Preamble

The Republican Workers Party is a working-class organisation that strives to build the collective power of ordinary people in our workplaces, neighbourhoods, and communities across broader society. We inherit the struggle of those who fought for justice before us in this country and learn everyday from the lessons that came from both their achievements and their shortcomings. Our principles are based in a belief that working-class people in this country can collectively organise to win so that we have control over our working conditions, the wealth we create and our lives as a whole. We aim to build the power and organisation of ordinary working people to establish a Workers' Republic in Australia.

We believe in a vision where working people have full democratic control over the economy and the direction of our communities. Currently, this power is limited by the institutions and private interests that control most of the resources we rely on. Our approach is based on building a force that can establish a Workers' Republic, wherein the key parts of the economy are run for public benefit, and not for the profit of a small minority. We see this as a practical step toward a fair system that meets the needs of the people who keep the country and our communities functioning every day.

The Republican Workers Party believes in organising towards lasting structural change, rather than short term reforms or small policy wins. We believe that focusing on reforming corrupt institutions is destined to leave the same failed systems in place. Being a member of the Party comes with a duty to build collective strength, learn from others, and contribute time and effort toward a future where we have control over our work, our communities and our lives.

Australia's Economic Realities

Australia's economy is built on the labour of everyday working people, yet major decisions about how the country is run are controlled by a small group of private interests. These groups own the majority of the land, resources, services and industries in this country, and they influence the policies and practices that protect their own gains and wealth instead of serving the wider community.

Working people create the wealth that keeps Australia going, but most of us have little say in how that wealth is used. While big companies and wealthy investors report high profits, many Australians face rising rents, insecure jobs, understaffed hospitals, under resourced schools, and increasing living costs. The gap between those who benefit most and the rest of the population is not random. It is the outcome of a system that prioritises private power over public needs.

This imbalance has grown as more essential areas of life have been privatised and handed over to for-profit companies that cut corners on quality. Housing, energy, transport, aged care, childcare, and even parts of health and education have been sold off or outsourced. The result is higher fees, poorer services and less accountability. Working people accessing these services are left paying more for basic needs that can be far more reliable and affordable.

Governments from both major parties have supported this approach over time. They provide incentives, funding and political backing to companies that extract resources, send profits offshore and leave communities with higher costs or damaged environments. At the same time, workers face limits on their ability to negotiate for better conditions. Rights to organise, rally or strike have been restricted, wages have stagnated and workplace safety standards have been weakened or ignored.

The end result is a system that runs against everyday Australians. Everyday people do the work that keeps the country running, but the decisions that affect our lives are often made without us, and too often against what we need.

Republicanism in Australia

For more than two centuries, despite the turmoil and violence inflicted upon First Nations peoples, people from every demographic in this country have pushed to build a society that is independent, democratic and fair. The end goal of these various struggles was not to reform an inherently corrupt system, but rather to create a system that reflects the needs and aspirations of the people who live and work here. Historical movements across this country from Vinegar Hill to the Eureka Stockade, from Port Kembla to Wave Hill, from the Kalkadoon to the Noongar, show that the people on this land have continually fought not for symbolic change to an oppressive and exploitative system, but rather for a system built on equality, participation and genuine representation.

These efforts make clear that meaningful change cannot be achieved through surface-level reforms. Without addressing the structural inequalities built into the current system, replacing a monarch, changing a constitution or instituting a treaty will not deliver the fair and democratic country people have sought throughout our more modern history.

The Republican Workers Party bases its views on this long tradition that struggles against these systemic inequalities. We aim to build an independent republic in which decisions are shaped by working people and those who contribute to the well-being of the country, rather than by private interests or foreign agendas. This means ensuring that the resources, industries and public services that sustain life in Australia are managed for the benefit of the population as a whole.

We also recognise that Australia's situation is connected to what happens internationally. Around the world, workers and communities face similar challenges, decisions made without their input, economies shaped around corporate priorities, and governments pressured by external interests.

Because these challenges cross borders, people everywhere benefit when we share knowledge, cooperate and support each other in building fairer and more democratic societies.

Supporting others in this effort involves more than statements of sympathy. It requires practical cooperation, sharing resources, and building relationships with organisations and communities abroad that are working toward outcomes similar to ours. Through learning from one another, we strengthen our capacity to build systems that serve the public, rather than narrow interests.

A fair and independent Australia rests on being able to make decisions without outside pressure, having the ability to manage the resources and infrastructure of this country, and participating in international relationships that are based on mutual respect rather than dependence or domination. This principle is at the centre of our approach to republicanism.

Party Membership

Members of the Republican Workers Party are expected to be active organisers in their workplaces, neighbourhoods and communities. Being a member of the Party means putting effort into building collective strength, helping others organise, and working toward long-term improvements that benefit working people.

