Red Flag Radio

Red Flag Radio talks to Brendan Stanton, an American socialist and trade unionist living in Melbourne. Brendan organised struggles for immigrant rights and worker solidarity for 12 years in Houston, Texas. He explains what's happening in the US right now from the recent LA protests in response to Trump's anti-migrant escalation, to the origins of ICE and the history of the US-Mexico border.   

After a good result in the federal election, Victorian Socialists is expanding across Australia, bringing sorely-needed socialist politics to the whole country. Emma spoke to the Secretary of Victorian Socialists, Corey Oakley, about the exciting move. Corey gave his thoughts on the federal election and talked about why it's time to expand VS.    Join the Socialists wherever you are: https://www.socialists.org.au/about 

Emma and Chloe had a live conversation about all the things that make them mad in 2025, at the Marxism conference in Melbourne. They talked about Trump, wacky Auspol, bad takes on the left, lesser-known expropriatable billionaires and more, with fantastic audience participation to boot. 

We spoke to Palestine Action Group leader and socialist Josh Lees about the renewed genocide in Gaza and the disgraceful antisemitism hoax in NSW which has been used to repress pro-Palestine activism.  In a true-crime scandal for the ages, a criminal hoax in NSW was falsely reported as an antisemitic terror plot intended to cause mass casualties. Both the state and federal Labor governments knowingly lied to the public, using the hoax to ram through draconian anti-protest laws in NSW.  The NSW antisemitism hoax is just one example of the unscrupulous campaign against pro-Palestine activism worldwide.  Further reading Josh Lees on "The great antisemitism con job" for Red Flag On Josh Lees' constitutional challenge to NSW anti-protest laws in The Guardian On the People's Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine in Red Flag    

We sat down with trans activist April Holcombe to talk about the unrelenting war being waged against trans people. April is a socialist train driver based in Sydney and the co-convener of Community Action for Rainbow Rights. She is the author of many articles for Red Flag newspaper and the Marxist Left Review.  April describes what is happening to trans people as "political sadism". She unpacks why right-wingers are so obsessed with policing gender, why socialists say gender is socially constructed, and how we can best fight back against these heinous attacks. Further Reading: April Holcombe's fantastic article in the Marxist Left Review: "The Freedom to Be": Marxism, gender oppression and the struggle for trans liberation  "Trump's war on woke is a war on all the working class" - by Sarah Garnham in Red Flag 

Our guest Rick Kuhn explains the results of the German election. Rick is a socialist economist and political analyst. He is the author of a biography of Marxist economist Henryk Grossman, for which he won the Deutscher Prize.  In understanding the German election, the key word is "polarisation". The fascist AfD have received their best vote yet, of over 20%. Meanwhile the anti-racist left party, Die Linke, tapped into a movement of young antifascists and picked up 9%. The centre ruling coalition has collapsed after years of economic stagnation and migrant-bashing, and has been replaced by the conservative Christian Democrats who court the far-right.  Further reading: "Far right surges, but left surprises, in German elections" by Sean Larson in Red Flag Buy Rick Kuhn's book: Labor's Conflict Rick Kuhn on economic crisis: https://marxistleftreview.org/articles/economic-crises-are-unavoidable-under-capitalism/   

Emma and Chloe dunk on the billionaires who run the world. From Silicon Valley freaks like Peter Theil and Mark Zuckerberg, to Australia's own Gina Rinehart, to the world's richest man, Elon Musk. We explain how they accumulated their wealth (hint: they didn't "earn" it), explore the sickening conspicuous consumption of the ultra-rich, and discuss why they need to be expropriated for every cent.  We also discuss Trump's outrageous call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. 

An interview with socialist journalist Omar Hassan, editor of and contributor to the Marxist Left Review. Omar spent two weeks reporting on the ground from Syria for Red Flag. He visited cities and towns devastated by regime repression, and he spent time with and interviewed left-wing activists. The result of his travels has been some incredible coverage in English of post-Assad Syria.  This recording was part of a live zoom forum with Omar in January 2025.  Read Omar's reports on Syria at Red Flag: https://redflag.org.au/category/syria-after-assad 

We're back for 2025! And we're talking about the fucked new mirror world we have stepped into with the second inauguration of Trump.  Emma and Chloe talk through Trump's new cabinet, his executive orders and his big special inauguration day and try to explain what the hell is going on. Why have Silicon Valley ex-liberal billionaires binned their corporate wokeness and lined up to kiss the ring? Why is Trump trying to fight Denmark, Canada and Panama? Why is Australia's Penny Wong so "honoured" to have been invited to the inauguration? We answer these questions and more.   

Chloe and Emma cap off a terrible year by compiling some of the chattering classes' worst takes. We hand out prestigious awards for Australian journalism, including "Most Tone-Deaf Commentary on the Cost of Living Crisis" and "Most Hapless Middle-Class Guardian Writer." We survey the ups and (mainly) downs of 2024 and discuss reasons to be hopeful about 2025. 

