Conference guide

Book stall & merchandise

Resistance Bookshop will operate at the Loading Bay of the Victorian Trades Hall with a range of books, pamphlets, magazines, t-shirts and badges. EFTPOS and cash payments accepted.

Medical Aid

A basic first aid kit will be available at the registration desk. In case of emergency, please alert one of the conference organisers.The closest medical centre is Medical One QV located at Lv 3, 23 QV Terrace, 292 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

Security

Security will operate during the conference at all times to help ensure its smooth running. Conference attendees must wear their name tag at all times. Replacement name tags are available from the registration desk.

This is a private function and organisers have the right to refuse entry to, or ask anyone to leave if they decide it is in the best interests of the conference proceedings.

Head of security: Sue Bolton 0413 377 978

Photography, videography and media

Green Left and other community media will be audio recording and filming the conference.

Alcohol

A bar will be open in the Loading Bay from 5.30pm on Saturday evening. To comply with liquor licensing conditions, alcohol will not be available outside these times.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any indoor locations at the venue. It is permitted outdoors in the car parking area.

Workshop 1: Unions, community and how we fight for change

By uniting workers in struggle, unions can play a unique role in building momentum for change and responding to crises of today. Union leaders and rank and file campaigners will discuss their tactics and vision for building a fairer, more sustainable future.

Speakers: Tash Wark (Deputy Branch Secretary, Australian Services Union Vic/Tas), Anthony Veal (Postal worker and unionist in the Communications Workers Union), Sarah Hathway (Socialist Alliance).
Mike Treen (Founder of and advocate for Unite union, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Workshop 2: Imperialism in the 21st century

This session will address the role of Imperialism, military spending and capitalism's drive to war today. Sam will discuss whether China and Russia fit the definitions of imperialist nations and Australia's place in the world.

Speaker: Sam Wainwright (National Co-Convenor, Socialist Alliance)

Workshop 3: Freedom vs Fortresses, a conversation with Behrouz Boochani

Behrouz Boochani spent more than six years imprisoned on Manus Island. In this session Behrouz will be discussing his views on the barbarity of refugee detention and the importance of fighting for freedom for all.

Speaker: Behrouz Boochani (Kurdish-Iranian activist, author and film producer)

Workshop 4: Fighting for West Papua today

Indonesia seized and occupied West Papua in 1969. Australian governments and mining corporations have supported the ongoing occupation since then, while West Papuans have actively resisted this occupation. Hear directly from West Papuan activists about the freedom movement and what we can do in solidarity.

Speaker: Cindy Makabory (West Papuan activist) & Paula Makabory (West Papuan activist)

Workshop 1: Housing as a human right

Rents and interest rates are rising resulting in the worst housing crisis in generations. This workshop will discuss the housing crisis and activist responses.

Speaker: Kristin O'Connell (Antipoverty activist with the Antipoverty Centre and unwaged social policy researcher) Rachel Evans (Socialist Alliance) Karyn Brown (Action for Public Housing) Margaret Kelly (Barak Beacon resident)

Workshop 2: Class struggle in South-East Asia

Hear from ecosocialist activists from Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore about the challenges of building left-wing politics in their respective countries and the lessons that can be learned in terms of fighting for social change today.

Speakers: Cheong Huei Ting (Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)  Sonny Melencio (Chairperson of the Partido Lakas ng Masa, Philippines ) Kokila Annamalai  (Co-founder of Workers Make Possible, Singapore).

Workshop 3: Woman, Life, Freedom – the ideas that inspired the Rojava revolution and the popular uprising in Iran

Nilüfer Koç will share some of the new ideas inspiring the Kurdish-led feminist and green revolutionary movement that has liberated north and east Syria (Rojava) and its spread to other parts of Kurdistan, including Rojhelat (East Kurdistan currently in Iran).

Speaker: Nilüfer Koç (Executive Council member and spokesperson for the Commission on Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK).

Workshop 4: Queer Liberation for All: Opposing the Trans Hysteria

This session looks at how the far-right has launched a growing coordinated attack on trans rights internationally whilst mainstream institutions are failing to protect the lives of the trans community and what we can do about it.

