The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is in the final stages of its campaign to regain official party registration and put a socialist anti-war party on the ballot at the next Australian federal election. The campaign has received a very strong response with hundreds of people signing up as members across the country.

Many people are being politicised by Israel’s barbaric genocide in Gaza. The Lancet medical journal estimates that the death toll is a staggering 186,000 men, women and children. There is shock and anger by workers and youth over the active support for the genocide by the federal Labor government, as well capitalist governments worldwide.

The World Socialist Web Site is today publishing comments from several workers and young people, explaining why they have decided to join the SEP as electoral members.

To follow their lead and apply to become an electoral member today, fill out the form at the end of this article, or click here.

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Hernando, a Brisbane care worker, explained, “I joined because I support the ideas of the Socialist Equality Party and the work it is doing. All the governments, Labor or Liberal, are in the same line. It will be a hard job to remove them from power, but that is what we must do.

“This is a fight all around the world, that is my philosophy as well. There won’t be any change otherwise, the way I see the world. Everywhere the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Capitalism is an unjust system.”

Hernando added, “There must be a fight by all of us against the powerful countries. Nothing is happening from the government to stop the genocide. Only by unity among all ordinary people can there be a fight against war, against being controlled. The war in Gaza is only going to be stopped by all of us, workers, coming to stop the war.

“Journalists, anyone who speaks out, they are in danger. They tried to stop Assange. In Ukraine they are stopping anyone who talks against the war.”

Asked about the Ukrainian regime’s imprisonment of young socialist Bogdan Syrotiuk for opposing the US-NATO war against Russia, Hernando said: “Bogdan should not have been arrested. What he is saying is important.

“I agree, it is NATO that is fighting this war against Russia. It is the rich making the poor fight amongst each other. They put Bogdan in jail to stop him from fighting against it, building unity among the workers. What you are doing, in fighting to free him, is important. Everyone should help in this.”

Asked what he would say to others thinking about becoming an SEP electoral member, Hernando declared, “I would say that it is the best decision you can make. I think really, it’s the best thing you can do in your life. No one can wait, they must do something. We must fight back!”

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Patricia, a retired teachers’ aide in Brisbane, said, “I joined the party because I want to end the US and Israeli exceptionalism that allows them to defy international law in Gaza. I have been sending emails to members of parliament and posting on Twitter, but the exceptionalism is ongoing and that is disgraceful.

“It is not just the US. Our government is equally as bad. It doesn’t speak out on this or on racism. It also wants to cut the number of international students, even though the universities rely on them. Refugees are being blamed for everything that goes wrong as well.

“I want fairness, equity and respect for everyone, wherever you are born and work. Labor is cowardly for not speaking up against what the US, UK and the European powers are saying. Germany has even introduced a law that to become a citizen you have to sign a pledge to recognise Israel’s right to exist.

“I said cowardly, but the Labor government agrees with all this. Labor ‘brought Julian Assange home’ but they have jailed David McBride for exposing war crimes committed by Australia’s armed forces. They are trying to hide this.”

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In Sydney a Macquarie University student said, “I signed up because I want a change in the world. With the current crisis and the danger of war, there are few opportunities for such change under conventional parliamentary means. The SEP is honest with its goal to organise and lead the working class from the decaying ruling class who support the genocide in Gaza. In a time of crisis, like now, I believe such a party is vital to ensuring the world has a better future.

“I first came across the SEP during a protest of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Compared to other parties the SEP is direct with its goal of overthrowing capitalism.

“At first, I thought the Labor Party would be a better choice than the Liberals, they had promises of assuring workers a better future. However, they've displayed nothing but betrayal to those sentiments.

“The Labor Party has reached a point of no return. The fact that they have chosen Jillian Segal as their special envoy on antisemitism, a businesswoman who openly supports the bombings of hospitals in Gaza, shows that they have completely given up on helping the working class and are fully involved in the US and NATO imperialist war drive and support for Israel.”

Zane, a 16-year-old high school student from Melbourne, said, “I joined the SEP because I agree with the program which I think is a practical strategy that will work.

“I came across the party through the Palestine protests in the city, in the context of wanting to stop the war and get the working class in power. When I first heard the idea of uniting the working class across all fronts and all countries, regardless of borders, race, religion, that really resonated with me. I can easily see how that is the best solution to overthrowing the capitalist leaders, the bourgeoisie across the globe.”

Zane spoke on the imperialist-backed genocide in Gaza. “What’s happening in Gaza is part of a growing world war. The western countries, including Australia, are all complicit in the genocide. The conflict is more widespread than just between Israel and Gaza.

“But in another sense, there’s a growing war against the working class. The capitalist governments around the world are using the money of the working class to support this genocide, sending weapons and monetary aid to Israel. They’re using the money of ordinary workers, taxpayers, who either don’t know where the money is going or, if they do know, the vast majority are against it being sent to help the genocide of Gaza. It’s a war of governments against their own people around the globe.”

Zane had learnt recently from SEP members about the arrest of Bogdan Syrotiuk. “The arrest of this man is disgraceful,” he said. “It’s ironic when you see the American or European governments talking about Ukraine as a front for ‘freedom’ or ‘democracy.’

“But at the same time, you have Ukraine locking up people because their political views go against a government that has been complicit in war crimes for 10 years. It’s been supporting far-right fascist groups and has been moving towards a western alliance after the 2014 coup, which was backed and funded by the US.

“It wasn’t that Putin woke up one morning and said, ‘I feel like invading Ukraine today.’ It was a reaction to a concerted effort by the US to start a war with Russia, which benefits no one but the military-industrial complex in the west. That’s where the money is going.”