Join us at 3pm on Saturday 16th May at Coburg Town Hall to send a clear message: Melbourne Says No to Hanson.

We’re bringing together hundreds of socialists and anti-racists to hear from legendary Aboriginal activist Dr Gary Foley and Muslim Votes Matters spokesperson Ghaith Krayem. They will be joined by our state election candidate for Pascoe Vale Yasemin Shamsili alongside Omar Hassan, candidate for Northern Metro and host of The Party Line podcast. After the speakers, you will get the chance to have your say as our local branches organise their next activities.

Get your ticket for this unmissable event now - here. 

Pauline Hanson’s racist One Nation party has become a serious threat to Victorians. One Nation are consistently polling above the Liberals, a close second to an unpopular Labor government in Victoria. With just six months until the state election in November, the potential of a One Nation coalition government is more real than ever.

Hanson has the support of high-profile figures on the right including Gina Rinehart, and a growing coterie of rich right-wing donors. The party won four seats in the South Australian election with more than 250,000 votes. This result provides access to offices, staff and millions in public funding. At the same time, Liberal leader Angus Taylor is copying Hanson’s policies and has announced that an incoming Liberal government would implement an explicitly racist immigration policy. These disgusting politics need to be fought.

While Labor accuse One Nation of being ‘divisive’, they can not be relied on to do anything to challenge racism and the right. We remember how Labor adopted John Howard’s brutal policy of imprisonment and torture of refugees. We are witnessing Jacinta Allan bragging about locking up children under her new “adult time for adult crime” laws. We know that children in prison today are disproportionately from families of colour. At a federal level, we continue to see Albanese offer his full support to the US-Israeli war machine and willingly spend billions on nuclear attack submarines while implementing savage cuts to NDIS funding. Labor shamefully serves the interests of the rich while working-class people suffer one of the worst cost-of-living crises in generations.

We have already started to take action. We want to continue to build a movement of anti-racists, unionists, and socialists who can push back against Hanson’s bigotry. Over two campaign days so far, hundreds of Victorian Socialists volunteers have spoken to working-class people about our campaign and our vision for a socialist society. Get involved today. 

Got this email from Victorian Socialists about their candidate in Yan Yean. They'll be at the upcoming community festival at the Whittlesea Council grounds at Ferres Blvd this Sunday:

My name is Andrew, and I’m your local Coordinator, based in Mernda. There are two opportunities to meet other members and start getting involved I want to let you know about:

Firstly, this Sunday is the Whittlesea Community Festival, at the Civic Centre Lawns in South Morang. Our friends from VS Thomastown have arranged a stall - come say g’day. We’ll be chatting to locals about Victorian Socialists, and how we’re combating the rise of the far right.

Secondly, I’m calling a meeting of VS Yan Yean members (that’s you!) for Sunday 12 April, in Mernda (precise location TBC). Chuck it in your diary and I’ll send more details in the coming weeks.

If Sundays don’t work for you please let me know - there will be plenty more occasions to meet, and I can work around your availability.

And if you’re coming this Sunday send me an email or a text (0488 396 122) so I know to look out for you.

I’m looking forward to meeting you all.

In solidarity,

Andrew Bell Yan Yean

After the Four Corners episode, Some More News released this in the same week.

Whilst it's no surprise childcare is a mess in the States, at least we're not the only country where it's so bad.

My girlfriend has recently finished her Graduate Diploma in Childcare and is looking to become an ECT.

Is Seek the best option? I also found an aggregator page on the Victorian Department of Education and Training's website.

Are there other places good for childcare roles? Is contacting a centre you want to work for a good strategy?

You know how people make jokes about Thatcher and Regan's graves being gender neutral bathrooms?

Who do you think qualifies, or will qualify, for that title here in Australia?