Speakers: Nova Sobieralski (Socialist Alliance, trans activist Queer Liberation Boorloo), Chloe Holmes: (Trans justice activist Naarm/Melbourne, activist Victorian Pride Lobby).

Workshop 1: Climate justice & The Global South

Ecosocialist activists from Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore look at the fight for climate justice in the global south and what those in wealthy countries can learn from these struggles.

Speakers: Cheong Huei Ting (Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM), Farooq Tariq (President Haqooq Khalq Party )

Workshop 2: Patriarchy and the origins of women’s oppression

Men have not always dominated women. Sue Bull examines the various studies that Marxist feminists have undertaken looking at how women's inequality began and what it means for our liberation.

Speaker: Sue Bull (Long term unionist, feminist and Socialist Alliance leader).

Workshop 3: Myanmar's Spring Revolution and the Rohingya genocide

Two years have passed since the military coup in Burma (Myanmar) overthrew the ruling National League for Democracy government. This session will hear from activists reflectioning on the Myanmar Spring Revolution, the nature of the Rohingya genocide and why it needs to be opposed.

Speaker: Maung Zarni (research fellow at the (Genocide) Documentation Center - Cambodia, Burmese coordinator of the Free Rohingya Coalition) Habiburahman (spokesperson of the Australian Burmese Rohingya Organization)

Workshop 4: Capitalism in Crisis

Today we are facing a renewed global recession that threatens the return of a great depression due to the weak recovery from 2008 GFC debt explosion. Marx identified the essence of such periodic crises in 1848. Mike Treen will use the latest crisis to illustrate how it confirms Marx's crisis theory.

Speaker: Mike Treen (Founder Unite union, Aotearoa/New Zealand)

Workshop 1: 'Artificial intelligence', capitalism and liberation

Beyond the hype, what is the real meaning of the emergence of AI, does it change capitalism or reinforce it's fundamental dynamics? For many workers in the Global South it is making work more precarious. This session looks at the impact of AI on workers.

Speaker: Aishik Saha (researcher on digital and algorithmic labour data workers)

Workshop 2: Relevance of Marxism for the 21st Century

Peter Boyle  will argue the  case for why activists campaigning to change the system today should study the ideas of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. The session will also discuss how Marxists like John Bellamy Foster and Kohei Saito help us relate to the climate emergency.

Speaker: Peter Boyle (Socialist Alliance, author of 'Introduction to Marxism')

Workshop 3: Fighting for First Nation's Justice & Sovereignty

Discussion about First Nations issues has been dominated by the upcoming referendum on Voice to parliament. Hear from First Nations activists on how we can fight for genuine justice that goes beyond tokenistic measures.

Speakers: Senator Lidia Thorpe (Djab Wurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman and Independent Senator), Joel Shackleton (Gunditjmara man, Koori organiser CFMEU)

Workshop 4: Caste and class in India today

India's caste system was officially outlawed in 1950, yet it continues to impact on social relations in India today. This workshop explores the intersections between caste and class and draws on the experiences of Dalit workers and their fights for justice.

Speaker: Clifton D'Rozario (Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, India)

Green Left

Green Left is widely recognised (within and beyond Australia) as one of the most authoritative left-wing English-language sources of news and political analysis. It aims to build the anti-capitalist political alternative by providing space for progressive ideas and debates, linking issues, campaigns and activists and letting people know how they can join with others to take action. Consider becoming a supporter of Green Left.

Socialist Alliance

Socialist Alliance stands for socialism — a democratic society run by and for working people, not the greedy, destructive capitalist elite. We put people and the planet before profit, the millions before the billionaires. We believe that a society based on this principle is the only way the planet and humanity can survive. Join Socialist Alliance and help to build a people-before profits alternative to the major parties.

LINKS Journal

Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal seeks to promote the exchange of information, experience of struggle, theoretical analysis and views of political strategy and tactics within the international left. We bring together those who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social policies, and reject the bureaucratic model of “socialism” that arose in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China.

Resistance Books

Resistance Books is a a not-for-profit, progressive book publisher and distributor. A selection of titles can be found at their stall at the conference and online.