CPA campaign featured on ABC's 730 SA

CPA members were interviewed recently by ABC1s 730 SA program. Here's the result.

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CPA candidate concerned at military’s big plans for Port Adelaide

Communist Party candidate in the by election for Port Adelaide, Bob Briton, today expressed concern at reports that Australia’s military planners would like to see the upgrading of Port Adelaide “to enable huge navy amphibious ships to load troops and equipment”.

“Port Adelaide is already host to Techport – a military industries hub at Osborne – which produces Air Warship Destroyers, submarines and other equipment designed to fight under US command in pursuit of US military objectives.

“It has nothing to do with defending our sovereignty and everything to do with an eventual showdown between the US and China. China is our largest trading partner and has shown no aggression towards Australia or any other country in the region. In whose interest is it to go rattling the sabre like this?

“The suggestion that Australia needs expanded US naval bases and even facilities for US nuclear submarines near Perth should rouse indignation in all Australians concerned about a drift to war.”

Mr Briton also commented on reports on the questioning of Defence SA chief executive Andrew Fletcher about the involvement of his organisation in garden projects on the LeFevre Peninsula.

“The reason Defence SA is involved in landscaping on the LeFevre Peneinsula is that they are engaged in a charm offensive on the people of the area, to sooth nerves about the militarization of the Port district and the state.

“We have Techport, we have schools feeding students into military industries through specialized curricula and now it looks as if we are going to get huge ships loading troops and equipment from Port Adelaide. We are also going to have uranium exported to India out of the Port if we can’t unite to head off all these reckless plans,” Mr Briton said.

CPA launches by-election campaign in the Port

The Port Dock Brewery Hotel was packed on Saturday afternoon as the CPA launched its campaign for the seat of Port Adelaide. Among the crowd was Pas Forgione from Left Unity who spoke first on the need to continue building strong and united left coalition in South Australia. Pas relayed Left Unity's support for the CPA campaign before Bob took the stage to introduce the CPA's election platform. Follow this link to read Bob's speech (PDF).

Support the campaign to elect Bob Briton today!

CPA State Secretary Bob Briton is standing in the seat of Port Adelaide vacated by former Treasurer Kevin Foley and we need your support. Running a strong election campaign is a costly exercise - newspaper ads, flyers, posters, t-shirts and associated costs all add up.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to our campaign to give the people of Port Adelaide a genuine working class alternative at the upcoming by-election, all you need to do is click on the blue button (top right of this blog) to make a secure online donation via PayPal using your PayPal account or your credit card.

Don't trust the web and would rather pay by cheque?

No problem. Cheques can be made out to the Communist Party of Australia (SA Branch) and posted to PO Box 612, Port Adelaide BC, 5015.

Can't afford a financial donation but would still like to help?

We are going to need volunteers for things like handing out how-to-votes on election day, letterboxing and a whole lot more. To volunteer some time to our campaign please email us at cpasouthaustralia@gmail.com or call Bob Briton on 0418 894 366.

VIDEO: Follow this link to see Bob talk about the campaign.

Thanks for helping us provide the people of Port Adelaide with a real working class alternative at the February 11 by-election.

Safety exemption leads to uranium spill

Communist Party candidate in the by-election for Port Adelaide, Bob Briton, today expressed concern over the recent spill of uranium and copper concentrate into the Edith River in the Northern Territory following a train derailment. An exemption from the SA government’s SafeWork department allowed the toxic material to be transported from Oz Minerals’ Prominent Hill mine in wagons covered only by tarpaulins rather than in the sealed containers normally required.

“The government and SafeWork SA stand condemned over this incident. The rules were bent to allow the greatest profits to flow to the already profit-gorged resource sector,” Mr. Briton said.

“The concern for people of Port Adelaide is that, with exports of hazardous material out of the Port set to increase sharply over the next few years, any accident could seriously threaten the environment and the health of thousands of residents,” he said.

“The government needs to explain itself. It has to demonstrate how the increase in exports of uranium and other hazardous materials out of Port Adelaide can be reconciled with plans for developers to build many new homes around the inner Port,” said Mr. Briton.

“What plans are in place to deal with an emergency presented by the spilling of uranium and copper concentrate, for example, in the district or into the Port River?”

“What assurances can the government give that it won’t grant further exemptions from safety regulations to favour mining sector companies?” he asked.

Bob Briton to run in Port Adelaide by-election

Communist Party state secretary Bob Briton will contest the by-election for the seat of Port Adelaide vacated by former treasurer and local member, Kevin Foley.

Bob lives in the area and stood in the seat of Lee during last year’s state election with a campaign that attracted considerable interest. The CPA’s campaign theme this time is “Respect the Port – its people, its history, its environment.”

“The people of the Port area have suffered for too long from neglect by Labor and Liberal state governments. Air, soil, noise and water pollution are big challenges for the community and they’re set to get worse as uranium and other exports out of the Port increase in the next few years."

“We’ve been treated like a dumping ground for too long. We need strong representation on these urgent issues."

“The Port needs alternative employment. Military industries are not the answer. They pose a threat to the security of our region and, ultimately, are not in our defence interests. They are viewed by our neighbours as part of a growing aggressiveness on the part of the US in the Asia-Pacific."

“We certainly don’t want our best and brightest high school students funneled into jobs designing weapons. We need them to work on sustainable energy and infrastructure and other fulfilling jobs in the interests of their communities."

“The redevelopment of the Port needs to show respect for the local people and the area’s working class and Aboriginal history. The efforts so far have not been successful because they demonstrated this lack of respect."

“I look forward to the campaign for the seat of Port Adelaide and the opportunity to highlight the needs of residents of the area."