Publication information

Becoming a sustaining subscriber Table of

Subscriptions to Fightback are avail- able for $20 a year, this covers the costs Contents of printing and postage. At present the writing, proof reading, layout, and 3 Editorial distribution is all done on a volun- teer basis. To make this publication 4 MANA and resistance to the next National sustainable long term we are asking for government people to consider becoming ‘Sustain- ing subscribers’ by pledging a monthly 6 Where next: Reflections on a defeat p6 amount to Fightback (suggested $10). Sustaining subscribers will be send a 7 free copy of each of our pamphlets to Hone Harawira’s farewell speech to Parliament thank them for their extra support. To start your sustaining subscription set 10 Employment Relations Amendment Bill a up an automatic payment to 38-9002- provocation of organised labour 0817250-00 with your name in the particulars and ‘Sustain’ in the code 11 Housing under neoliberalism and email your name and address to [email protected] 13 Moves to gut public and Maori broadcasting

14 Why workers need our own “foreign policy” based on solidarity

17 10,000 Workers Strike in Support of Hong Kong’s Get Fightback Protests each month 20 Fiji Election: Crooks in Suits Within NZ: $20 for one year (11 issues) or $40 for two years (22 issues) 21 Scotland’s radical independence movement Rest of the World: $40 for one year or $80 for two years 22 Thousands march against climate change Send details and payments to: Fightback, PO Box 10282 24 Poetry: Body Politics Dominion Rd, Auckland or Bank transfer: 38-9002-0817250-01 Donations and bequeathments Fightback is non-profit and relies on financial support from progressive people, supporters and members for all its activities including producing this magazine. To financially support us please deposit to 38-9002-0817250-01 with your initials and surname (or anony- mous.) Large and small, regular and one-off donations are all appreciated and listed in Fightback from time to time. Fightback magazine is now in its 20th year as we continue the long-term fight for socialism. Readers and supporters may consider re- membering us in their will with assets or money that will help the struggle in the long-term. If this is you please put in your will ‘Fight- back, PO Box 10-282, Dominion Road, Auckland’ as well as what you would like to leave to us.

2 Fightback Issue 7 2014 Editorial

Over the last few months, the organisation itself becomes a mainstream media has run a problem, if it comes to mean consistent smear campaign defending abusive behaviour. About against the MANA Move- This is another reason we need ment. As outlined in Nicky our own platforms; our own Fightback Hager’s Dirty Politics, media press, blogs, or own media. We led by the likes of Cameron need spaces to sincerely address Slater attack leading progres- problems of the left, not to tear Under our current system, democracy sive leaders in an attempt to comrades down, but to improve consists of a vote every 3 years. Most demoralise the base. While our work. of our lives are lived under dictator- Hone Harawira has long been The internet and social media ship, the dictatorship of bosses and treated as a threat, his team- offers unique opportunities. WINZ case managers. Fightback ing up with Kim Dotcom The internet is not a magic fix; stands for a system in which our offered special opportunities problems include surveillance, workplaces, our schools, our universi- for attack. Although there are the digital divide, and self-per- ties are run democratically, for social legitimate reasons to criticise petuating networks. We need need rather than private profit. Kim Dotcom’s involvement, as engagement in a range of forms, Fightback participates in the MANA Editorial a misogynistic profiteer, we including kanohi te kanohi (face Movement, whose stated mission is must see mainstream media at- to face) and paper publica- to bring “rangatiratanga to the poor, tacks on Dotcom for what they tions on the street. However the powerless and the dispossessed.” are; a xenophobic attack on a the internet has seen relative Capitalism was imposed in Aotearoa class traitor who sided with an media post-scarcity, in terms of through colonisation, and the fight indigenous fighter. content if not necessarily access. for indigenous self-determination is This brand of attack politics is In principle, anyone with an intimately connected with the fight increasingly displacing criti- internet connection can start for an egalitarian society. We also cal investigation. As covered a blog or post commentary on maintain an independent Marxist elsewhere in this issue (pX-X), social media. Fightback aims to organisation outside of parliament, to backdoor privatisation of public play a positive and critical role offer a vision of a world beyond the and Maori-owned media is one in this media ecosystem. parliamentary capitalist system. of a spectrum of tactics that Fightback recently launched Fightback stands against all forms of undermine critical journalism. Fightback Voices, a blog of oppression. We believe working-class In addition to defending public discussion documents for our power, the struggle of the majority media, we need a partisan organisation. Any member can for self-determination, is the basis media, one that stands with submit a discussion document, for ending all forms of oppression. the oppressed and the fighters and these propose courses of However, we also recognise that daily against the continued en- action for the organisation inequities such as sexism must be trenchment of routine brutality. as a whole, to be voted on at addressed here and now, not just after This is not to say socialists and twice-annual conferences. We the revolution. other progressives should be also participate in the MANA Fightback is embedded in a range of immune from criticism. There Movement, including the struggles on the ground; including are genuine problems in our newly launched MANA News building a fighting trade union move- movements that need to be website. ment, movements for gender and addressed. Sometimes the need sexual liberation, and anti-racism. to defend a ‘community’ or Fightback also publishes a monthly magazine, and a website, to offer Coordinating Editors Layout: a socialist perspective on ongoing Daphne Lawless, Ian Joel Cosgrove struggles. Anderson Assisting Editors Monthly magazine published Fightback stands for struggle, solidar- Proofing/Content Wei Sun, Kelly Pope, by: Fightback ity and socialism. Bronwen Beechey Grant Brookes, Byron Fightback Issue 7 2014, Vol.2, No 7, Issue No 16 Clark

