Take back the wealth! Sam Wainwright for Senate WA
At its October 4 State Conference the Socialist Alliance in WA selected well-known activist Sam Wainwright to be its lead Senate candidate for the 2028 federal election.
A long time fighter for social justice, environment and workers rights; Sam is currently involved in the Stop AUKUS campaign group. He also has experience as councillor at the City of Fremantle (2009-2021) and as a union activist and delegate from his time as a wharfie and MUA member (1999-2011).
Sam’s selection is part of a campaign by Socialist Alliance to put a spotlight on the need for serious wealth redistribution, with a particular focus on the mining industry. Sam explained,
“There’s been a growing call to increase taxes and royalties on the sector, something we wholeheartedly support. This would be a good start, but it’s still playing catch-up because it allows the system of inequality to reproduce itself.”
“We have to get the source of the problem by bringing the industry into democratic public ownership. This needs to be coupled with real land rights to give traditional owners control over their land and to prevent disasters like the destruction at Juukan Gorge. Australia’s mineral wealth belongs to us, it’s time to bring it under community control.”
Along with tens of thousands of others, Sam has also thrown himself in the campaign to stop the genocide in Palestine. He is active in Unionists for Palestine, while his partner Janet Parker is a founding member of Jews for Palestine WA. Sam commented,
“Like people everywhere, there’s been a shadow of anger and grief hanging over our heads for the last two years. Of course there is immense suffering in other parts of the world too. But Palestine is so important because the Australian government is complicit in the genocide. Breaking that connection is our obligation to humanity. None of us can rest until we do.”
Sam highlighted the growing connection between AUKUS and the genocide in Palestine,
“The obscene waste of public money and the threat posed by nuclear reactors in Cockburn Sound are reason enough to oppose AUKUS with everything we’ve got. But its worse than that. It means locking Australia in behind US foreign policy, including support for Israel and provoking a war with China. This is the terrifying logic of AUKUS. In opposition to this, we call for an independent foreign policy based on peace and justice in the world.”
As the election approaches Socialist Alliance will announce further candidates. However as Sam explained,
“We don’t get any favours in the corporate media which is why we can’t wait until the last few months to get our message out. We need your help to get the build popular support for socialist solutions to the crises of capitalism right now. This in turn gives people more confidence to fight back in their communities, workplaces and places of study. This is where the true force for change is found. The best time to get involved in now.”
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For more information contact wacontact@socialist-alliance.org or call 0412 751 508.
Authorised by Riley Breen 15/5Aberdeen St Perth 6000.