BY ROBERTO JORQUERA
PERTH — The campaign here against corporate tyranny has taken a new turn with the organising of a Globalisation Convention for November. The convention was initiated by the local Stop MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investment) committee, which has drawn a variety of groups together to discuss an agenda and framework. Almost all of the participants who have attended as individuals or as representatives of groups are environmental and/or social justice activists. The only exception has been Richard Egan, state president of the National Civic Council (NCC).
The convention is a positive initiative. However, the discussion about its purpose has been disappointing and worrying for the future of the campaign.
So far, the discussion has centred on developing a "pluralist campaign against globalisation" that openly encourages right-wing organisations to participate. Within this framework, the NCC has been encouraged to participate.
This has led to the convention's opening panel being planned to include Peter Wesmore, national president of the NCC. The NCC is also holding a workshop entitled "Globalisation — a way forward for Australians".
Only the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) representative at the organising meeting voted against Wesmore opening the convention alongside Tony Cooke, secretary of Unions WA, and Pat Reynolds from the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network.
The NCC's participation has been defended by Jan Jermalinski from the WA Greens and Community and Public Sector Union, Brian Jenkins from Stop MAI and Vic Williams from the Communist Party of Australia (CPA). They have argued that attendance will be small if the convention is seen as a "left" gathering and that the involvement of groups such as the NCC will attract people to the convention.
Providing a platform for the right wing on the grounds that they can make a legitimate contribution to the anti-corporate campaign, and thus promoting the idea that they are interested in fighting capitalist globalisation, is based on a misunderstanding of what right-wing groups such as the NCC stand for.
Pluralism
Jenkins argues that the movement must be pluralistic if it is to attract people. However, there has been no discussion of the real politics of the NCC and the political direction of the convention.
There is little understanding that the NCC's populist right-wing rhetoric does not fundamentally challenge the corporations' agenda. In fact, groups like the NCC promote the nationalistic and pro-business views that the anti-globalisation campaign is organising against.
In discussions about the convention, the NCC representatives have kept very quiet about the NCC's positions on various political issues. However, as is made clear in its WA newsletter, the NCC stands for the promotion of small business and a strengthening of the traditional Christian family unit.
On economic issues, the NCC argues that Australia is an oppressed nation state dominated by big business. It makes it clear that it doesn't oppose large corporations basic role in the economy, but asserts that they should not override the "rights" of small business.
On Australia's involvement in international institutions, the NCC promotes the right of the Australian government to implement policies that are "in the national interest" irrespective of their effects on workers in Australia or elsewhere. The NCC has no interest in building solidarity with workers in the underdeveloped world.
Jermalinski, Jenkins and Williams argue that a "united front" is needed in the campaign against capital's globalisation. However, including groups that actively support the principles we are trying to defeat will weaken the campaign, not strengthen it.
Furthermore, a campaign that discourages socialists from presenting their ideas on globalisation would make it even easier for the right wing to strengthen itself. Therefore, the pressure on the Democratic Socialist Party to include non-DSP speakers in its workshop presentation at the convention so that, according to Jermalinski, it is not seen as "just a DSP session", also weakens the campaign. (Jermalinski has not objected to the NCC workshop including NCC speakers only.)
The anti-corporate campaign has attracted a individuals and groups from a wide range of political perspectives. But rather than encourage a politically clarifying debate on the issues involved, Jenkins, Jermalinski and Williams have encouraged the far right's participation because it will supposedly add to the campaign by attracting a broader section of the community. However, those attracted by the NCC's involvement will only undermine the anti-corporate campaign because its populist slogans are in fact reactionary, often no different from those of neo-liberal regimes in underdeveloped countries.
The arguments of groups like the NCC, if they appear to be gaining a following, must be publicly countered by the left. But that should not be confused with building some sort of united front with the far right, as if there was common ground.
[Roberto Jorquera is an activist in the Perth S11 alliance, a member of the N25 Globalisation convention organising committee and the DSP's Perth-Fremantle district secretary.]