Fightback Issue 7 2014 3 MANA Movement MANA and resistance to the next National government

Fightback is committed to the MANA politician”, said to be “even more popu- Zealand Election Survey, non-voters are Movement, however we are still in the lar” than he was three years ago. predominantly young, poor and Brown. process of assessing the 2014 elec- National won 61 seats in Parliament – John Key’s talk of focusing on “the toral defeat and future prospects. Grant enough to govern alone, based on the economy” is code for helping the rich Brookes (Fightback/MANA Poneke) provisional count. get richer. The suffering of the million offers one perspective. non-voters will increase. The election turnout, at 77 percent, appeared slightly higher than the 74 Four years of confrontation over nation- al standards, Novopay, charter schools Recently MANA leaders Hone percent of registered electors who cast a and executive principals have turned Harawira and Annette Sykes toured vote in 2011. But fewer people regis- teachers – especially those belonging the country, talking with members and tered to vote this time. So the percent- to the NZEI union – into implacable supporters about where next for the age of the population who voted in 2014 opponents of this Government. Key’s Movement after the election. is much the same as in 2011. That was the lowest election turnout since 1887. plan for further “education reform” is a The media called it a “landslide recipe for even greater tension. Lining Of the 3.4 million eligible voters victory” for National, a up ACT pup David Seymour for the as- in New Zealand, just over a “catastrophe” for the sociate education portfolio could be one million of them wanted opposition. John provocation too many. Key was labelled three more years of Key has also signalled “the biggest a “rock star National. But over 2.3 million – 70 percent of shake-up of the State Sector so far”. the people – didn’t vote This will mean renewed privatisation for that. and attacks on public sector workers. So teachers could be joined in struggle by John Key does not other groups – like nurses, who enter have the support of negotiations for a new national collec- the majority of New tive agreement in November. Zealanders. And popular opposi- The coalition deal with the Māori Party tion to National will ensure that some of the lucrative appears to be fruit carved off the state sector will solidifying. go to Māori service providers, widen- ing the rift between the favoured few There is the poten- around the tribal elites and the sufferers tial for resistance, at the flaxroots. leading to a change of Government in New anti-union laws set to be rammed 2017. Where will the through before the end of the year will resistance come from? deepen the divide between the Govern- ment and organised workers. Workers John Key has already outlined could expect to have to fight for their his three primary targets for rights after the election, said Council of the next National Govern- Trade Unions president Helen Kelly. ment: “the economy, reform- ing the education system and Key has also said he expects rapid changing the New Zealand progress on signing the unpopular Trans flag” (http://www.3news. Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) co.nz/politics/keys-priorities- after the election. The Petroleum Sum- economy-education-and-the- mit in Auckland next week is expected flag-2014092209) to announce new offshore oil drilling projects. According to the New