Workers at Woolworths distribution centres are on strike! For the past 2 weeks, workers have been picketing Woolies warehouses across the country to demand a pay increase and to stop a new performance management program, referred to by Woolworths as the “framework”, which is designed to monitor workers' every move and increase the pace of work. In an already-dangerous industry where injuries are common, Woolworths is attempting to enforce 100% pick rates on workers. This is the same Woolworths that have seen their profits (and board member bonuses) soar over the past few years through price-gouging.    Emma spoke to two working-class legends about the strike: Ryan Stanton and Jerome Small.    Ryan Stanton is an electrician and ETU member based in Melbourne. He worked in warehousing for 5 years where he led a victorious strike at Polar Fresh back in 2016. He's a socialist and contributor to Red Flag.  Jerome Small is an industrial organiser of Socialist Alternative. He worked in construction for around 17 years and has been a socialist and union activist since the 80s. He has been covering the Woolworths strike for Red Flag newspaper.  Picket addresses at the end of this article: Support striking Woolworths warehouse workers this week (and next) (19 Nov) https://redflag.org.au/article/support-striking-woolworths-warehouse-workers-this-week-and-next Jerome's latest article on the strike: https://redflag.org.au/article/hope-on-the-picket-line    Check Red Flag website for more coverage of the current strike: https://redflag.org.au/   Read about the recent history of class struggle in the logistics industry: The 2015 Melbourne Liquor Distribution Centre strike: Inside a Melbourne warehouse strike: https://redflag.org.au/article/inside-melbourne-warehouse-strike   The 2016 Polar Fresh strike: 'Thirty bucks, no trucks!' Warehouse workers strike back against Coles https://redflag.org.au/node/5410   Coles still rattled by Polar Fresh strike, one year on https://redflag.org.au/node/5933

We chatted with two wonderful socialists: Jordan Van den Lamb, A.K.A. PurplePingers, and Roz Ward, the original host of Red Flag Radio. Jordan will be a senate candidate with the Victorian Socialists in the upcoming federal elections, and Roz is his campaign manager. Jordan has amassed a serious following on Tiktok and Intagram thanks to his unflinching honesty about the housing crisis and his advocacy for tenants' rights. We chatted about the housing crisis, the elections, why private schools are shit and much more.  Check out the Pingers4Parliament campaign here: https://pingers4parliament.com/  Pleast volunteer, share and donate!  Check out the Shit Rentals website, created by Jordan: https://www.shitrentals.org/ 

We spoke to Lance Selfa, a long-time socialist based in Chicago, about Trump's re-election. Lance explains how this could have happened, again, and what lessons socialists can learn from the election.  Lance is the author of The Democrats: A Critical History. He is a member of the International Socialism Project, whose website has published Lance's election coverage and analysis. He has also been covering the election for Red Flag newspaper.  Further reading "It's the economy stupid!" - By Lance Selfa and Sharon Smith  "Return of the Beast" - by Red Flag editors  A collection of Lance Selfa's articles in Red Flag  "Why is the US election so close" - by Lance Selfa   

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader of India's far-right Hindu nationalist or "Hindutva" movement. Sagar Sanyal, socialist and regular on the pod, delves into the roots of Hidutva in both European fascism and the Indian caste system. He explains how, over the course of 100 years, Indian fascism moved from the margins of Indian politics to the centre of government. Further Reading Sagar's previous guest appearance on Red Flag Radio discussing the GFC "Modi and the Threat to Indian Democracy" by Sagar Sanyal "India's Farmer Protests: What you need to know" by Sagar Sanyal

The Murdoch press has been on a tear against the Palestine movement and particularly "serial protestor" Josh Lees, a leading member of the Palestine Action Group (PAG) and Socialist Alternative, and our guest for this episode. NSW Premier Chris Minns accused Josh of costing tax-payers $5 million to police the protests. The attacks on Josh and PAG are part of a fresh wave of repression and censorship against the Palestine movement in Australia. These attacks are happening on campuses and in the streets, they are coming from the media, Labor governments, the Liberals and university vice-chancellors. Emma spoke to Josh about the nature of that repression and the way charges of anti-semitism have been weaponised against anti-war campaigners protesting a genocide. Relevant articles: "Zionist groups are falsifying antisemitism statistics and the media are playing along" - by Joel Schneider "NSW police fail to ban pro-Palestine protests" by Emma Norton  "Fighting for Palestine, one year on" - by Josh Lees  "Slander won't stop students from resisting genocide" - by Jack Mansell   

Israel's invasion of Lebanon with Omar Hassan   After a year of genocidal war in Gaza, Israel has now begun a ground invasion of Lebanon. In less than a week Israel has killed over 2000 people in Lebanon through massive bombardment of civilians in the capital of Beirut and a renewed offensive against the already devastated South. Israeli aggression and repeated military strikes on Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Iran have led the Middle East to the brink of all-out regional war.    This episode Chloe spoke to Omar Hassan, a Lebanese-Australian socialist and editor of the Marxist Left Review about the invasion of Lebanon, the threat of regional war and the history of Israeli aggression.    Omar touched on the role Israel has played as attack dog for US imperialism from the Suez Crisis invasion of Egypt in 1956 to the 18 year long Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000.    This week the Australian Government, the NSW Police and the capitalist media have engaged in a massive smear campaign against the pro-Palestine anti-war movement. The NSW police unsuccessfully attempted to ban the rallies commemorating the 1 year anniversary of the genocide. Omar spoke about the hypocrisy and cynicism of the media as well as the role of Labor in supporting Israeli aggression and US imperialism.   Further reading:   https://redflag.org.au/article/by-attacking-lebanon-israel-seeks-to-expand-its-genocidal-war https://redflag.org.au/article/israels-history-of-aggression-against-lebanon   Get involved with Victorian Socialists   https://victoriansocialists.org.au/candidates/omar-hassan

