Socialist Alliance statement on NT elections

Stop police harassment of Aboriginal people and long-grassers.

There is no “long-grasser problem” - there is a racism problem. The Socialist Alliance is dedicated to fighting to eradicate this social disease - starting in parliament itself! We support the fight to abolish all the laws that give the notoriously racist NT Police force a free hand to carry out their constant harassment, bullying and abuse of Aboriginal people. We fight for an end to black deaths in custody and for true justice for all those who have lost their lives or their loved ones at the hands of cops and prison officers.

Repeal the drug-house laws. Decriminalise personal drug use.

A premises can be declared a “drug house” if police find drugs there on more than three occasions. Police can then legally search the premises at any time without a warrant; conduct cavity searches of residents and search anyone within 200 metres of the building. No conviction is needed to declare a premises a “drug house”. Such laws are overwhelmingly directed at the least powerful and most vulnerable groups in society. The Socialist Alliance supports the fight for the repeal of these laws and for the decriminalisation of personal drug use, the policing of which is a massive waste of social resources.

More teachers, more nurses, less police.

The “law and order” hype of the two major parties is nothing but a distraction from the real social issues that are facing working people. It relies upon deep-seated racism against Indigenous people and fuels a ‘blame the victim’ mentality. It creates a political environment that gives credence to the corporate media’s racist propaganda campaign against long-grassers. Socialist Alliance stands firmly against this “divide and rule strategy”. We support the fight to address the real social crisis through more funding for health, education and social services and a massive reduction in police spending. We call for police numbers to be bought into line with the national average – currently there is approximately twice the average number of police in the NT per head of population.

Tenure and justice for the One Mile Dam community.

The Aboriginal community of One Mile Dam in Stuart Park continues to suffer from racist neglect and third world conditions. As the tank farm that surrounds the camp is relocated there is also the ongoing threat that greedy developers and their mates in government will try to move the community from the land they have lived on for nearly thirty years. Socialist Alliance supports the community’s Kumbutjil Association in their fight for the community to determine its own future. We call for adequate funding for the initiatives taken by the association to improve conditions and uphold the human rights of One Mile Dam residents.

For a nuclear free NT

The Socialist Alliance calls for the shut down of all uranium mining in the NT. Every element of the nuclear fuel cycle is dangerous and deadly for the people and the planet. We call for the Ranger mine to be closed immediately and all degraded country to be rehabilitated. We call for the operator to be prosectued for the numerous breaches of safety and so called “accidents” over many years. We say no to the entry of all nuclear armed or powered warships into any NT ports.
Criminalise unsafe workplaces. Jail bosses who kill.

The Socialist Alliance calls for industrial manslaughter and criminal injury laws. Only when bosses who kill and maim through industrial negligence are pursued in the courts, arrested and jailed will we start to see safe workplaces in the NT. We call for legislation to guarantee the right of workers in any workplace to form occupational health and safety committees that have the right to report any unresolved safety issues to a regulatory authority with the power to enforce compliance.

Repeal all mandatory sentencing laws.

While mandatory sentencing for property crime was repealed in 2002, the laws remain for people found guilty of the possession of “illicit substances” and life sentences are mandatory for homicide. This, along with increased sentences has seen the prison population continue to increase steadily under the Martin Labor government, as it has done for nearly 16 years. The NT continues to have an imprisonment rate 3 times the rest of Australia. Since 2003 Aboriginal people have made up nearly 80% of the prison population. Rather than open new jails, or expand existing institutions the Socialist Alliance believes these resources should be diverted to dealing with the root causes of criminal activity.

No support for US bases.

The Socialist Alliance opposes all Australian links with the US military which is presently engaged in illegal wars of occupation against Afghanistan and Iraq. We will contnue to call for the war criminals - Bush, Blair and Howard to be brought to justice.

Halt environmentally destructive development.

The lessons are already laid out before us - the environment is rapidly being destroyed. All of Australia’s river systems (bar those in the NT) have been degraded so far that some of them may have been ruined permanently. We have a responsibility to the future to protect here in the NT what is still left of some of the only relatively pristine environment in the world. We call for a 10 year moratorium on all major development that might possibly have a detrimental effect on any of the NT river systems. This to to allow for proper scientific studies to determine just exactly what we have lost in terms of environment (and tourist dollars) if we allow irresponsible development to proceed.

Due to resource contraints, the Socialist Alliance will not be fielding candidates in the upcoming Territory elections. We encourage our supporters to vote for progressive candidates:

* Network Against Prohibition candidates (Fannie Bay, Johnston, Millner, Nightcliff, Casuarina).

* The NT Greens (Nightcliff, Johnston, Blain, Goyder, Daly, Arnhem, Arafura, Araluen, Milner, and Greatorex).

Click here to view the website of the NT Socialist Alliance.

Click here for more information on the NAP 2005 Northern Territory Election campaign.