4 Fightback Issue 7 2014 MANA Movement

These could also be flash points for added Hone, “and why you are so the streets” – joining the resistance and opposition. But in reality, this National important, because unless MANA cam- embedding ourselves in our communi- Government is propped up by a minor- paigns for these issues and stands up ties – it is unclear how well-equipped ity of the population which is cocooned for those who are vulnerable, the people the Internet Party is to join us. from the realities facing wider New will suffer.” Some Internet Party members have Zealand society. The disconnect between It was a call for MANA activists to be already joined MANA, including the Government and most of the people active in the resistance. This will not leading candidates like Roshni Sami means that resistance could emerge only reduce suffering. Visibly iden- and Miriam Pierard. But the party as a from just about anywhere. tifying with the struggles will allow whole does not have the same roots or As a smokescreen for all these unpopu- MANA to publicly voice alternatives, experience in struggle. lar moves, John Key will surf a wave and rebuild public support. The call will Laila Harré has said that the Internet of patriotism around the Gallipoli be well received. Most of us came to Party will hold a general meeting to centenary next year to launch his great MANA from the Movement, and we consider its future in the next few weeks. distraction – a referendum on the New are at home there. She said all options were open – includ- Zealand flag. On issues like this, even But we shouldn’t just be resisting ing winding up the party. small groups of socialists with clear National’s agenda. MANA members If the Internet Party disappears, or ideas – like those in Fightback, the should also represent our kaupapa by decides not to join MANA in returning International Socialist Organisation working in positive programmes to help to the streets, I hope we will welcome and Socialist Aotearoa – can play an the community, from volunteering in any new friends willing to support our important role in stopping the opposi- school breakfast schemes to teaching kaupapa. tion from being side-tracked. free classes in Te Reo Maori. Many of To translate into long-term change, the million non-voters have switched however, the struggles which emerge off from “politics” to such an extent that will need to connect with other streams they won’t notice our flags on protests of resistance. And they will need to and picket lines. But they might notice articulate viable alternatives, as well as the MANA t-shirt worn by a volunteer protesting against the Government’s over the counter at the soup kitchen. agenda. This means that the struggles Finally, where does this leave the will need connections back into the Internet MANA alliance? political arena. When MANA members Three days after the election, MANA agreed to a temporary alli- leader Hone Harawira wrote to his ance with the Internet Party, supporters, “The next three years will lasting until six weeks after be tough, with National continuing to the election, we accepted pass laws to make the rich even richer, that it was gamble, but one destroy our environment, attack ben- worth taking for the chance eficiaries, and make even more families to expand our ap- homeless. On top of that you can expect peal beyond Māori to see more attacks on Maori as people and a radical interpret the win as a license for Maori fringe and to bashing. get more “Unfortunately I don’t see anyone in the MPs. The Opposition having the balls to lead the gamble did fight back. Sure there will be ‘outrage’ not pay off. and ‘condemnation’, but after the big The election talk… nothing.” result has badly Labour MPs have already shown they’re damaged the public more interested in scrapping amongst image of the alliance. It could be themselves for the top job than in tak- beyond repair. ing the fight to National. If the perspective for MANA over “That’s why MANA is so important”, the next three years is to turn “back to

Fightback Issue 7 2014 5 MANA Movement

Where next: Reflections on a defeat

Fightback is committed to the MANA of the entire political establishment nary people. Activists will have to build Movement, however there are differ- combined to defeat Hone in Te Tai stronger organisation in our unions and ences in opinion over the nature of the Tokerau, and the movement has lost its communities. Building larger organisa- Internet MANA electoral campaign. Ben seat in parliament. tions engaged in struggle can help to Peterson (Fightback/MANA Otautahi) This is a bitter failure, and it is one that build the audience for radical ideas. offers one perspective. we need to reflect on. The campaign for InternetMANA did But this cannot be used as an excuse to show that this is possible. The attend- ance generated at the roadshows, and In the wake of the crushing election unnecessarily withdraw. Some socialists the increase in volunteers willing to defeat, the left in Aotearoa, particularly will use this as an excuse to turn back work for the movement shows there is members of the MANA movement to easier fields, such a small campus a basis for an alternative. In hindsight, needs to take careful lessons. The Inter- groups or activist niches. But this leaves it was naive to think that this could be net Party alliance was a gamble, and it us in exactly the same place as we find translated into an electoral challenge did not pay off. Being open about that ourselves after this failed electoral effectively overnight. is important. But recognising failures experiment. One road was not success- cannot be used as an excuse to withdraw ful in reaching new people and build- But if we can organise and build on into sectarian politics and practices. ing our movement, the other does not these seeds, organisationally and even try to. Both roads will fail to build politically, it can be a stepping stone The IP alliance was an attempt to share sustained and articulate movements for for struggles in the coming months MANA’s political alternative to new change. and years. Socialists need to collectively layers of people. MANA’s message has a think about how to respond to these loyal following, but one that is political- Learning the lessons from this cam- challenges and how we are going to ly isolated from much of the population. paign will mean doing more, not less. work more effectively together. The alliance was an attempt to break It will mean building stronger and po- out of this isolation and to build our litically clearer projects of the left. The movement for change. Unfortunately, mainstream media played a central role this attempt failed. While the vote did in undermining MANA and distort- slightly increase, and some activists did ing our message. We need to build our join Mana who might not have done own media projects to fight the battle of otherwise, it was not enough. Dotcom ideas and build our pro-people alterna- was portrayed as a force that discredited tives. MANA’s message. While MANA did Our pro-people message is best shown not water down its politics, the percep- when people themselves express it. tion was that a ‘deal’ had been done. This Building movements and taking to the perception combined with the pressure streets articulates the strength of ordi-

