by Dr Sarah Howe

I am delighted to introduce the Australian Fabians Review, Issue 5, prepared and published under our new Editor, Dr Paul Read, supported by members of the Fabians Publications Committee. We are so fortunate to have Paul in this role, who has had a long international career working in the media, industry and government, as well as the United Nations and holds a PhD that has addressed strategies to implement United Nations sustainable development goals and is passionate about making global differences to society, economic development, peace and security.

This edition is themed on the ‘Voice’ to parliament referendum campaign, a cause that the national Fabians team have been dedicated to in all states, in actively organising around the YES campaign. This edition is aimed at this broad audience and presents articles drawn from a diverse range of left contributors on the Voice as well as broader social challenges that Australia faces in housing, education and labour market policy and will feature new writers and critics drawn from the Labor party and movement as well as including contributions from emerging writers and poets.

The Fabians Review aims to be not only a political, intellectual and cultural magazine, but also to provide a space for the Fabians movement to build on its long history of political ideas. In doing so, the Fabians Review draws upon a proud history that draws inspiration from our British magazine founded by George Bernard Shaw and Sidney and Beatrice Webb, the New Statesman, published in London from 1913.

The magazine is now a print-digital hybrid and is aimed at both the political as well as the general reader. Our audience reflects the make-up of our membership: MPs, civil society leaders, researchers, academics, journalists, knowledge professionals and passionately interested Fabian’s members.

We are proud that circulation is at its highest level since the Australian Fabians was formed in Australia as an independent think tank in 1947. Traffic to the magazine’s website has reached a new high with 5060 page views, a record we fully expect to exceed in a short timeframe.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of the Fabians Review.

Dr Howe is the National Chair of the Australian Fabians Society. A recognised expert in European and Australian political economy, industrial policy, economic development and competitiveness, Dr Howe has served as a longstanding and committed Labor party policy analyst and member.