I hope to shake up the kind of ‘politics as usual’ that has brought workers to a point where we have little hope for the future.
Hi, I'm Rohan. I’m running as a candidate for the Northern Victoria upper house region with the Victorian Socialists in this November's state election.
I'm a proud socialist, unionist and activist in the Bendigo area.
As an education support worker, I see first hand the effects of underfunding in public education. Schools, especially in regional areas, are not properly resourced. This means our kids don’t get the kind of education they deserve.
As a member of the Australian Education Union I was part of this year’s EBA campaign - pushing for more strikes that ultimately helped win better conditions and support for public schools.
The rights and conditions of workers are constantly under attack. Billionaires and the super-rich exercise unfair influence over our political system - entrenching exploitation, wage theft and poor conditions with the support of their paid political servants in the major parties.
Workers create all the wealth that’s enriching those at the top of society. Meanwhile, they lecture us about the need for ‘wage restraint’ while profiteering from their control of essential resources and services. Increased unionisation of workers and the establishment of greater democracy at a workplace level is the only way to combat the one-sided class war being waged against us.
As a young person I am uniquely affected by the growing housing crisis. Many young people struggle even to enter the rental market and the prospect of ever owning a house is becoming more distant by the day. We desperately need an expanded public housing sector that can actually provide for people currently struggling with housing insecurity or homelessness.
Services for both health and public transport are in a dire need of proper funding and to be saved from the threat of further privatisation.
The growth of the far right in Australia and internationally is a big concern for many people of my generation - particularly those within the queer community. Trans rights are being stripped away by right-wing parties including the Coalition, while trans kids are facing constant attacks from right-wing politicians and media - leading to lifelong mental health struggles.
I’m also passionate about addressing the climate crisis. The Liberals ignore this entirely, while Labor offers only band-aid solutions that do nothing real to limit emissions. It’s the working class that will bear the brunt of climate change, not those who are responsible for it. The economic burden of dealing with the climate and environmental crisis must fall primarily on those who have profited from destroying the environment: the big polluters and other major corporations.
By running as a Victorian Socialists candidate in this election I hope to shake up the kind of ‘politics as usual’ that has brought workers to a point where we have little hope for the future. Australia is among the richest countries on Earth - we can afford to build a more just, equal and sustainable society where everyone has a chance at a decent life.
To do that though we need to get organised and fight back not only during election time but in our workplaces and unions.