In one of the worst attacks on a union in Australian history, the Labor government has imposed a dictatorial administrator on the construction union, the CFMEU. This move has disenfranchised the union's entire membership.  Chloe spoke to Jerome Small, ex-construction worker and reporter for Red Flag, about the causes and consequences of this unprecedented anti-union attack.  Further reading "Labor set to impose dictatorial powers over construction union" by Jerome Small in Red Flag  "Strike shows stakes for Queensland CFMEU" by Duncan Hart in Red Flag

The Land Forces weapons expo is Australia's largest get-together and money-making opportunity for the booming business of war. When it came to Melbourne in September, activists from Students for Palestine and Disrupt Wars protested the orgy of militarism and violence. In response, the Victorian police unleashed hell, firing rubber bullets and torrents of pepper spray at protestors. The media followed up with a barrage of lies about protestors, presenting anti-war peace activists as the violent thugs while cheering on extreme police violence.  Emma spoke to Bella Beiraghi, one of the protest organisers, to get an insider's perspective on the protest and its aftermath.    Further reading: "Guardian fake news helps cops mobilise against anti-war activists" - by Anneke Demanuele in Red Flag  "Inside the Land Forces protest" - by Jerome Small in Red Flag 

For over 60 days, Tamil and Iranian refugees have maintained a protest camp outside the Department of Home Affairs in Melbourne. Similar protest camps have spread across Australia's major cities. Their demands are permanent protection and justice for almost 10,000 refugees left in limbo by the federal Labor government. Emma spoke to Aran Mylvaganam, a staunch refugee activist and socialist who has been heavily involved in protests for refugee rights for years.  Aran describes the incredible bravery of refugees who have stood up to racists and neo-Nazis on the streets of Melbourne. They plan to maintain their protest against the Labor government until victory.  Our deepest condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Mano Logalingam, a Tamil refugee activist from the encampment who died. We honour Mano in this episode and call for full rights for all refugees.  Produced by Jack Morrison and Daniel Kenny Music by Daniel Kenny Further reading: - Amid tragedy, refugee protest encampment continues - by Renee Nayef for Red Flag - Refugees fighting for permanent protection in Sydney  - by Annabel Petit for Red Flag - Aran Mylvaganam on the Tamil genocide, 15 years on   

Emma and Chloe talk about the cops! We analyse their role in capitalist society, their origins, and the case for their abolition.  A big thanks to our producers: Daniel Kenny and Jack Morris.  Further reading: - "Defunding, disarming, defeating and abolishing the police" - Daniel Taylor in Red Flag  - "The police serve the system" - Shirley Killen in Red Flag 

We interviewed Ravibha Jeyanathan about the political situation in India under Narendra Modi, and the task of rebuilding a revolutionary Marxist current. Ravibha is from Tamil Nadu in southern India, having sought refuge there from the Sri Lankan genocide. She completed her PhD research in London, researching post-war asylum experiences among Eelam Tamils in the UK. She is a member of Pothuvudamai Iyakkam (Socialist Movement). Ravibha was a guest speaker at this year's Marxism Conference in Melbourne. 

The US presidential elections are coming up, promising a showdown between Donald Trump and newly-anointed Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris. Chloe chatted to Ben Hillier to get his analysis of the US political situation. Ben is an editor of Red Flag newspaper and recently visited the US to report for Red Flag on the Gaza Solidarity Camps at American universities. They discuss the Trumpian takeover of the Republican Party and why Trump has a good chance of winning the election. They dig into Kamala Harris' background and what another Democrat in the white house would mean. Importantly, they critique the "lesser-evilism" argument that is building in left circles: the idea that this is the most important election in a generation, and that left-wingers have to get behind Harris to stop the re-election of Trump. 

Historic protests across Kenya in the past week have mobilised a disenfranchised youth enraged at the Government's attempt to raise taxes on the working class and poor to pay government debt to the IMF and other international creditors. The 2024 Finance Bill has sparked hatred at a political class who flaunt their opulent lifestyles while hiking the price of bread, cooking oil, and many other essentials.  Protesters refused to back down in the face of intense repression in which many people have been killed protest — with police using live ammunition and disappearing high profile figures in the protest.   This episode Chloe spoke with Ezra Otieno, a leading member of the Revolutionary Socialist League of Kenya about the protest movement in Kenya.

Emma and Chloe take on Yanis Varoufakis' new book, Technofeudalism.  Varoufakis argues that capitalism is dead, ushering in a new mode of production he calls technofeudalism. He claims that the system we live under today is more like the feudal system which predated capitalism: the main economic activity today is the collection of rent by big tech "cloudalists". These tech giants, like Amazon and Google, are now our feudal overlords, while the rest of the capitalist class has been reduced to mere "cloud vassals". Workers are disempowered, a minority of us are "cloud proles", while the majority of the population are "cloud serfs", unwittingly creating value for the cloudalists through our clicks, likes, purchases and posts.  Chloe and Emma offer a critique of this theory, arguing that Varoufakis' "cloudalists" are just monopolies, which have been a stable feature of capitalist markets for centuries. We defend the idea that the modern working class is a powerful force because they create the profits, not rent, of the capitalist class. We also offer our own theories for why Varoufakis and others like him are so keen on proclaiming the death of capitalism every few years.  Support the Red Flag cloud media empire: Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper  Follow us on Insta!  Like Socialist Alternative - Red Flag on Facebook  Check us out on Tiktok  More links!! Our link tree: https://linktr.ee/redflag.sa 

"Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other — Bourgeoisie and Proletariat." Chloe and Emma explain the Marxist theory of social class. We go through the Marxist definition of class, and explain the nature and behaviour of the capitalists, the working class, the middle classes and more!    Further reading: https://redflag.org.au/article/what-social-class https://redflag.org.au/article/node-7284   

At the 2024 Marxism Conference, Red Flag Radio spoke to Argentinian socialist Cesar Latorre, union militant and leading member of the Movimiento Socialista Los de Trabajadores (MST). Chloe asked Cesar about the role of the revolutionary left in the struggle against far right Argentine President Javier Milei. Milei came to power promising radical free market policies, massive cuts to the public sector and a confrontational approach to the unions and the left. Since taking office he has unleashed a wave of attacks on workers, students and the poor -- announcing plans to sack 70,000 public sector workers, lower pensions, defund education and crackdown on dissent with attempts to outlaw forms of protest. Milei's attacks and rampant inflation mean that working class living standards are in free fall. But Milei has been met with significant resistance. He has faced mass protests in January, two general strikes since taking office and an emerging student resistance to education cuts. The revolutionary left in Argentina has played a significant role in these mobilisations. Alongside the dangers of the moment, opportunities have emerged in the course of struggle for the socialist left to grow.   Further reading: Red Flag on class struggle in Argentina: https://redflag.org.au/article/fight-continues-argentina   https://redflag.org.au/article/left-argentinas-general-strike     https://redflag.org.au/article/shock-therapy-argentina     https://mst.org.ar/2024/05/15/panorama-politico-luchas-sociales-tensiones-y-crisis-en-el-horizonte/    

Janey Stone is an anti-Zionist Jewish author and activist. She is the coauthor with Donny Gluckstein of a new book, "The Radical Jewish Tradition: Revolutionaries, Resistance Fighters and Firebrands". The claim of Israel and its apologists to represent Jews everywhere and the growth of the antisemitic far right, make understanding and celebrating the long history of left-wing and working class Jewish activism essential for leftists today.  Chloe sat down to talk to Janey about her book and the relevance of its arguments for activsts and socialists today. Janey's work has done much to uncover the radical Jewish tradition. Before the Second World War the majority of Jews were working class and part of a wider struggle alongside their non-Jewish comrades on the left. The book celebrates Jewish radicalism from the Tsarist Empire to Poland and Germany, from London to New York. Far from the Zionist stereotype of the ultimate victims, Jews were revolutionaries, resistance fighters and firebrands. This inspiring radical tradition was ultimately checked by the callous indifference of capitalist governments to refugees and the horror of Auschwitz. However, its lessons must be passed on to inform working class and anti-imperialist struggles in a world in crisis. Buy Janey Stone's book: "The Radical Jewish Tradition: Revolutionaries, Resistance Fighters and Firebrands" Available online at Red Flag Books     

We were lucky enough to interview the inimitable Dr Gary Foley at the 2024 Marxism Conference where he was a guest speaker. Gary is a living legend of the Aboriginal rights movement: he was a founding member of the Sydney Black Power movement and the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra in the 1970s. Gary is a staunch supporter of Palestine, speaking at almost every Palestine demonstration in Melbourne since Israel's war began, making the case for solidarity and resistance to colonialism, racism and capitalism. As well as being an inspiring activist, Foley is an educator of the next generation through his writings and his archive of Aboriginal history, set to be the largest of its kind.  Emma asked Gary about his life, about the importance of standing up to Gaza and the importance of conferences like Marxism as gatherings of the radical left.  Further readings Check out Gary's website here: https://www.gooriweb.org/ Gary Foley: ‘a direct and fiercely intellectual man' by Tony Birch in Red Flag  The 1971 Springbok tour protests- an interview with Gary Foley in Red Flag  Don't miss out on the next radical conference near you:  - Sydney Socialism Conference: 16-18 Aug - Brisbane Socialism Conference: 23 Aug  - Perth Socialism Conference: 10-11 Aug - Adelaide Socialism Conference: 14-15 Aug

Inspired by the encampment at Columbia University in New York, students at the University of Sydney this week occupied their campus to stand with the people of Gaza. They're condemning the complicity of their university and the Australian government in the invasion of Gaza, and calling to cut ties with the Israeli state and arms manufacturing corporations. In this episode Emma interviews the student demonstrators and their supporters about what inspired them to take action, the role of Australian institutions in facilitating genocide, and where the campaign can go from here. Links - If you want to support the students or get involved, get in touch with Students For Palestine USyd on Instagram - Read the coverage in Red Flag

We interviewed Damian Ridgwell, a veteran socialist activist and leading light in Australia's pro-Palestine movement for almost 20 years. Damian talked about the recent history of the movement and why it's so important to take a stand for Palestine here in Australia.  Chloe and Emma also talked about the new data which reveals that the majority of Australian corporations have significant internal gender pay gaps. We expose some of the problems with the report and the government's approach, and explain the nature of the deep gender inequality in the Australian economy.  Further Reading - "Why the global movement for Palestine matters" - https://redflag.org.au/article/why-global-movement-palestine-matters  - "To end sexism we need to destroy capitalism" - https://redflag.org.au/article/end-sexism-we-need-destroy-capitalism   

