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Discussion and analysis of politics, history, theory and activism from a radical revolutionary socialist perspective.
Welcome to Red Flag Radio
We are a socialist podcast based in Australia. We discuss politics, theory and history from a revolutionary Marxist perspective. We aim to explain socialist ideas in a clear and accessible way and to promote the voices of anti-capitalist activists worldwide.
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
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
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
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
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
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?
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
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
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
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
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
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!
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
We’re Chloe and Emma, and we’re so excited to deliver our first episode as the new co-hosts of Red Flag Radio! This episode celebrates May Day, the international day of working-class struggle. We talk about the history of May Day, from Australia to America to the Russian Revolution. We also ask some socialist historians to tell us about three of the greatest strikes in Australian history: the 1917 General Strike, the Pilbara Strike, and the Clarrie O’Shea Strike.
Further readings:
- Rosa Luxemburg on the origins of May Day - https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1894/02/may-day.htm
- Origins of May Day - https://redflag.org.au/article/origins-may-day
- May Day 1946 - Pilbara strike https://redflag.org.au/article/may-day-1946-pilbara-aboriginal-workers-strike
- Understanding the 1917 General Strike https://redflag.org.au/node/5992
- Beating anti-union laws - the Clarrie O’Shea strike https://redflag.org.au/node/6080
Upcoming May Day rallies in Australia
- Sydney - https://www.facebook.com/events/1212625096051321
- Melbourne https://www.facebook.com/events/6059904107456640
- Wollongong - https://www.facebook.com/events/162261140063412
- Fremantle, Perth - https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=655428436589171&set=a.437367835061900
- Brisbane - https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=599659355525905&set=pcb.599660352192472
Hosted by Chloe Rafferty and Emma Norton. Produced by Jack Morris.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Contact us on redflagradiopodcast@gmail.com
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Millions of workers and students have taken part in strikes and protests across France in response to President Macron's push to increase the retirement age to 64. As a result of the resistance, Macron has been forced to pass the law by Presidential decree, sparking more anger on the streets. Revolutionary socialist John Mullen joins us to discuss the historical significance of this movement and the political questions it raises for those who want to see the defeat of the pensions law as a path to more radical change.
Read more in Red Flag
France in Revolt by Christopher Di Pasquale - https://redflag.org.au/article/france-revolt
Come to Marxism 2023 - April 6th - 9th - https://www.marxismconference.org/
Hosted by Roz Ward and Emma Norton. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Contact us on redflagradiopodcast@gmail.com
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, is a British transphobic activist who campaigns alongside Neo-Nazi groups. Parker is bringing her speaking tour to Australia. After record numbers of transphobic laws were passed in the US in 2022, Grace Hill, the new National Union of Students (NUS) LGBTI Officer joins us to discuss why we should protest Parker and figures like her wherever they organise. How do mainstream politicians open up space for far right organising? And does feminism really have anything to do with transphobia?
Read about Posie Parker’s anti-trans rally attended by Holocaust deniers and anti-abortion activists - https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/02/12/posie-parker-let-women-speak-glasgow-rally-fascists/
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Monday Feb 13, 2023
In the early 1970s, the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) in Australia provided a case study in workers' power and concern for the conservation of the natural environment. BLF green bans preserved dozens of working class areas and historic buildings, ranging from Aboriginal housing in Redfern to historic National Trust-listed mansions. In this episode we speak to Jerome Small about how the BLF became a union that fought for environmental and social justice, and the lessons we can draw to re-build the left in Australia today.
Read more
When Sydney was touched by workers democracy by Jerome Small - https://redflag.org.au/node/6774
‘I’m part of the union!’ How the Builders Labourers Federation set the benchmark by Liz Ross - https://redflag.org.au/node/6510
Watch Rocking the Foundations here.
Monday Nov 14, 2022
Monday Nov 14, 2022
A live recording of the final election rally for the Victorian Socialists before we try to make history by electing the first socialists to parliament in decades.
Featuring speeches by lead candidates for Northern Metro and Western Metro, Jerome Small and Liz Walsh.
For more information on how you can help volunteer for Victorian Socialists on election day, or to donate to the campaign go to - https://victoriansocialists.org.au/.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
A special live episode recorded at the launch of our campaign to elect socialist, union organiser and long-term environmental and anti-racist campaigner Jerome Small to Victoria's upper house. Jerome's stories include high school walkouts against the nuclear arms race, civil disobedience with the climate movement, picketing the South African embassy in the Apartheid years, and organising blockades of mining companies in solidarity with the Mirrar Aboriginal people in the successful fight to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine in the Northern Territory. More recently, Jerome has supported workers in aged care, warehouses, call centres and other workplaces in battles over pay, dignity and job security.