6 Fightback Issue 7 2014 MANA Movement

Hone pictured at his farewell Hone Harawira’s farewell speech to Parliament

Ten years ago I led 50,000 Maori on the and although it quickly became clear country, won the seat back as the leader historic Foreshore and Seabed March that we were being overwhelmed, the of the newly minted MANA Move- from Te Rerenga Wairua to the very leadership of the Maori Party ignored ment, and held it again in the election steps of this parliament, in a march my pleas for us to stop accepting Na- of 2011. against the greatest land grab in the his- tional Party lies over the advice of our MANA defined its position when tory of this country – Labour’s theft of own experts, and supporting tax cuts for we announced that our constituency the foreshore and seabed – a watershed the rich, billion dollar bailouts for failed would be those we call Te Pani Me Te moment for Maori because it wiped finance companies, benefit cuts and the Rawakore, the poor and the dispos- away any illusion that Labour would privatisation of prisons. sessed, and our last three years have put Maori rights ahead the interests of But the final straw came when the been a challenging and vigorous time big mining; because it showed that the Maori Party accepted National’s version where we have staked out our place in colonial past of land thefts was still very of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill – the the political world – a commitment to much alive; and because it led to the Marine and Coastal Areas Bill – a bill ending poverty for all and particularly formation of the first ever independent which has seen not one grain of sand those most vulnerable in our society, our Maori political party – the Maori Party. returned to Maori in the 5 years since it kids; a commitment to putting an end Those were the wonderful days when became law. to the grinding homelessness affect- it seemed all of Maoridom spoke with That was when I resigned from the ing tens of thousands of New Zealand one voice – days that quickly ended Maori Party, resigned from parliament, families; a commitment to putting the when the Maori Party did a deal with and with the support of the people of employment of people ahead of the National at the next election in 2008, the north and tautoko from around the sacrifice of jobs in the endless pursuit of

Fightback Issue 7 2014 7 MANA Movement

wealth for the few; and a commitment has the support of Labour, the Greens, cars, cowsheds, cockroach-infested to a future where the Treaty of Waitangi New Zealand First and the Maori Party, caravans and garages, or in cold, damp, is honoured as the basis for justice and a bill to provide what the people of New overcrowded, unhealthy homes, because good governance in Aotearoa. Zealand have called for – a compre- rents are too high, and the cost of a new Mind you – being so highly principled hensive, government-funded food in home is out of reach. I call on this par- brings with it enormous risk, not least schools programme. It is ready to be liament to stop the sale of New Zealand the fact that kids can’t vote and poor passed at the first sitting of parliament, homes to non-resident foreigners, to people don’t, but I am proud of what and if it did, I know it would gladden stop the sale of state houses to private we have achieved in our short time in the hearts of all good Kiwis, please the developers, to renovate or replace those parliament. mums who are struggling to get by, and that need them, and to commit to a fill the stomachs of the 100,000 chil- full programme of building 10,000 new When we first raised our Feed the state houses every year until the housing Kids policy three years ago, everybody crisis is over. All it takes to eliminate laughed, so we took our kaupapa on Believe me homelessness and employ thousands of the road, we built a support coalition of people in the housing industry is politi- more than 30 national organisations, we when I say that cal will. pushed the policy into the top 5 issues MANA will not be of the year, and with the support of a Government also has the responsibility standout series on Campbell Live, we going gently into of managing the economy, and just as got a poll last year that showed more the night. importantly, ensuring that that economy than 70% supported a government- meets the needs of its people rather “ than the profits of its parasites, and I funded food in schools programme. And as I leave, I call on this parliament to restructure our When we called for 10,000 new state thank the thousands economy to suit just such a purpose; to houses every year until the housing cri- invest in community work programmes; sis was over, other politicians squirmed, of New Zealanders to give life back to communities all but after challenging them at a Hous- of all creeds and around our country devastated by asset ing Action protest outside parliament, sales, asset stripping and corporate Labour took up the same call for 10,000 cultures for their greed; to create employment for all of new houses a year, albeit theirs was its citizens so that instead of wasting more a pitch to woo middle-class voters fabulous support for billions and billions of dollars every than a bid to help the poor. me personally, and year in needless and mindless welfare We took up the call for full employment for their recognition dependency, that that money is used because to accept anything less was to to engage communities in rebuilding accept failure, and by pushing for the of the work that their future, engage whanau in rebuild- minimum wage to be the living wage MANA has done ing their lives, and engage people in of $18.80 an hour, we forced other so- rebuilding their love for work. called left-wing parties to follow suit. and continues to do And as I leave, I do so in good heart, for We created a space for those of the as the voice for the over the past couple of weeks I have Ratana faith to meet in parliament, out travelled the MANA nation, and felt of respect for T.W. Ratana’s commit- voiceless. the love and the passion that is the life- ment to the Treaty of Waitangi, a space blood of MANA, and the commitment that I sincerely hope that Rino Tirika- to continue our work: from Kaitaia dren still going to school hungry every tene and Adrian Rurawhe will honour to Kaikohe, Whangarei to the North day. This is not my bill. This is a bill for in my absence, and we also allowed my Shore, West Auckland to Southside, the children. And I call on this parlia- parliament offices to be used as neutral Waatea to Waikato, Hamilton to Gis- ment to pass it as a show of faith in our ground for warring gangs – not exactly borne, Rotorua to Taihape, Christch- own future, and a show of love for those parliamentary business but certainly the urch, and here in Wellington. business of MANA. of our children who desperately need Our meetings have not been the sombre our help. And as I leave, I lay down a challenge to and tearful farewell tour for Hone We have a full-blown housing crisis in this parliament. Harawira that others may have hoped Aotearoa, with 30,000 families officially My Feed the Kids bill is live in parlia- for, but rather a joyous and uplifting listed as homeless – families living in ment as we speak, a bill which already revival tour for a Movement that takes