For this special episode we interviewed one of our favourite return guests Diane Fieldes. Diane is a socialist activist and writer who participated in the campaign against police repression after the first Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978. She talks about the homophobia of those years, the violence of the police, and the triumph of the Gay Liberation activists who fought for their rights - including the right to protest.  Further reading: - https://redflag.org.au/article/mardi-gras-was-riot https://redflag.org.au/node/6233

The fight is on in Argentina! Javier Milei, the newly-elected President and self-described anarcho-capitalist has announced a slew of attacks on working class living conditions and democratic rights. But workers are fighting back. We spoke to Jasmine Duff, a socialist activist who visited Argentina and participated in the resistance to Milei's attacks. Jasmine roamed around Buenos Aires interviewing activists and reporting for Red Flag newspaper.  But first up, Chloe and Emma dissect the latest news from Gaza and the Middle East, including the ICJ decision, the Western defunding of UNRWA and the US bombing campaign against the Houthis.  Further reading: Argentina: "The Left in Argentina's general strike" by Jasmine Duff in Red Flag (Feb '24) "'We're not going to take it!' - Mass protests in Argentina" by Jasmine Duff in Red Flag (Dec '23) Palestine and the Middle East: "Hypocrisy about the Houthis"  by Mick Armstrong in Red Flag (Jan '24) "‘A small, arrogant, violent, wicked nation': Israel's permanent war on the people of the Middle East" by Omar Hassan in Red Flag (Jan '24)      

A special episode on the fall of South African apartheid! Chloe interviews Tom Bramble, socialist author and witness to working class struggles in South Africa. Tom spent time in South Africa in the years following the overthrow of the racist apartheid system, and he wrote a book and numerous articles about South Africa. He tells us about how the racist apartheid system was finally destroyed, and how the workers' movement played a crucial role in its destruction.  Further reading Rethinking the Labour Movement in the 'New South Africa'  - edited by Tom Bramble and Franco Barchiesi  How South African Apartheid was Ended  by Emma Norton in Red Flag (2023) Lessons from the South African anti-apartheid struggle by Deaglan Godwin (2023) South Africa in crisis by Tom Bramble in Red Flag (2016) Hypocrisy in West's reponse to Desmond Tutu's passing by Tom Bramble in Red Flag (2021) Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) by Tom Bramble in Red Flag (2013)  

What is the state? An overgrown behemoth, a neutral arbiter, a tool of the ruling class? In our first episode for 2024, Chloe and Emma explain the Marxist theory of the state. We also chat about what we read over the break.  Further reading on the capitalist state: - "What is the Australian State" - by David Peterson in Red Flag  - "Marxism vs. the State" - by Sadia Schneider in Red Flag  Emma and Chloe's summer reading: Here are the books we talked about at the start of the episode: - "The State and Revolution" by V.I. Lenin: https://shop.redflag.org.au/products/state-and-revolution?_pos=2&_psq=state%20and%20&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=34797667581997  - "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver - "Holding the Line: Women in the Great Arizona Mine Strike" by Barbara Kingsolver - Georgy Plekhanov on Marxism and Philosophy: "The Development of the Monist View of History" https://www.marxists.org/archive/plekhanov/1895/monist/index.htm   

Our main segment in this episode is an interview with Daniel Taylor, an anti-Zionist Jewish socialist and regular contributor to Red Flag newspaper.  Daniel and Emma talk about why the mainstream media are so aggressively pro-Israel. From the Murdoch press to the state-run ABC, the mainstream media dehumanises the Palestinians and helps cover up Israeli war crimes. We go through all their tricks, double standards and hypocrisies, and try to explain why the media landscape is so homogenous when it comes to Israel.  But first up, Chloe and Emma discuss the recent resurgence of anti-refugee rhetoric in Australia. With the High Court overturning a decade-old legal precedent which held that refugees could be detained indefinitely - Australian politics has once more descended into a hysterical anti-refugee race to the bottom.  -------------------------------- Further reading "The mainstream media are pro-Israel propaganda" by Daniel Taylor in Red Flag  "Why journalists must speak out about Gaza" in Red Flag 

We spoke to high schoolers from Melbourne and Sydney who went on strike for Palestine, defying intimidation from the media, politicians and their own schools. The Melbourne school strike for Palestine was the biggest of its kind in the world! But students faced a barrage of condemnation in the lead up to the strikes. Journalists said that students were too stupid to understand such a complex issue, and many prinicipals threatened students with disciplinary action. But thousands of kids remained defiant and showed up in numbers to demand that our government cut diplomatic, economic and military ties with the genocidal state of Israel.  Also in this episode, Emma and Chloe talk about the worrying rise of far right governments around the world, most recently the victories of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Javier Milei in Argentina.  Note: we recorded this episode during Israel's propagandistic "pause" in its bombardment of Gaza - since then they have only escalated their campaign of ethnic cleansing. Our fight for Palestinian liberation goes on. Get involved in Palestine solidarity organising near you! Further reading Red Flag articles: - "We won't be silenced": Why high-school students are walking out for Palestine  - Far right victory in Argentina  - Marxist Left Review article - "Dark clouds over Europe - facing the new far right"    Get involved in Palestine activism! High school groups: - Melbourne School Students 4 Palestine  - Sydney High Schoolers for Palestine  Uni student groups (look up your own university and "Students for Palestine" on insta to find campus-based clubs!) - Students for Palestine Victoria  - Students for Palestine Canberra  - Students for Palestine WA  - Adelaide Students for Palestine  - Students for Palestine Sydney Uni  Main campaign groups for each city: Sydney - Palestine Action Group   Melbourne - Free Palestine Melbourne  Brisbane - Justice for Palestine Meanjin - Brisbane  Perth - Friends of Palestine WA  Adelaide - Campaign against Racism and Fascism  Canberra - Palestine Action Group - Canberra  Hobart - 