Follow Jerome's campaign and get involved in the Victorian Socialists here;
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Monday Aug 01, 2022
The healthcare system in Australia is in crisis. Politicians talk about the 'pressure' that COVID-19 has put on the system but fail to acknowledge systemic under funding of hospitals and other services. On this episode we discuss what workers would do to fix the crisis in healthcare with NSW nurse Deaglan, allied health worker Cecilia, and socialist activist Jerome Small.
Labor’s pandemic - https://redflag.org.au/article/labors-pandemic
Nurses’ union raises pay claim under pressure from rank and file - https://redflag.org.au/article/nurses-union-raises-pay-claim-under-pressure-rank-and-file
NSW nurses and midwives strike again - https://redflag.org.au/article/nsw-nurses-and-midwives-strike-again
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Contact us on redflagradiopodcast@gmail.com
Monday Jun 13, 2022
Monday Jun 13, 2022
What can we expect from the return of an Australian Labor Party (ALP) government? Are there any reasons to hope for progressive change? On this episode we're joined by Liz Walsh and Josh Lees to discuss the first three weeks of Labor in power, and what we can learn from previous Labor governments in Australia. How does a Marxist analysis of the ALP help to prepare us for the struggles ahead?
ALP stands idle while capitalists trash living standards
Albanese continues Labor’s rotten imperialist record
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Contact us on redflagradiopodcast@gmail.com
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
With the Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the battle for abortion rights in the US is at a critical turning point. On this episode Roz talks to socialist activist Emma Norton about the history of abortion rights, the limitations of looking to the Democrats to protect the right to choose, and the struggles that are needed to win.
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Friday May 06, 2022
Friday May 06, 2022
The federal election campaign, with the notable exception of the Victorian Socialists, is a showcase of the worst aspects of Australian politics. On this episode we put a revolutionary perspective on some of the biggest issues the politicians are talking about and not talking about as they tour the country touting for votes. Roz is joined by Red Flag contributing editors Louise O'Shea and Eleanor Morley for a lively discussion.
Why would anyone care about the election?
Fix the cost of living crisis by Ben Hillier
Get involved - https://www.victoriansocialists.org.au/
Donate to the Victorian Socialists - https://www.victoriansocialists.org.au/donate
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Friday Apr 29, 2022
Friday Apr 29, 2022
The Victorian Socialists are taking on the billionaires and parties that represent them in the upcoming Australian federal election. Running on a platform that calls for a radical reorganisation of society and a redistribution of wealth and power, we talk to three Victorian Socialists candidates - Kath Larkin, Jerome Small, and Belle Gibson. How does their campaign compare to their rivals? What have their experiences of running in a federal election have taught them about politics? What inspires them as socialists to run in a parliamentary election?
Introducing Aran Mylvaganam for the Senate
Back the Victorian Socialists by Corey Oakley
Morrison is appalling and so is Labor by Mick Armstrong
How should revolutionaries view parliamentary elections? by Jerome Small
Get involved - https://www.victoriansocialists.org.au/
Donate to the Victorian Socialists - https://www.victoriansocialists.org.au/donate
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
How do socialists understand the Russian invasion of Ukraine? What does this conflict uncover about imperialist tensions today? What is so hypocritical about the response of western political leaders? Socialist activist and author Tom Bramble answers these questions and more in discussion with Roz Ward.
Further coverage of the war can be found at https://redflag.org.au/
Tom's books can be purchased at https://shop.redflag.org.au/
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Friday Jan 28, 2022
In Australia at the beginning of 2022 the COVID crisis is reaching new deadly milestones. The healthcare system is collapsing under the strain. A mainstream political consensus has been reached about 'living' and dying with the pandemic while the far right have taken the crisis as an opportunity to mobilise. At the same time, climate change continues to create international and local catastrophes. On this episode Roz and Liam are joined by activists Jess Lenehan and Nahui Jimenez to discuss the many reasons to be a socialist today.
Freedom Fridays Protest for Refugees in Melbourne - https://www.facebook.com/events/6793879187348723/
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
World leaders are gathering to discuss their plans to tackle climate change at the COP26 in Glasgow. Will their commitments make any difference? What are the alternatives to global summits? On this episode we discuss the politics of climate crisis internationally and in Australia, and how we should respond with activists Anneke and Cormac.
Follow the coverage of COP26 in Red Flag - https://redflag.org.au/category/climate
Join the global day of action on November 6 in your city - details below.
Sydney: https://fb.me/e/1uTFnYSFw
Canberra: https://fb.me/e/14yae7A3r
Brisbane: https://fb.me/e/6HHyV6kxS
Adelaide: https://fb.me/e/2CrDfujfM
Perth: https://fb.me/e/Lxenn5fx
Wollongong: https://fb.me/e/DdG2mfPT
Hosted by Roz Ward. Produced by Liam Ward.
Music by Dan Kenny.
Subscribe to Red Flag newspaper: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/redflagradiopodcast