The joint statement below was released by Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative.

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The National Executives of the Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative agreed on December 13 to terms under which Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly will endorse and take part in the Marxism 2013 conference to be held in Melbourne, from March 28 to April 1.

This first significant national co-operation between our two organisations is a product of discussions that began between the two organisations on November 4 to explore the possibility of closer collaboration and unity.

Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly will be promoting Marxism 2013 as an important opportunity for all socialists and other progressive activists and thinkers to discuss how we can advance our common cause.

Socialist Alliance National co-convener Susan Price will speak alongside leading Socialist Alternative member Diane Fieldes on a panel on Australian politics today; Socialist Alliance's local councillors Sue Bolton and Sam Wainwright will share their experiences and make a case for a socialist intervention in elections for parliaments and local councils; and former Green Left Weekly co-editor and Socialist Alliance national executive member Simon Butler will present a session on Marxism and Ecology.

Both organisations share a commitment to fighting for a socialist system in which society is democratically controlled by the working class, and its resources are used to abolish class divisions and address the ecological and social crises that society faces.

As the two largest socialist organisations in Australia today, we recognise that we have a serious responsibility to grasp this opportunity to build a bigger and stronger socialist left in Australia. Both groups commit to continue to discuss points of political agreement and differences in a constructive and comradely manner and seek a way to progress the unity process.