Jess increases vote by 64% Big thanks to everyone!

Hi everyone,

With the election result still hanging in the balance, we would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who helped out with the 'Jess Moore for Cunningham' campaign. With 81.6% of the vote counted, Jess has 1155 votes (1.5%). This is already a 64% increase on our 2007 election result! Our highest vote counts came from suburbs close to where Jess lives. In Coledale Jess received 3% of the vote and in Austinmer she received 2.6%. She also faired well in very working class areas, e.g. 1.7% in Bellambi. So far George Takacs from the Greens is sitting on 15% across Cunningham. A big congrats to the Greens for their campaign, especially the wonderful victory of Adam Bandt in the seat of Melbourne and Lee Rhiannon in the NSW senate!!

Jess has been a fantastic candidate and has worked extremely hard during the campaign. She was able to communicate our ideas to a very broad audience and convinced people at every step. For evidence of this check out the campaign blog which documents the campaign: http://www.jessmoorecunningham.blogspot.com/. That being said she would be the first to say this has been a team effort. Thank you so much to the 80 or so people - Socialist Alliance members, supporters, friends etc - who worked on the campaign. A special thanks to our friends in Resistance, the Greens, the UOW environment collective, Equal Love Wollongong and ex-members of the Communist Party of Australia. Whether you helped letterbox, doorknock, fold leaflets, or whatever, your help and involvement is very, very much appreciated. On election day we had 50 people staffing polling booths with others preparing yummy food and drinks for the evening party. Let's stay in touch and continue the fight for a better world. Together we are stronger, and Socialist Alliance members will struggle alongside anyone and everyone willing to combat capitalism and campaign for a safe climate and better world. That means justice for workers, Aboriginal communities, refugees and queers, and for better healthcare, education, welfare and public transport.

Thanks to Jess and thanks to everyone who helped out. Stay in touch with what we're doing by visiting http://www.socialist-alliance.org/illawarra/ If you would like to join Socialist Alliance or would like more information please call me on 0425 329 963 or email bendigo1977@yahoo.com.au.

Yours in solidarity,

Chris Williams (Will)

Convener, Illawarra Socialist Alliance

Jess in today's Illawarra Mercury - fund student organisations!

Check out the September 1, 2010 edition of the Illawarra Mercury, it discusses funding to student organisations.

Jess gladly signed the pledge, organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) to 'fund our universities, create a more equitable system of Youth Allowance' and 'support student representative organisations'.

Jess writes for Tertangala, UOW students' magazine

Check out this article by Jess in the 4th Tertangala produced by the Wollongong Undergrad. Students' Association (WUSA) for 2010.

It also has a two-page interview with Jess starting page 36.

Jess was the president of WUSA in 2006 and has been a leading member of Students Against War (SAW) and the campus enviro collective. She has written for the Tert on a number of occasions since.

Click on the article for a larger image.

Jess in Northern Leader this week

Check out this article from this week's Northern Leader; it covers the August 11 'meet the candidates' forum organised by the Wollongong Undergrad. Students' Association (WUSA). Jess was president of WUSA in 2006 and played a leading role in the campaign against John Howard's Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation.

Jess received a loud cheer when she described this election campaign as the 'most boring' she'd ever experienced, and called on the major parties to actually outline what they stand for.

For Jess's speech to this forum visit http://jessmoorecunningham.blogspot.com/2010/08/jess-speaks-to-200-students-at.html

Jess in today's Illawarra Mercury

In today's Illawarra Mercury there are profiles of every candidate in the Illawarra. Check out this image from the Cunningham electorate of the Greens' George Takacs and Jess.

Remember if you can help staff a polling booth tomorrow, Saturday August 21, please contact Will on 0425 329 963 or email bendigo1977@yahoo.com.au

For all Socialist Alliance members, supporters, friends and volunteers there will be a 'S.A.N.E party' (Socialist Alliance Night of Election party) from 7pm on Saturday at 13 Girvan Cres, Corrimal. For catering purposes please let Will know on the above number that you'll be there.

Help put people and the planet before profits in Cunningham!

Jess speaks to Save Sandon Point rally

Watch Jess's speech to the Save Sandon Point rally on Sunday August 15, 2010. Jess couldn't make it on the day, so it was read out by local climate & Aboriginal rights activist, Ella Ryan.

For more information on the Sandon Point struggle visit http://www.sandon-point.org.au/

Youth activists say: Vote socialist and Green, then use your power!

Jess Moore, Socialist Alliance candidate for Cunningham, and Melanie Barnes, candidate for Denison, today urged young people to vote socialist and Greens and put the Coalition last.

“The spectacle of Labor and the Coalition blowing millions in an advertising slagging match is a turn off to younger voters,” said Moore, the national convener of socialist youth organisation Resistance.

Barnes, well-known Hobart climate activist, added: “The temptation for many young people is to turn off and vote informal, but that’s a mistake.

“We need to ignore the spin and demand some serious answers about the policies of parties on the issues that concern us."

Barnes recommended the web site Vote-o-Matic 2010 (at http://trog.qgl.org/voteomatic/) as a guide for undecided voters. The site orders parties according to people’s policy preferences on the issues in the election.

“The Socialist Alliance has produced a Policy Summary from Left to Right. (at www.socialist-alliance.org). Check it out and make up your own mind "

Jess Moore added: “But after voting socialist and Green, let’s act for the policies we have voted for—otherwise they´ll never happen.

“There is a lot at stake in this election for us - from climate change to our workplace rights to whether more young people's lives are going to be wasted in war of occupation of Afghanistan.

"It is our future and we can't let politicians in the pockets of big coal, big oil and big banks wreck it."

Barnes concluded: “Socialist Alliance candidates have had their best reception ever in this election campaign. That’s because we´ve spoken straight and we've addressed the big issues not played the manipulative politics of fear and spin".

Candidate profiles in Wollongong Advertiser

Check out the profiles of candidates in this week's Wollongong Advertiser. You can see from the titles that candidates stand for VERY different things. Jess stands for 'People before profits', while Labor's Sharon Bird vows to 'cut business tax'! The Liberals are 'taking a stand', whatever that means; the Greens are worried about unemployment.

If you can help out with the campaign to put people (and the planet) before profit in Cunningham - especially if you can help staff polling booths on Saturday - please call Will on 0425 329 963.

WIN TV coverage of Walk Against Warming

Watch WIN TV's excellent coverage of Wollongong's Walk Against Warming on Saturday August 14. Jess can be seen speaking from the platform, scroll down for her speech to the rally!

Jess speaks at Walk Against Warming

Watch Jess's speech to the 350 strong Walk Against Warming in Wollongong on August 14.