Federal Elections

The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACV) is calling on the Victorian government to consider lowering the voting age, following the tabling of a report in the ACT parliament recommending 16- and 17-year-olds in the territory be given the vote.

Housing: a right not a privilege I tell them “turn on the water” I tell ’em “turn on the heat” Tells me “All you ever do is complain” Then they search the place when I’m not here But we can, you know we can Let’s lynch the landlord man — Dead Kennedys For most young people, moving out of home is a nightmare. Real estate agents and landlords are usually prejudiced against young people, which makes finding a new home very difficult. In Sydney, there is a massive housing crisis, leading to a cut-throat market. When looking for rental accommodation this year, I found even when houses were both run-down and expensive, there was up to 50 people applying for them. Landlords have used the housing crisis to their advantage, pushing up already high rents. A 2007 study by Shelter Australia found that almost 1.2 million households are having to spend more than 30% of their income in housing costs, with over 400,000 spending over 50% of their income on housing.

Resistance will support Socialist Alliance on Nov 24 and beyond

Resistance has been actively challenging John Howard’s agenda at every step along the way - from protesting his racist attacks on refugee and Muslims to leading student walkouts against the Iraq invasion in 2003 and the introduction of “Work Choices” in 2006. A defeat for the Howard government on November 24 will be a victory for all the movements that have defended workers’ rights and the environment and stood up to his pro-war policies. But for Resistance, regardless of who wins the elections it is going to take a continuation and strengthening of these movements if we are going to see the end of Work Choices, real action on climate change or end Australia’s involvement in the “war on terror”. Resistance argues that voting alone is not enough to change the world. Real improvements in our lives don’t originate in Parliament House, but from ordinary people – workers, students, pensioners, unemployed – acting to defend their interests.

In Australia the parliamentary scene is dominated by a two party system. So if we want to kick out PM John Howard, what do we do? Join the Labor Party?