Red Flag Radio

Christianity and Class Struggle in Rome

Emma and Chloe give each other the combined Christmas and birthday present of a whole episode about class struggle in the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity.

Rising Tide + spying on the far right

Emma and Chloe discuss their respective weekend experiences of shutting down a coal port and spying on a far right rally. 

 

"Understanding the net zero circus" by Lily Campbell in Red Flag 

"The far right is organising. We have to resist" by Anneke Demanuele in Red Flag 

Mamdani and the dead-end of the Democrats

Chloe and Emma discuss that meeting between NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and  Donald Trump. They talk about what the meeting and Mamdani's campaign reveal about the limitations of a strategy for social change that looks to the Democratic Party. 

Some further reading:

"Mamdani, that meeting and why the Left needs to wake up" by Sarah Garnham for Red Flag 

"After the surreal summit" by Ashley Smith for Tempest 

Socialist strategy in trade unions

In this episode, Chloe and Emma explain the socialist theory of the trade unions. We talk about the trade union bureaucracy and the rank-and-file socialist strategy in the unions. 

Australia's love affair with arms dealers explained

Chloe and Emma discuss the protest at the Indo-Pacific arms expo in Sydney, and what it reveals about Australian imperialism. We talk about the AUKUS deal, why Australian politicians are so committed to the US alliance, and their imperialist plans for the Indo-Pacific region. 

Further reading:

News.com.au article: "Pro-Palestine activist ‘surrounded’ by cops at press conference after 13 arrested at arms expo blockade" 

"AUKUS deal should be scrapped" by Tom Bramble in Red Flag 

Are we living in a new world order?

Chloe and Emma talk about the major shift in world politics in 2025. The political, economic and social structures of world capitalism are being reshaped to meet the demands of a new era of instability and imperialism. From the new Trump administration and the rise of other vicious far right forces, to the ramping up of imperialist tensions. We also point to the mass struggles against the system in recent months and years: the Gen Z revolutions in Nepal, Madagascar, Indonesia, Morroco and elsewhere; the mass movement for Palestine; European struggles against austerity and genocide that have included general strikes. This is a moment of rapid transformation - socialists need to understand the situation and make the most of the opportunities to build a revolutionary socialist alternative to capitalism. 

Further reading

"Are we living in a new world order?" - by Eleanor Morley in Red Flag 

"A new international political situation" by Jordan Humphreys in Red Flag 

Why mutual aid can't challenge capitalism

Emma and Chloe critique mutual aid from a socialist perspective and discuss Dean Spade's 2020 book Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (And the Next). While mutual aid might feel good, we argue that it can't meet the needs of working class people, can't challenge the capitalist state or the bosses, and won't help us build the socialist party we need. 

 

Further Reading:

"Mutual aid is nice but it doesn't challenge capitalism" by Erin Russell in Red Flag 

Italy's strike for Palestine + the Gaza ceasefire

Emma and Chloe discuss the ceasefire in Gaza, before an interview with Josh Lees, eye witness to the historic general strikes for Palestine in Italy. Josh is a regular on the pod, a socialist activist for Palestine and leader of the historic March for Humanity across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

 

Further reading:

Italy's general strike shows the way forward - by Josh Lees 

Ceasefire in Gaza: relief but not enough - by Tom Bramble 

Trump, Farage and the far right offensive

Emma and Chloe review the authoritarian offensive of Trump and the far right in the US, who have used the assassination of Charlie Kirk to intensify a crackdown on left-wing speech. We discuss the far right in the UK, who just mobilised their biggest street march ever. And we discuss developments in Australia, where Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price are pushing for a hard right turn in the Liberal Party. How can we understand the simultaneous growth of the far right around the world, and what can we do about it? 

Stuff to read from Red Flag:

Charlie Kirk's legacy: a bosses' war on free speech - by D. Taylor 

The far right threat inside the Liberal Party - by Eleanor Morley 

 

European workers block everything

Workers in Europe have been rising up to fight for Palestine and against their own governments. It all began with the "bloquons touts" movement in France, which mobilised millions of workers and students to block everything to oppose their government's latest austerity bill - they shut down railway stations, blockaded city squares and went on strikes across public sector work places. 

Next, something incredible happened. Up to 2 million workers in Italy went on strike and blocked everything, inspired by the French movement. Thanks to pressure from left wing unions and the radical youth Palestine movement, major unions called the first ever general strike to oppose the genocide in Gaza, to end their government's complicity, and in solidarity with the Global Sumud flotilla. This wonderful show of solidarity should serve as an inspiration for radicals across the world.  

In this special episode, Emma interviews a French revolutionary socialist, Aurelien Gautreau, and an Italian leftist journalist, Francesco Zambelli, about the strikes in their countries. Aurelien is a member of the NPA-R (New anticapitalist party - revolutionaries) in France and Francesco works for Italian leftist radio station, Radio onda d'urto. 