8 Fightback Issue 7 2014 MANA Movement

up the challenge of being the conscience and continues to do as the voice for the a saying that you all know well, and a of the nation, and of taking action in voiceless. saying that says it all … support of our kaupapa. And I leave you all with the words of a Happy are those who dream dreams, I hear the mean-spirited and ugly voices National Party voter who wrote to me and are prepared to pay the price to of those who are desperately keen to see just two days after the election, who make those dreams come true. me go, but I don’t have time to respond said: Our dream, MANA’s dream, is for a so- because we’re too busy focussing on the “Hone, I hope you get to read this. ciety where Maori can stand tall, where tasks ahead. I am a 57 year old pakeha centre right te pani me te rawakore is just a line in a We are already organising to Feed the voter (don’t throw up just yet) who was song, and where everyone can feel good Kids, and working with other groups to delighted with the result of the election, about the contribution they can make as get in behind our campaign. with one exception. That exception is a citizen of Aotearoa. We will be calling on iwi up and down a big one, and one I believe all NZ is When I first came to parliament my the country to open their marae to poorer for, and that is, you are for the people brought me here. house the homeless. present, no longer in our Parliament. Today I thank the MANA whanau for We will be organising Internet Camps I have talked about this today with a making the long journey to take me for senior students and Maori commu- large number of people who, like me, home. Your love and your support has nities so that our young people can fly have had a reasonable amount of success sustained me through the darkest of the highways of the world. in life, who support the current Govern- days, and your joy and your happiness We are talking with work trusts about ment, and would on the surface appear has been a constant source of strength. Community Employment Programmes to have little in common with you. The Long may it continue. that can become a model for other com- common feeling was that you are an And finally, to my darling wife, thank munities to adopt. honourable man with a strong and you for just being you, and for always decent vision. We will create Community Hubs where being there for me. the MANA message of hope and action While you made a bad call with your can become the core of the communi- partners for this election, this shouldn’t ties we serve. define you, and I and the people I mix with, genuinely hope that after a little We will monitor the government’s time out, you will regroup and then start performance on steps they are taking to the next campaign shortly. Good gov- create real jobs with decent wages and ernment needs strong opposition and safe working conditions, to house the Labour is too factional to provide that, homeless, and to eliminate child poverty, the Greens are too narrowly focused, and we will also be challenging the and the rest are a bloody joke. opposition to keep the pressure on to achieve these goals. I like the fact that with you what one sees is what one gets. At times I wish And we will march against the hated you would learn to play with others bet- GCSB; we will mount a legal chal- ter, but that’s you, so what the hell. lenge against the mass suveillance that this government is conducting illegally I guess what I’m trying to say is that against the people of New Zealand; we there is a strong feeling out here that will continue to oppose the TPPA that NZ needs you; that not only Maori, threatens the sovereignty of our very but all New Zealanders will be missing nation; and we will campaign for the out, by not having you in our House of return of our assets. Representatives. Believe me when I say that MANA will I hope out of this you will come back not be going gently into the night. stronger than ever in your own right, without partners with baggage that you And as I leave, I thank the thousands don’t need. Be your own movement! of New Zealanders of all creeds and cultures for their fabulous support for Good luck and Stay Strong.” me personally, and for their recogni- E te whanau – there is a saying that has tion of the work that MANA has done fed my soul all the years of my adult life,

Fightback Issue 7 2014 9 National politics Employment Relations Amendment Bill a provocation of organised labour

