party members and readers to stay safe and do whatever possible to avoid spreading the Coronavirus. However, the struggle must go on to demand workers will not end up paying for the crisis again. more ...

Immediate measures to protect the health and rights

The Communist and Workers’ Parties are positioned with responsibility before our peoples. We are here! We are present at the forefront of the struggle to immediately take all necessary measures to protect the health and safeguard the rights of the working class and the popular strata everywhere! more ...

DEMOCRACY UP IN SMOKE

Australia used to be a nation that pursued and upheld democratic values and ideals. Now it’s nothing better than a neo-colonial power, especially in its sordid and immoral treatment of Timor-Leste over its oil deposits. The trial comes later this year where the establishment accuses Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery for leaking information to the Timor-Leste government about the disgraceful conduct of ASIS in bugging that government (i.e. spying) during negotiations over their oil field. Collaery maintains the trial was delayed while negotiations were in train, and it certainly looks that way. more ...

ANTI-WAGE THEFT, PRO-HONEST MISTAKES

On 18th March 2020, Minister for Workplace Safety, Jill Hennessy, released a media statement saying that the Victorian government were going to be implementing anti-wage theft laws this year. more ...

FREEZE ON RENT AND MORTGAGES

Members of the Communist Party of Australia (CPA) are calling on the members of parliament to make the correct decision tonight (25/03/2020) in order to protect people’s housing and health during COVID-19 health crisis. more ...

TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Today the most potent factor for women’s progress, is war production, emphasising and demonstrating that “the emancipation of women will only be possible when women can take part in production on a large social scale and domestic work no longer claims anything but an insignificant amount of her time.” (Engels – “Origin of Family”). New opportunities for equality have opened up, which are undermining the material foundation of women’s inequality, undermining centuries-old restrictions and prejudices. more ...

LET ‘EM STARVE MENZIES POSES AS CHRISTIAN SAINT

“Communism,” said Mr Menzies in his policy speech, “has nothing in common with the Christian gospel of love and brotherhood.” more ...

UNIONISTS FIGHT FASCIST THREAT

Eleven Federal trade unions with a membership of over 200,000 will throw their full weight into a campaign against attempts to impose Fascism on the Australian people. more ...

INTERNATIONALISM AT ITS FINEST

The Republic of Cuba and the People’s Republic of China are showing the way forward, both in tackling the virus crisis and demonstrating a new standard for international relations based on cooperation and friendship. more ...

WHAT CAN A COMMUNIST DO DURING A PANDEMIC?

COVID-19 has not only changed the way we live but if you’re a communist like me, it’s changed the way we organise. Before the Coronavirus outbreak, we would organise in at our branches; we would attend rallies, stand with comrades on the picket-line, among other activities – it was a life filled with lots of social events. more ...

FIGHTING COVID-19

Governments, according to Thomas Jefferson, are supposed to guarantee people’s rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” COVID-19 has put people’s lives and health in the spotlight now. What kinds of tools do governments have at their disposal to protect lives and health? more ...

CLASS WAR IN THE MAKING? – CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINES

Coronavirus has exposed stark divides in US society as the wealthy hole up in their homes and the poor are reduced to delivering their supplies in often-unsafe conditions. With mass layoffs underway, is class war imminent? more ...