In the middle of a new anti-war movement against the genocide in Gaza, we thought it would be timely to release an episode about the movement that helped end the Vietnam War. At Socialism Conference 2023, Emma interviewed two seasoned anti-war activists about their role in the movement that swept the world in the 1960s and 70s America (and Australia's!) brutal war. Allen Myers was a socialist GI, drafted into the American military, who spent years agitating against the war among fellow soldiers. Diane Fieldes was a student in Australia who got involved in the movement while at high school and became a lifelong socialist. We have a lot to learn from their experiences as we stand up against the horrors of war and occupation today.  Further reading: Red Flag Articles: - A People's History of the Vietnam War - by Lily Campbell - Students in the Anti-Vietnam War Movement by Grace Hill    

Our guest is Josh Lees, one of the leading organisers of Sydney's massive Palestine solidarity rallies. Josh critiques the so-called "two-state solution", explaining why it provides no real solution for the Palestinians and how the slogan has been used and abused by Western governments to cover up Israel's crimes.  Earlier in the episode, Emma and Chloe talk about the current situation in Gaza and get stuck into the UN for its historic role in greenlighting the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. 

We interviewed Vashti Fox, author of "The Story of Palestine: Empire, Repression and Resistance". We talk about how Israel has been a racist, imperialist project from the very beginning, and Vashti explains why ruling classes around the world still offer their full-throated support for Israeli war crimes. Emma and Chloe discuss the situation in Gaza and expose many of the media devices that cast Israel as the victim with a "right to defend itself", while Palestinians are consistently dehumanised to justify Israeli war crimes. Further Reading - Vashti Fox's book The Story of Palestine: Empire, Repression and Resistance, available at Red Flag Books  - Map of "Disappearing Palestine" as of 2014 https://www.palestinecampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/disappearing-palestine-A3-poster-PRINT-Jan-2014.pdf - for coverage of the genocide in Gaza, follow Red Flag    Find a Palestine solidarity rally in your city this weekend!   NB- We recorded our discussion on 22nd October, and a lot has happened in a little over a week. The death toll in Gaza has doubled since then, to over 8000, and we are seeing increased ground offensives in northern Gaza. Western politicians have doubled down on their pro-Israel rhetoric, and only a trickle of aid is being allowed into the besieged Gaza strip. The humanitarian crisis there is dire.  In response to these horrors we have seen continued resistance around the world. The past weekend saw the biggest pro-Palestine protests in Australian history, including 50,000 people who marched in Sydney.     

It's been just over a week since Australia went to the polls and returned a resounding 60% majority "No" vote against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. What do socialists make of the result? Emma spoke to Red Flag Radio regular Jordan Humphreys, author of Indigenous Liberation and Socialism, about the significance of the defeat. Jordan explains how the "No" camp tapped into a well of anti-Aboriginal racism in this country. We discuss the tepid "Yes" campaign, and why Labor should be held accountable for its decades-long role in pushing racist ideas and policies. Jordan also offers some reflections on the fight for Indigenous rights going forward. Further reading - Jordan Humphreys' article in Red Flag: Voice Defeated - Fight against racism continues  - Indigenous Liberation and Socialism by Jordan Humphreys, available at Red Flag Books   A note on the ongoing genocide in Gaza We are living through a historic moment. In the space of two weeks, Israel has slaughtered over 5000 Palestinians and destroyed almost half of the building in the Gaza. Millions of people have been protesting across the world against this atrocity, with demonstrations planned for the future. - Check out this episode, where Chloe interviews Omar Hassan about the issue: Why socialists support a free palestine  - Get yourself to a Palestine solidarity protest in your city this weekend! We are working hard to get you more Palestine-related content in the coming weeks. Look out for our next episode which will include an interview with Vashti Fox, author of The Story of Palestine, about the racist and imperialist origins of the Israeli state.  - Buy Vashti's book The Story of Palestine: Empire, Repression and Resistance, available at Red Flag Books        