By Vita Bryant (Fightback Poneke/ tion where new employees accept lesser Contrary to the National Party’s view Wellington). conditions and wages than unionised that the amendments merely provide employees performing the same work ‘clarification’ and extend flexibility, the incentivises employers to a “race to the changes are in fact an effort to claw As National began its third term of bottom” in terms of the wages and con- back workers’ few remaining rights. Government, almost foremost on its ditions offered to each new employee. Both the Human Rights Commission/ legislative agenda was the implemen- Te Kahui Tika Tangata and the New tation of the Employment Relations Further, the amendments allow em- Zealand Council of Trade Unions /Te Amendment Act, which became law in ployers to opt-out of multi-employer Kauae Kaimahi have submitted that October. collective agreements where condi- tions and standards are uniform across the Bill contravenes New Zealand’s This law is no more than a thinly-veiled workforces (for example DHBs or international obligations to protect attack on workers, unions and mini- minimum employment standards and mum labour standards, and contains a promote collective bargaining, putting number of provisions that significantly Pleading us in a similarly embarrassing situation undermine the employment security as when we became an international of the most vulnerable members of our or appealing laughing stock with the passing of the workforce. to National’s Employment Contracts Act 1991. The first of these is the removal of an Such a blatant disregard for interna- employer’s obligation to conclude col- conscience will not tional law highlights the true agenda of lective bargaining in good faith unless stop these attacks. the recently re-elected National Party there is a genuine reason not to, instead “ Government – union busting and the allowing employers to declare that The power of unions unapologetic erosion of our most basic bargaining has reached a “stalemate” and communities labour rights. At a time when collective and to seek a determination from the agreement coverage is at an all-time Employment Relations Authority that lies in taking low (just 17.3% from 2005-2010), it is the bargaining has been concluded. collective action. not merely scare-mongering to say that Even Peter Dunne, United Future MP our Government wants to kill collective and National Party sycophant, raised Strikes hit union- bargaining once and for all. concerns that such a removal will allow Pleading or appealing to National’s employers to “go through the motions” busting governments conscience will not stop these attacks. of collective bargaining without any real and employers The power of unions and communities intention to form an agreement. This lies in taking collective action. Strikes provision discourages the formation of the hardest, and hit union-busting governments and new collective agreements, and has a wider community employers the hardest, and wider com- very real potential to allow employers to munity mobilisation can also support claw back the hard won gains fought for mobilisation can unions. by unions through collective bargaining. also support unions. Secondly, the Bill removes the provision that new employees are covered by any collective agreement already negotiated franchises), removes employees’ rights to for their work for the first 30 days of scheduled rest and meal breaks, and im- their employment, a provision expressly poses restrictions on the right to strike, designed to give new employees fewer including allowing employers the ability rights than contained in the existing to deduct pay for even small industrial collective agreement, as well as making actions. Finally, the Bill removes protec- it more difficult for new employees to tions for vulnerable workers in work- understand what is being offered by that places where the employer frequently collective agreement. Over time, a situa- changes hands. 10 Fightback Issue 7 2014 Housing

Housing under neoliberalism

Joel Cosgrove (Fightback/MANA Poneke). in state housing tenancies, with the 90’s. The CTU estimates that if pay National government revoking the right rates had kept up with productivity rates, to lifetime tenancies and the opposition the average wage would be $35.91 per It is a generally acknowledged po- Labour Party raising barely a whisper of hour as opposed to the $28.20 currently, litical fact that housing is unaffordable. opposition. The current alternatives to a gap of over 20%. Within the awkward blame shuffling private home ownership are the vagar- Alongside attacks on wages and benefits and finger pointing, MANA’s policy of ies and insecurity of private renting or was a massive escalation of house prices building 10,000 well-built and insulated the modern, run-down state housing and housing-based debt. According to homes per year until demand for afford- ghettos, the product of the budget cut- the Reserve Bank, household debt has able housing was satisfied, was a good ting and under-maintenance by both increased from around 60% of dispos- policy. The policy called for an expan- National and Labour governments over able income, to around 144%. Around sion of state-housing. Yet the Internet the past thirty years. 97% of that debt is in housing. MANA alliance also endorsed renting- The collapse of state housing as a serious to-own, a policy which maintains the To a certain extent, as long as you were alternative to private rentals makes for need for private home ownership. able to maintain ownership of a house, grim reading. 3,700 of 68,460 current you could leverage the increasing value state houses are empty, with a majority of housing (which is now 75% above its The nature of private home ready to be immediately occupied. historical value), swimming on debt in ownership The current situation has its origins in the assumption that capital gains from the massive attacks on workers condi- the sale of the house would bring a tidy Why do people want to rent-to-own? tions that were carried out in the early profit. In Auckland alone, average house In part because, there is no surety now Fightback Issue 7 2014 11 Housing

prices have risen from $340,000 in 2004 While speculation on properties important, namely the million who have to over $700,000 in 2014. Those with increases, and rents increase, rents are voted for the National Party over the houses have profited mightily. Those (relatively) constrained by wage growth. past three elections. without have had to weather continual This leaves a yawning gap between the National is favoured by business, how- rent increases. going price of a property and what can ever this is not the whole story. 97% of With average national house prices hav- be charged in rent for it. the 112 chief executives who responded ing risen by over $30,000, and average We live in a country of abysmal hous- to a NZ Herald ‘Mood of the Board- wages by only $1500, the gap between ing, with the recent Housing Warrant of room’ 2014 survey indicating support for those who own houses and those who Fitness survey finding that 94% failed National leader John Key, however that don’t is only increasing. The Dominion on at least one of 31 criteria that they only accounts for 108 votes all told. Post reported in August this year that were judged across. Criteria included Debt encumbered home owners, al- investors who already own ten proper- weather-tightness, insulation and though being rich on paper, are none- ties or more brought two out of every ventilation, lighting, heating, condition theless in a precarious position – one five homes on the market. of appliances and general building safety. needs only to look at the sudden fall of That the overwhelming amount of Yet the system of housing speculation Terry Serepisos – and this ties them to household debt is property-based specifically pushes people to provide the status quo. This is a nuanced form of further demonstrates the divide – those the bare minimum to maintain their social pacification that binds people to a with property have potential access to properties, as the point of houses is not capitalist hegemony. [1] primarily to be lived in, but to appreci- hundreds of thousands, while those Building state houses, until demand ate in value and make money for the without are left with credit cards, over- for affordable and safe housing is met, owner. drafts and loan sharks. would cut at the base of a significant Rising middle-class living standards are part of New Zealand society. Currently increasingly tied to atomised individual Social base of the National there are over 570,000 homes rented asset ownership, as opposed to a collec- Party out, according to Statistics NZ. This is tive process of winning wage increases a question of billions of dollars in yearly in worksites. This is a departure from There was a lot of (important) talk of rents and hundreds of billions in specu- the historical period of Fordism, with the missing million at the most recent lative value. The National Party allays large industrial worksites, with relatively election; non-voters uninspired by the the anxieties of a middle-class operating clear identity, tied in part to collective options on offer, largely the most poor on a speculative bubble. work. and marginal. Another million is also

