Doug Cameron is a former AMWU trade unionist who served as a Labor senator from 2008 to 2019. He's now retired to Hobart, but still regularly tweets out exactly what he thinks about Australian politics and the state of the ALP.
After a week of leadership speculation, a shadow cabinet reshuffle and a lot of chatter about how progressive people should just shut up and vote Labor no matter what, I found it refreshing to talk to an old-school class warrior like Doug who articulates bold, socialist politics. We talked about his experience as a socialist working in the trade union movement and the ALP, why the party should grow a spine, the Corbyn moment and why he thinks joining the Greens is the "easy way out".
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My 2021 show is called WE ARE ALL IN THIS – it’s on sale now at the Adelaide Fringe
Footage of Doug Cameron's valedictory speech
ARTICLE: Doug Cameron was right all along by Bernard Keane
Floodcast's episode on the state of Albo and the ALP, Damp Warm Lettuce
Cause of the Week: Everybody's Home Campaign (everybodyshome.com.au)
Luke Pearson is a Gamilaroi man who in 2012 founded IndigenousX: a 100% Indigenous owned and operated, independent media, consultancy, and training organisation.
As January 26th approaches, I wanted to ask Luke about what he makes of the Australia Day culture warring, his critique of the #changethedate campaign, our national amnesia when it comes to our history and why we need to #changethenation instead. He explains the nature of the ongoing occupation of this country, what political action might bring about material change for First Nations people and why the idea of changing the national holiday is like a gym membership.
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
My 2021 show is called WE ARE ALL IN THIS – it’s on sale now at the Adelaide Fringe
ARTICLE: Why we need to change the date of Australia Day
ARTICLE: Maybe we shouldn't change the date of Australia Day after all
ARTICLE: Why I no longer support #changethedate
ARTICLE: Why we need to #ChangeTheNation (by Shiralee Lawson)
ARTICLE: Why I was gutted when Australia applauded the anthem change
ARTICLE: Remembering 1938 'Day of Mourning' declaration
ARTICLE: 'We hereby make protest' - a history of 1938
Andrew Jakubowicz's research on "Harmony Day"
CAUSE OF THE WEEK: indigenousx.com.au
Oh hello. Happy New Year.
Amy MacMahon is the new Greens member for the Queensland state seat of South Brisbane after unseating Labor's Jackie Trad at the 2020 election.
Amy tells me how her politics were informed by her experiences in Bangladesh and her mum's stroke of a few years ago. We discuss what running on a socialist platform looks like in Australia today, that stupid "Mean Girls" tweet scandal, what the ALP has become and how the Greens can reach out to the labour movement, as well as the Greens' priorities for Queensland in the year ahead.
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
My 2021 show is called WE ARE ALL IN THIS - it's on sale now at the Adelaide Fringe
ARTICLE: How a 'Mean Girls' Quote Became a Stupid QLD Election Scandal
Amy's response to the "Means Girls" quote nonsense
Young Greens' panel: Should the Greens embrace socialism?
ARTICLE: Thousands sign petition to investigate historic Aboriginal land sale (Deebing Creek)
Cause of the Week: Mums 4 Refugees (mums4refugees.org)