Right now, Israel is mobilising for a full-scale war in response to an offensive by Hamas. Netanyahu has vowed to turn Gaza, with its population of 2.3 million people, into a deserted island, and Israeli politicians are openly calling for another Nakba — referring to the genocidal massacres in 1948 which marked the beginning of Israel's occupation of Palestine. Western politicians are lining up to pledge their support for Israel's “right to defend itself”. The US has sent an aircraft carrier to aid Israel, and Biden has taken this opportunity to rally support for Western imperialism & funding for the Israeli Defence Forces.  Chloe spoke to Omar Hassan about the history of military occupation and genocide from 1948 to today, and why the left must stand with Palestine. Omar is a socialist from Melbourne, a long-time Palestine solidarity activist and editor of the Marxist Left Review.     Join the solidarity protests: Sydney Sunday Oct 15, 1PM Hyde Park https://facebook.com/events/s/stop-the-war-on-gaza-free-pale/237050879370266/ Melbourne Sunday Oct 15, 12PM State Library https://facebook.com/events/s/palestine-rally-end-the-siege-/621858313442265/ Canberra Friday Oct 13, 5:30PM Garema Place https://facebook.com/events/s/stand-with-palestine-no-war-on/2258919267638772/ Adelaide Sunday Oct 15, 2:00pm SA Parliament House https://facebook.com/events/s/solidarity-with-palestine-no-w/7143090389076667/ Brisbane Friday Oct 13, 6:00pm King George Square https://facebook.com/events/s/no-war-on-gaza-solidarity-with/884972343033190/ Perth Friday Oct 13, 5:30pm Murray St Mall https://facebook.com/events/s/rally-for-palestine-no-war-on-/1046067476425215/ Wollongong Sat Oct 14, 1:00pm MacCabe Park https://facebook.com/events/s/wollongong-rally-free-palestin/1951351455251789/ Further readings: Check out the War on Palestine section of the Red Flag website: https://redflag.org.au/category/palestine

In this episode, Emma and Chloe take a deep dive into the system behind sexism. Why has women's oppression persisted long after the Women's Liberation Movement won formal equality? Why is the gender pay gap actually widening? We also tackle some of the major debates between feminists and socialists, like who benefits from sexism: men in general or the capitalist class?    Further reading - "Why Sexism Persists" by Diane Fieldes  - "The System Behind Sexism" by RFR's own Roz Ward  - And check out this collection of books for sale on gender and sexual oppression at Red Flag books: https://shop.redflag.org.au/collections/women-lgbtia    NOTE: We recorded this episode before the recent events in Palestine began. We are hurrying to record and release an episode explaining Israel's already catastrophic war on Gaza and the West Bank, defending the right of Palestinians to resist their oppression. Look for that towards the end of this week. 

Part two of an interview with Jordan Humphreys about his new book Indigenous Liberation and Socialism. Emma and Jordan chat about the inspiring history of Indigenous struggle in Australia. This one's not to be missed! Jordan shares his fascinating research on on how the early workers' movement fought for Indigenous rights - from Aboriginal shearers who joined a militant union to Communists who led strikes for Indigenous liberation. We talk about Australia's own civil rights movement, and how Black Power came to Australian cities in the 1970s.  Links: - Grab a copy of Jordan's book at Red Flag Books and join us for the third and final part of this interview in a few weeks.  - Check out Jordan's latest offering in Red Flag newspaper about why you should vote yes in the Voice referendum!  - Jordan's article in the Marxist Left Review on How Australian Communists fought for Indigenous Liberation  Get involved in a Socialist Alternative branch near you Leave your details here if you want to get active in building the socialist movement: https://redflag.org.au/getinvolved       

Louisa and her workmates have had enough. They work at Mint My Desk stationery stores across Brisbane and are illegally paid below the minimum wage, cash-in-hand. Last week, after more than a year of trying to get their bosses to pay the legal minimum, Mint My Desk workers walked off the job. They have now had two strikes and have stared down intimidation and threats of sacking. In this special episode, Emma talked to Louisa, the socialist and unionist at the heart of this campaign, about how retail workers can stand up for their rights.    Further reading: Latest article on the strike from Red Flag Original coverage from Red Flag Mint My Desk Workers United on TikTok

This is part one of our interview with author Jordan Humphreys.  We talked about Jordan's new book, Indigenous Liberation and Socialism. Indigenous Liberation & Socialism delves into the history and politics of Indigenous struggle, exploring the forgotten legacy of the workers' movement and the socialist left in the fight for justice against Indigenous oppression. It presents a compelling argument that the liberation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will only be won if we build a multi-racial anti-capitalist movement which can smash all systems of oppression. Jordan is a socialist activist in Sydney and a member of the editorial board of the Marxist Left Review. He has been researching and writing about Indigenous issues since 2019.  Get yourself a copy of his book from Red Flag Books. Keep an eye out for parts 2 and 3 of Emma's interviews with Jordan. Producer: Jack Morris Host: Emma Norton Music: Daniel Kenny  

Karl Marx has a reputation for being a stuffy old guy, tucked away in a library writing impenetrable tomes. But he was a revolutionary in practice as well as in theory! With his buddy Engels, he was involved in many of the great revolts of the 19th century: from the 1848 revolutions to the Paris Commune, from the American Civil War to the Irish rebellions against Britain. Seeing as this is a Marxist podcast, we thought we'd dive into the life and times of Marxism's founder. Chloe and Emma spoke to Rick Kuhn; activist, author and winner of the Deutscher Prize (for great Marxist works!) about Karl Marx. Further readings Find out more about what Marx learnt from the struggles of his era: What Marx discovered in the woods  What Marx learned from the Paris Commune  Marx's battle against 'state socialism'  Read more from Rick Kuhn: Rick Kuhn writes about understanding economic crises      