While relatively simple, the orginal state houses were practical buildings built en masse to provide an an acceptable standard of living for all.

12 Fightback Issue 7 2014 Housing/National politics

Fighting for public housing security. might have meant in the 70’s, it increas- On one hand, there is something to be ingly serves class stratification. Those In seeking to reverse the upward redis- said for satisfying people’s desire for with access to property profit from tribution of wealth, we call for more and security in housing. On the other hand, those without. better state houses. by upholding private housing, there is The human need for shelter plays only a A serious public-housing building pro- a danger that those trying to challenge secondary role at best in this dynamic. gramme would make a major difference the situation end up being absorbed to the overcrowding and poverty-related into the status quo. We must be clear [1] ‘Hegemony’ refers to a situation illnesses that currently exist within New about the need for a public, collective where an oppressive social system is so Zealand. It would also undercut the solution to the housing crisis. entrenched that many consent to it, not dependence on speculation as a basis for Whatever private home ownership requiring direct violent coercion.

Many state houses like this one in Porirua lie empty while many sit endlessly on waiting lists. Moves to gut public and Maori broadcasting

Ian Anderson (Fightback/MANA on advertising revenue, while TVNZ ence is a tribute to decades of Maori Poneke). is now commercially funded. Public struggle and organisation. At the same broadcasting enables journalism such as time, the complicity of the Maori Party last year’s documentary He Toki Huna in these changes reveals how a top layer Paora Maxwell’s tenure as Maori TV - New Zealand In Afghanistan, com- of Maori have been co-opted into a CEO has been controversial. In August missioned and broadcast by Maori TV, system that dispossesses the majority. 2013, staff at Maori TV circulated a which investigated New Zealand troops’ petition against Maxwell’s appointment With Hone Harawira booted out of his complicity in US occupation. Coupled by the National government. More Te Tai Tokerau seat, the only serious with raids on independent journalist recently, Maxwell announced a restruc- public opposition to these moves has Nicky Hager’s house, and Maxwell’s turing process, and high-profile figures come from outside parliament. The banning of Hone Harawira from Marae including Carol Hirschfeld left Maori struggle against neoliberal entrench- Investigates, moves to gut Maori pro- TV. Now, plans to outsource TVNZ’s ment, for a truly democratic society, is gramming limit the capacity for critical Maori and Pacific programming appear necessarily a community struggle. In journalism. to confirm rumours of continued back- addition to public broadcasting, we also door privatisation. In an era of privatisation and neoliberal need a people’s press, sources independ- entrenchment, an era of Whale Oil and ent of capital and the state that aid Maori TV remains the only TV broad- Kiwiblog, Maori TV’s continued exist- struggles for self-determination. caster with content not dependant

Fightback Issue 7 2014 13 Imperialism

Why workers need our own “foreign policy” based on solidarity

Mike Treen (UNITE Union Secretary) killed. But inevitably a few years down of extreme brutality in the South. Twen- Reprinted from UNITE and the Daily Blog. the line we discover that it was all lies. ty years later the US was forced to leave The views expressed are his own and not I want to touch on a few of these wars Vietnam, the southern dictatorship soon necessarily those of UNITE. from my lifetime and the lies told to collapsed and the country was reuni- support them. fied. But Vietnam had suffered several million deaths and a legacy of destruc- The New Zealand Army participated in Working people in the advanced capital- tion they still are recovering from today. the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1972, ist world should reject appeals by the The US lost 58,000 troops. NZ lost 38. when the troops were withdrawn by the rulers of their countries to support the Every one of those killed was murdered newly elected Labour government under foreign policy of “their” country. in defence of a world capitalist empire. Norm Kirk. The previous National Party Inevitably that foreign policy is simply Prime Minister Keith Holyoake had In 1975 the Indonesian military regime a programme to advance the interests declared: “Whose will is to prevail in invaded Timor and annexed the ter- of the super-wealthy owners of industry South Vietnam? The imposed will of ritory. The action was taken with the and services to grab the biggest pos- the North Vietnamese communists and support of NZ, Australia, and the US. sible share of the wealth available on their agents, or the freely expressed will What the imperialist West feared was the world market. They disguise their of the people of South Vietnam?” Every that the Revolutionary Front for an In- naked self-interest with appeals to the word was a lie. It was widely accepted dependent East Timor (Fretilin) would so-called “national interest” with claims that if the elections promised at the create what was dubbed “another Cuba” that we are fighting for lofty goals like 1954 peace conference had been held in the Pacific. Ten years earlier this same “freedom and democracy”. We are even the Viet Minh forces led by Ho Chi military regime in Indonesia (again asked to wage war for these goals. Often Minh would have won easily. Instead with the support of Australia, NZ, and it is the working people on both sides the US installed a puppet dictatorship the US) slaughtered a half million of of these wars who are being shafted or their own citizens to remove a national-

