Victorian Socialists
The Victorian Socialists (VS) is a democratic socialist political party based in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded in February 2018, it is an electoral alliance of various socialist parties, organisations, community groups and trade unionists. VS contested the 2018 state election and the 2019 federal election but did not secure a seat in either parliament. , the party is represented in local government on the Maribyrnong City Council by Socialist Alternative member Jorge Jorquera. It is running candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2022 federal election. History. The Victorian Socialists began as a  collaboration between Socialist Alternative, the Socialist Alliance, and individuals not aligned with either group. However, Socialist Alliance withdrew from the grouping in May 2020, citing disagreements with Socialist Alternative. Shortly afterwards, a group of independent members formed a caucus in the party called Socialist Unity. The party's formation was announced publicly on 5 February 2018. It was officially registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission on 6 June 2018. In August 2018, the party announced that it would field candidates for the 2018 Victorian state election in every Legislative Council seat and several Legislative Assembly electorates. Candidates included the former  Geelong Trades Hall Secretary Tim Gooden for the Western Victoria Region and local councillors Stephen Jolly and Sue Bolton for the Northern Metropolitan Region. The 2018 election campaign gained support from several trade unions including the ETU, VAHPA, UFU, CFMMEU (MUA division), AMIEU and NUW. It also won the support of several local immigrant diasporas and community organisations. Endorsements were received from several prominent left-wing personalities, such as Tariq Ali, Noam Chomsky, Gary Foley, Tom Ballard, Corrine Grant, and Helen Razer. The party achieved a vote of 4.2% in the Northern Metropolitan Region while achieving 7.2% of the vote  for the lower house seat of Broadmeadows, in a field of four candidates. In the 2019 federal election, VS ran candidates for the electorates of Calwell, Wills, and Cooper. The party was registered at a federal level with the Australian Electoral Commission on 7 April 2019. The party won votes of 4.6% in Calwell, 4.5% in Wills, and 4.2% in Cooper. In September 2019, following allegations of family violence, Jolly was suspended from VS pending an investigation, leading him to resign from the party. In the 2020 Victorian local government elections, the party fielded candidates for Darebin, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne  and Moreland, and a ticket for the Lord and Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne. Socialist Alternative member Jorge Jorquera became the first Victorian Socialists candidate to be elected to office, winning a seat on the Maribyrnong City Council. Policies. Federal. The party's policies include: State. Victorian Socialists launched its 2018 election manifesto on 24 August at the Brunswick Town Hall, outlining a broadly left-wing and socialist vision. It is based on broad principles of public ownership, workers' rights and equality. The party's policies include: COVID-19. In 2020, the party announced its positions responding to key COVID-19 challenges  faced by society.