Change requires more than voting or supporting ideas from the sidelines; it requires active involvement in building networks that can advocate and organise for better conditions, and a more democratic society.

We believe that genuine freedom requires people to have real control over their work, housing, health and future, and our membership is committed to work towards these goals. This cannot be achieved while the majority of our economy remains dominated by private interests that operate for profit rather than community benefit. Essential industries and services should be run for public good and guided by democratic input, especially from the people who rely on them, and those who work within them.

The current political system places heavy limits on the influence of working people and restricts our ability to organise effectively. Over time, laws have been designed to weaken unions, limit public participation, and make it easier for large companies to operate without accountability. While workers have repeatedly shown the ability to organise and improve conditions, these gains are constantly undermined by policies that protect private power rather than the interests of the public majority.

Party members are to be active participants and organisers within their trade unions and work to build rank-and-file power. The close relationship between many unions and the Australian Labor Party has also led to a decline in union independence and public confidence in unions. When unions are too closely tied to a political party, it becomes harder for them to act solely in the interests of their members.

It is the duty of Party members to become active members, delegates, health and safety representatives, and rank-and-file officials of their unions in accordance with their ability and capacity. The Republican Workers Party is committed to supporting a union movement that is led by its rank-and-file members, focused on genuine representation, and not dependent on any party to achieve its outcomes.

We work to build power in workplaces, communities and public spaces by encouraging collective action, and supporting local leaders. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of workers to influence decisions that shape their lives, both within existing institutions and beyond them.

The Republican Workers Party organises around building a more democratic society where working people have real influence over the decisions that shape their lives. We recognise the current parliamentary system alone cannot deliver the changes needed to address housing affordability, job security, cost of living pressures, access to services and community well-being. Real change requires ongoing organising in our workplaces, neighbourhoods and communities to build the power of our fellow workers.

Elections can be used as one tool, but they are not the main driving force for improvement. Change depends on the confidence and capacity of working people to participate in collective action beyond the voting booth. This means developing skills, building relationships and organising through networks that represent everyday people directly and clearly.

The Republican Workers Party stands with all Australians who rely on work to survive, no matter where they live or how old they are, whether they are employed, unemployed, studying or retired. We also recognise many small business owners and family farmers face pressures from larger corporations that limit their independence and profit at their expense. Their interests end up being closer to everyday workers than with large private powers that control markets.

The Republican Workers Party rejects attempts to spread division among everyday people via sensationalised aspects of race, culture, gender, religion or identity. These divisions are often encouraged and exploited by groups that benefit when working Australians are distracted from the root causes of our societal hardships, and their base economic foundations. Our vision is one based on unity through shared interests, building a society where everyone has a secure place to live, fair work, access to public services and a meaningful voice in shaping our future.

Trade Unions

The Republican Workers Party supports a strong and active union movement as unions are the most important bodies for working people to negotiate fair pay, secure work, safe workplaces and respectful treatment. Unions provide a structure for workers to stand together and correct imbalances that exist between them and employers, and to build power and solidarity across our workplaces, communities and cultures.

However, we recognise many unions today face challenges that limit their effectiveness for members and workers in general. Restrictive workplace laws, heavy reliance on political parties with conflicting interests and less opportunities for the involvement of rank-and-file members makes it harder for unions to act independently for their members' interests and needs.

The Republican Workers Party supports unions by encouraging a more democratic approach, led by active members instead of a detached, top-down approach to decision making. We believe union members should be informed, organised and equipped with the knowledge and skills to participate in campaigns and disputes, rather than treated as dues-paying bystanders.

Education and empowerment are essential to rebuilding union strength. Workers need access not only to information about rights and safety, but also about how economic structures impact their industries and broader society. This knowledge helps workers hold employers and governments accountable, and stops them being taken advantage of.

Our aim is to help unions operate as independent, member driven organisations that can defend and improve conditions both at work and in the community. A strong union movement should be able to act on broader issues like housing, healthcare, inequality and cost of living, because these issues affect workers just as much as wages or hours do.

The Left

The Republican Workers Party was founded in response to a gap between much of today's progressive activism and the lived experience of working Australians. Over the years, many groups that call themselves progressive shifted focus to short term campaigns, online messaging or symbolic issues, instead of organising where it matters most, in working class communities and workplaces.

This shift has made it harder to build long term collective power. Issues like housing, secure work, healthcare and public services often receive less attention than symbolic debates or media trends. Because of this, many Australians feel progressive movements do not speak to their most pressing concerns and needs.

