What is happening in Queensland at the moment?
Well, since September there has been a series of rallies, marches and nockelwich have resulted in over 840 arrests. 1115 campaign sparked off when the Premier.
a han on ail pobtical marches.
Why did Peterson impose this hun!
For several reasons. Peterson has been in power for 10 years. His party has ruled in coalition for 20 years, He is an extreme renctionary, heavily involved in mining companies. He owes BJELKE-PETERSON bis position to an outrageous gerrymander which gives him 10 per cent of the seats with 26 per cent of the vote.
His rule has been marked by ever increasing attacks on civil Jiherties, oppression of aborigines, and lately overt attempts to crush the trade anion movement and smash the hining and export of uranium Peterson imposed his ban betsuse he wanted to show the ruling class Australia generally how to cope with unrest among the working class and oppressed Ducensland then his solurions will be applied throughout Australia. That is the national significance of the Queensland What is the connection between the civil liberties movement and the anti-uranium campaign?
The civil liberties movement is built around two key demands: the right to organise right to march. demand is aimed ar beating off attacks on the most basic of trade union rights: the right to form a trade union. That right is heing threatened in Queens anti-union legislation and land al PECSCIEL harassment of union arpanThe right to march more directly linked with the Peterson is trying to make sure that the struggle is fought out on his terms. No marches just rallies. This obviously demoralise the whole What is the role of the trade unions in this?
On uranius the unions calling lor a reterendum. purs them cicarly to the right of the Australian Labour witch is committed to halling the mining and export o uranium. This policy is a blatant attempt to sell out the campaign. If the anti-uranium struzale deepens the Government might take up the idea of a referendum. Because monopoly it has over the mass media it would probably win.
What about elections and the big conservative victory?
There remember here LIMINALL as recened juv ande cent ni the vote, but becgase ol the electoral system they have a huge parliamentary majority.
Socialist Their problem is to turn this parliamentary victory into decisive victory in terms of the real class struggle. They are obviously in a better position to do this but they still haven't significanily reduced the fighting capacity class.
The first And here of course Queensland important. working class demoralised and apathetic. But they are conting out of this to through fight back in a way the bosse could have possilile. The campuses which is have been dormant for so long are coming alive again. This movement. augurs struggles throughout Australia. What has heen the response of the left in Queensland? would To begin with there was a very healed struggle about whether there should campaign against the ban marches Party (CPA) argued that there are shouldn't and that instead we • This should throw all our activities into the anti-uraniumn struggle. Parl The tar lett insisted That there should be marches. proved correct because the campaiga las gained spread support and sympathy and has now started to attract organised workers, The CPA has changed its line and is now trying to get the leadership the federal movement away from the far left. Bust the whole campaign has opened up real opportu ities for the far left. 11 is now porcitie to see a way to end the cank and file trade union and local committees.
Challenge talks to a member of the Communist League from Brisbane, Queensland.
working the STUARIC . In Queensland the weak, THOUTE TE WE TO CEDRIAL even be The Communist a direet militant the 0a0 on They have been wide future!
CLIC ET! MaSS Australian EXISES
tives in Egypt to maincain links Egyptian President has re backtracked slightly by defendSOCIALIST CHALLENGE 12 January 1978 sage 12