Part two of our two-parter on the housing crisis! Emma and Chloe chatted to Martin about how capitalism shaped our cities, and how, under socialism, we could rebuild them to meet human need. We also waxed lyrical about the campaigns to defend public housing in the 1970s in Sydney, pioneered by the Builders' Labourers' Federation.  Further reading - Reclaim the city - by April - The politics of cities - by Steph Price Get involved in a housing campaign near you: Victorian Socialists, if you're in Melbourne: https://www.facebook.com/vicsocialists  https://www.instagram.com/vic_socialists/  Video from a recent forum hosted by Victorian Socialists Get a Room - Students for affordable housing (National Union of Students) https://www.facebook.com/fixtherentalcrisis  https://www.instagram.com/fixtherentalcrisis/  Socialist Alternative and Red Flag are hosting radical conferences all over the country in the coming months. If you're in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, or Adelaide, grab your ticket today! Sydney Socialism Conference: https://www.socialismsydney.com/ Brisbane Revolution Conference: https://revolutionconference.org/index.html Perth Socialism Conference: http://socialismperth.com/ Socialism Adelaide: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1076642  

Workers and young people in Australia are experiencing a severe housing crisis, with rent and mortgage repayments skyrocketing, homelessness on the rise, and constant attacks on public housing. We talked to Martin Barker, socialist and tenant advocate, about what's going on and who's to blame.  Chloe and Emma also got a bit journalistic for this episode. We sought out activists at the front line of the fight for public housing and renters' rights. We asked students from the Get a Room campaign what it's like dealing with Sydney's rental market, and we spoke to public housing tenant Caroline Ienna about how NSW Labor is helping developers kick her out of her home. We also heard some spicy retorts to Phillip Lowe's recent "helpful advice" to young people.  Stay tuned for part 2 on the housing crisis, where we get into the meat of how capitalism has shaped housing and our cities, and how a socialist society would organise things differently.  Further reading: Articles by Martin Barker on the housing crisis: - Property profiteers: Who benefits from the housing crisis?  - Solutions to the rental crisis 

This is a bumper episode about the class struggle across the higher education sector, with a focus on Australia and the US.  First, we talked to Jerome Small, RFR regular and Socialist Alternative's industrial organiser, to set the scene. He covered some fascinating topics; from the US university strikes to the fight within the Australian higher ed union, the NTEU, over the leadership's covid-era proposal to take a wage cut in exchange for supposed "job security".  Next, we spoke to Alma Torlakovic, a socialist and NTEU union member from Sydney University, about the two-year-long campaign there. Alma and her comrades in NTEU Fightback, a rank-and-file group, are fighting hard against their union accepting a disastrous deal from management. She was full of insights and lessons for other unionists, no matter their industry.  If you enjoy this episode, please become a subscriber at our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast/membership  Production and music by Daniel Kenny.  Hosted by Emma Norton and Chloe Rafferty. Further reading - Alma Torlakovic in Red Flag, on why she's voting no to Sydney University's new Enterprise Agreement: https://redflag.org.au/article/sydney-university-enterprise-agreement-why-im-voting-no - Jerome Small in Red Flag, "Lessons from the NTEU Sydney University industrial campaign": https://redflag.org.au/article/lessons-nteu-sydney-university-industrial-campaign  - Alexis Vassiley in Red Flag, "Historic US university strike wins big", on the campaign at Rutgers University: https://redflag.org.au/article/historic-us-university-strike-wins-big 

Think revolutions are a thing of the past? Think again! In this episode, we explore the many revolutions and revolts of the 21st century. We also caught up with Egyptian socialist Hossam el Hamalawy to talk about the Arab Spring of 2011. Hossam was an active participant in the Egyptian revolution and is full of stories and lessons for socialists everywhere.  Hosted by Chloe Rafferty and Emma Norton Production and music by Dan Kenny Show notes: Hossam el Hamalawy's writings on Egyptian and world politics "The Arab Spring: revolution and counter-revolution" - MLR Oct 2011, by Sandra Bloodworth The Art of Rebellion: Dispatches from Hong Kong by Ben Hillier "The return of the Arab revolution" - Red Flag Dec 2019, by Corey Oakley "Welcome to the new Algerian revolution: interview with Hamza Hamouchene" - Red Flag April 2019, by Omar Hassan  "Massacre and uprising in Sudan" "Crisis of Sri Lankan capitalism provokes a popular uprising" - Red Flag 2022, by Eleanor Morley 

In the worst cost of living crisis in several generations, Labor are cutting taxes for the rich, spending $368 Billion on nuclear subs and signalling the need for tougher “fiscal restraint” in the future. Yet the ALP's second budget has been touted as “responsible but compassionate” for delivering a surplus while throwing a few insulting crumbs to the poorest welfare recipients. We spoke to Red Flag editor Ben Hillier about why Labor's budget continues the class war against workers and the poor. We take a look at some of the budget's false promises, the arguments around inflation, and why the liberal media are suckers for the ALP's social neoliberalism. Check out the Red Flag coverage of the budget and related issues: Labor's budget for the rich Welfare recipients remain in poverty under Labor Report reveals inequality on steroids  Note - We recorded this episode before Dutton had made his budget reply, so we didn't talk about the Liberals or their new racist campaign to link cost-of-living woes with immigration. But expect future episodes to address this and other budget adjacent issues!