The Republican Workers Party believes organising must start from the everyday conditions working people are confronted with. We commit to talking with people directly, building relationships in communities ignored by mainstream activism and supporting them to take control over the issues they deal with. We do not treat people like audiences to mobilise for slogans and fleeting events, but as active partners in building power for real change.

Our aim is not to represent workers at a distance or through words alone. We work to build the confidence and ability of people to represent themselves. We want to grow a movement grounded in daily life and community needs, not online commentary or political subcultures that are disconnected from the realities of working people's lives.

The Right

The decline of worker power has also created the conditions for divisive messages to grow. Some groups respond to economic frustration by blaming migrants, First Nations peoples, welfare recipients or other groups for problems that actually come from structural decisions made by government and corporate power.

These messages are promoted wholesale by the existing mainstream media apparatus. It must be emphasised that this is not limited to a handful of key figures in mainstream media, who overwhelmingly benefit from shifting blame away from those who actually influence and profit from harmful policies and their resulting impacts. Rather, it is embedded in every level of mainstream media production, focused on generating engagement and stirring up division.

As working-class people face increasingly difficult living situations, and our trust in key institutions declines, harmful ideas are being promoted by these institutions and spread throughout the media we consume. The content and propaganda distributed by this media apparatus stirs up hate without providing any real solution to the root causes of the issues confronting working-class people in the modern era.

The Republican Workers Party rejects attempts to pit working people against one another using identity or background. These distractions take attention away from the real issues: cost of living pressures, insecure jobs, unaffordable housing and lack of public services. These are the foundational causes of frustration for everyday Australians.

Our approach is to engage directly with the communities most affected by misinformation and economic strain. We believe the best way to counter division is organising where the pressure is highest and demonstrating that unity and solidarity can solve problems that blame never will. Working together gives everyday people the power and capability to challenge those who actually shape our conditions.

The First Nations Struggle

A workers' republic is unable to function without addressing the injustices heaped on the First Nations peoples of this country. The legacy of historical British settlement and subjugation persists to this day under the current economic and political system, with First Nations peoples being subjected to disproportionately higher rates of exploitation, poverty, incarceration and state violence.

Private ownership of land and resources are the enemies of both the First Nations peoples and the non-First Nations workers of Australia. There is a mutual interest among First Nations and non-First Nations peoples in dismantling existing structures grounded in mass exploitation and degradation.

As we struggle against the institutions and corporations propping up this system, we unreservedly support campaigns and organisations that seek to strengthen First Nations families and communities, preserve and maintain sacred and cultural sites, as well as projects that defend Country from destruction. In doing so, the Party organises to support emergent and existing First Nations movements and leadership in their fight to improve the conditions of their people and communities.

Strategy

The Republican Workers Party is focused on building powerful organisations that achieve lasting results, rather than short-lived and fleeting campaigns. Strong community networks are built over time through education, leadership development and participation in local issues.

Our approach is to build teams of committed members who can organise in their workplaces and neighbourhoods, and are able to contribute to broader political change. This is achieved through the strengthening and expanding of these networks across local, regional, and national levels.

Our organisational structure is based on centralised democratic decision-making, transparency, and accountability. Leadership exists to support organising efforts, train new leaders and share resources, not to replace involvement from members.

We prioritise identifying, working with and developing local leaders and giving them the skills to organise in areas where they live and work. This is accomplished by empowering our fellow workers to be stakeholders not only in the Party, but in these communities and workplaces.

The Party works towards this through the education of our membership and supporters to understand the issues we are confronted with in the modern age, and how to address these conditions in a strategic manner. At the same time, the leadership of the Party works to develop membership and supporters in the skills and areas required for our external organising among the broader working class, to empower our workmates, neighbours, and communities.

The Party also connects local struggles to national challenges. By linking issues like wages, services, housing, democratic participation and more, people can understand how their own experiences relate to a shared set of conditions. This experience builds unity, solidarity and confidence across different movements, in turn supporting long term efforts that push for lasting structural change.

We believe power comes from organised and informed communities that can speak for themselves. Our strategy is not to simply point out injustice, but to build the capacity of working people to challenge it at its source, and to continue and develop this practice as social and political conditions change over time.

Conclusion

The Republican Workers Party recognises that the current political and economic system cannot and will never work for most Australians. Key areas like housing, workers' rights, cost of living, environmental degradation and access to services require collective solutions shaped by the people affected by them. Our aim is to organise everyday people around these issues, and build the power needed for real change.

We focus on building strong networks of working people, union members, organisations and communities who can act both within and outside existing institutions. This approach not only helps defend current rights, but expands them through organisation, education and participation in public life.

By working together with an organising model grounded in solidarity and class consciousness, we can build a society where decisions are made for public benefit, not private gain. Through long-term organising, we seek not just reforms, but a fundamental change in who holds power in Australia and how decisions are made.