The Nazi "March for Australia": Combatting the far right threat, with Anneke Demanuele

Chloe interviewed Anneke Demanuele about the anti-migrant demonstrations led by Nazis around Australia last week. Anneke is a leader in the Melbourne-based Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, which mobilised thousands of pro-Palestine, anti-fascist protestors to confront the racists in the streets. She discusses how anti-migrant racism has been whipped up by mainstream Australian politics, the organising role of open Nazis like the National Socialist Network (NSN), and how socialists in Australia can fight against the far right.

Come to the National Day of Action against Racism marches:

Melbourne: Saturday September 13, 11am Flinders St

Sydney: Saturday September 13, 12pm Belmore Park

 

Further reading:

When fascists march, the left must get organised, by Omar Hassan

From incel rebellion to Tate’s hustler grift: how capitalism created the manosphere

This week Emma and Chloe discuss the disturbing world of the manosphere. They discuss leading figures like Andrew Tate and Charlie Kirk, unravel the twisted logic of their talking points, and explain how the rise of the online misogynist right has been enabled by the institutions of mainstream capitalism. Lastly they go into depth on how revolutionary socialist politics are absolutely necessary to confront this vile phenomenon.

Further Reading on the Red Flag Website:

Andrew Tate is a misogynistic monster pimp, by Sarah Garnham

University of Technology Sydney stands with boys with big feelings, by Anneke Demanuele

Capitalism can’t end women’s oppression: we need a revolution, by Louise O'Shea

Exposing university censorship of Palestine solidarity, with James McVicar

This week Emma spoke to James McVicar, the National Union of Students Education Officer and convenor of the People's Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine. James launched the inquiry with other activists to document and report the many cases of censorship directed against the Palestine solidarity movement on campuses around Australia. Emma and James discuss the origins of the inquiry, the evidence it has heard, and the strategies and motives behind these attempts to shut down students' and staffs' free speech on campus.

Register for vote in the Student Referendum on Palestine

More from James on the Red Flag Website:
People’s Inquiry exposes university censorship on Palestine
Students to hold nationwide vote on Gaza

Josh Lees on Why the Harbour Bridge March for Gaza Couldn't Be Stopped

In this special bonus episode, Chloe discusses the historic March for Humanity over Sydney Harbour Bridge with its organiser - lead Palestine Action Group activist and Socialist Alternative member Josh Lees. Josh has been catapulted into the headlines by the runaway success of the protest, which drew a crowd of 300,000 in defiance of NSW government and police attempts to stop it marching. Josh explains what led up to such a massive action, why it had to happen now, and the importance of socialist politics in the struggle for a free Palestine.

Links:

Come to Socialism Conference in Sydney to see Josh speak in person.

Alternatively, get tickets to the Socialism conferences in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Read more on the Red Flag website:

Won't Somebody Think of Poor Israel?, by Josh Lees

Making history on Sydney Harbour Bridge: massive March for Humanity, by April Holcombe,

Who's to Blame for the Housing Crisis? with Martin Barker

Socialist activist and tenants' rights advocate, Martin Barker, returns to the show in this episode. He and Emma bust the ugly right-wing myths that try to blame immigrants, nimbys, or Chinese investors for the housing crisis, instead of the billionaire Australian developers and their politician buddies who are really responsible. They also discuss the prospects for the socialist politics and activism that could stand up to these forces - just in time to coincide with the launch of The Socialists party around the country!
 
Join up to The Socialists here: https://victoriansocialists.org.au/join

And read the latest Red Flag articles on housing:

NSW Labor builds profits, not housing

Rent freeze? No. Rent, freeze: Australia’s winter housing nightmare

 

The anti-Vietnam War Movement in Australia - with draft-resister Rowan Cahill

Chloe spoke with Rowan Cahill, radical historian and anti-war activist who refused to be drafted into the Vietnam war. They discuss the resistance to the draft in Australia, the forgotten working class resistance to the Vietnam war & its relevance for today’s fight against militarism & imperialism.

 

Links:

• Rowan’s Conscientious Objector statement
• Siege of Sydney University 1968 
• Blog post about Louis Christophedes
• Ken Mansell archives
• Timeline of the Australian anti-war movement
• A people’s history of the Vietnam War - Red Flag

The Israeli-US war on Iran

Red Flag Radio spoke to Tom Bramble about the atrocious imperialist aggression of Israel and the US towards Iran. 

Links

"The human cost of Israel's war on Iran" by Bella Beiraghi in Red Flag 

"West recycles old lies to justify attack on Iran" by Lucan Brunning-Hall in Red Flag 

To join a branch of The Socialists near you: https://victoriansocialists.org.au/join

To register for launch events featuring Jordan Van den Lamb (AKA purplepingers): https://victoriansocialists.org.au/campaigns/pingers-tour 

Trump, ICE and the US War on Migrants

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. 

 

Victorian Socialists goes Australia-wide - an interview with Corey Oakley

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 

Live from Marxism Conference 2025

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.