Stephen Blyth's Blog

Radical Melbourne 2

Monday, May 10th, 2004, Activism, Australia

On Friday night Simon and I went along to the launch of “Radical Melbourne 2″ at the Trades Hall Bar. The place was packed with young and old toasting the book’s brother and sister writing team, Jeff Sparrow and Jill Sparrow. Although we missed the speeches, there was no mistaking the air of celebration.

The book is the second volume of a two-part history of Melbourne’s left wing and activist politics. Stories and events are recorded that are in danger of being lost. The text, a blend of interviews and reportage, is combined with many archival photographs. It has been designed to be used as a guide to the streets of Melbourne.

The “Radical Melbourne” twinset is published by the Vulgar Press, an independent press dedicated to publishing working-class and other radical forms of writing, and supported by the State Library of Victoria (SLV), whose archives were used extensively as source materials for the publication. Jill is currently working for Vicnet, a unit of the SLV, though her job and those of about 25 of colleagues is under threat. (You can read more about the struggle to starve off redundancies on the Vicnot website).

I didn’t buy a copy of “Radical Melbourne 2″, out of consideration for my already excessive quantity of baggage, but I have bought a couple of slimmer publications which are doing there bit to keep alive Melbourne’s reputation for radical politics.

The “Big Issue Australia”, a current affairs magazine sold on the streets by homeless people, celebrated its 200th issue recently. Modeled on similar magazines overseas, vendors not only receive an income – half of the $3.00 sale price – but they have an opportunity to participate in society on their own terms.

Every fortnight, as well as features, columns and reviews, “Big Issue” vendors have a voice. There is a vendors page, the occasional article written by a homeless person, and a vendor profile. Many vendors say the contact they have with the public lessens their sense of isolation and marginalisation.

The great thing about the “Big Issue” is that it’s accessible, a good read and politically conscious. In the last edition the focus was on the plight of clothing workers, both in Australia and abroad. It would be interesting to learn of similar issues in New Zealand.

Another birthday celebration was also held recently for the “Overland” journal. On publication of issue number 174 the journal’s fiftieth – yes that’s 50th – anniversary was observed. When the journal started in 1954 it was considered a radical literary journal: mixing fiction writing with articles related to Australian identity and politics. It has always been determinedly left-wing, though not doctrinaire.

Issue 174 features history, reportage, current affairs, biography, memoir and reviews as well as poetry and short stories. There are also several pages of proceedings from the “Beyond Cultural Policy” symposium hosted by the City of Port Phillip and the Cultural Development Network in July 2003. The tone is academic, so the prose can be torturous, but it is a very important vehicle for debate and reflection. Going by the letters page, discussion rages 50 years on

Celebrating just it’s third issue is “Spinach 7″. This publication is “is about crossing genres and traditional audience boundaries”. It looks like an attempt to put some serious, progressive political analysis and mediations on popular culture on the coffee table. The mix of full-colour, glossy yet good design with in-depth articles and interviews seems to be an attempt to bring new readers to serious issues.

The tone is certainly not pious, and the editors are grappling with how to stay light but cover the important issues. The mix of politics and international affairs focusing on the Asia Pacific with underground art and music is appealing. It looks like a promising venture.

And the thing I have neglected mention which these magazines all have in common is that the editorial and production teams are all based in Melbourne.

NB. Prices: Radical Melbourne 2, $45; Big Issue, fortnightly, $3; Overland, quarterly, $12.50; Spinach 7, 3-4 times pa, $6.