Facebook’s “Zucker” punch on February 18, disabling large sections of Facebook in protest at the federal government’s News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC), which led to amendments and the bill becoming law on February 25, reveals the enormous power of the media corporations.

It also shows how far we are from public interest journalism.

We, the undersigned organisations, strongly condemn the military coup in Burma. The current coup is a great set back to the little achievement of the transition process towards democracy in Burma for the last decade.

The Facebook ban on Australian media sites is a demonstration of the power of the tech giants and a compelling illustration of why they need to be brought under democratic control.

In the face of catastrophic climate change, the business-as-usual assumptions about endless growth and building freeways have to end.

The Socialist Alliance strongly condemns the February 1 military coup in Myanmar/Burma and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) which won 83% of the vote in the general election last November and calls on the Australian government to deny any recognition to the coup regime.

The federal government’s commitment to a gas-led recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, supported by the Labor opposition, means that Australia is on track to reach net zero emissions in 300 years.

The forced clearing of the homeless people’s camp in Fremantle’s Pioneer Park with the offer of only one week in motel accommodation demonstrates the complete failure of the McGowan government to address the crisis of homelessness in our state.

If the country wants to move forward, we need a Sovereign Treaty agreement and land rights.

Socialist Alliance recognises that Australia has joined with imperialist allies including the United States as the aggressors in the growing trade war with China.

The Socialist Alliance national conference will be held January 9-10 online (with in person hook-in points in most cities).