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 to 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.”
He is also 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 can rest until we do.”
Sam highlighted the connection between AUKUS and Palestine,
“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.”
For more information: wacontact@socialist-alliance.org and 0412 751 508
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