14 Fightback Issue 7 2014 Imperialism

ist left-wing government. While the UN passed a resolution deploring the Why you should get invasion of Timor no action was taken. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the US am- involved in Fightback bassador to the UN at the time, wrote in his autobiography that “the United States wished things to turn out as they did, and worked to bring this about. The Department of State desired that the We oppose imperialism United Nations prove utterly ineffec- tive in whatever measures it undertook The fight against imperialism is a vi- if the involvement is under the ban- [with regard to the invasion of East tal part of the fight against capitalism. ner of so-called “peace-keeping”. We Timor]. This task was given to me, and Imperialism is the system whereby demand an immediate end to the in- I carried it forward with not inconsider- rich countries dominate poor ones. terference in the affairs of Pacific Is- able success.” Later, Moynihan admitted New Zealand is a junior partner in the land nations by New Zealand and its world imperialist system. The Work- ally Australia. We want an end to all that, as US ambassador to the UN, he ers Party opposes any involvement in involvement in imperialist military had defended a “shameless” Cold War imperialist wars such as those being alliances and the dismantling of their policy toward East Timor. A quarter fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, even spy bases. century and several hundred thousand dead later Indonesia was forced to with- draw and Fretilin won the subsequent election. That has not stopped Australia We fight oppression in particular from trying to bully tiny We are serious about actively fight- struggle. We support militant direct Timor out of access to oil and other ing oppression based on nation, race, action by Maori for real equality; con- resources off its coast. gender or sexuality – here and now, versely, we see the Treaty process as a In December 1978 the Vietnamese not just “after the revolution”. But bureaucratic means to undercut such government intervened militarily to we believe class is central to all such resistance and nurture a Maori middle remove the genocidal Khmer Rouge oppression, and therefore those strug- class which will benefit very few. regime from power in Cambodia. This gles are linked to the broader class was a very popular move inside the country. Cambodian forces opposed to the Khmer Rouge supported the Viet- namese action and a Cambodian run government was established. Vietnam was met by extreme hostility by the im- perialist West, which imposed a brutal economic blockade on both Cambodia and Vietnam. China, the US, Australia, the UK and NZ supported the Khmer Contact Rouge keeping their diplomatic seats Auckland Christchurch in the United Nations, and claiming to represent the victims of their geno- Daphne Thomas cide, for another 15 years after their 027 220-9552 021 155-3896 overthrow. In addition they allowed the [email protected] [email protected] Khmer Rouge to take control of refugee camps in Thailand and military and financial aid poured into their coffers to Wellington use for attacks on Cambodia and Viet- nam. Hundreds of thousands of people Joel starved to death as a consequence. 022 384-1917 In 1975 a conservative monarchy was [email protected] overthrown in Afghanistan by forces

Fightback Issue 7 2014 15 Imperialism

associated with the People’s Democratic by US President Reagan. Central Asian states and Soviet Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). It was an According to Liveleak (http://www.live- Republics with a view to destroying urban based party with broad support leak.com) “The Mujahideen consisted of the Soviet order.” Looking back in the middle classes and professional at least seven factions, who often fought in 1998, Brezinski had no regrets. layers. It was also deeply influenced amongst themselves in their battle for “What was more important in the by an authoritarian and bureaucratic territory and control of the opium trade. world view of history? … A few approach to politics from its association To hurt the Russians, the U.S. delib- stirred-up Muslims or the libera- with Soviet-style Stalinism. Many of erately chose to give the most support tion of Central Europe and the end its leading cadre had also been trained to the most extreme groups. A dispro- of the Cold War”. as engineers and military officers in the portionate share of U.S. arms went to Tens of thousands of foreign fighters Soviet Union under the monarchy. The Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, “a particularly were recruited and got their baptism programme of the government was fanatical fundamentalist and woman- of fire in Afghanistan including the however very popular, especially in the hater.”‘ According to journalist Tim most famous “freedom fighter” Osama cities, and included expanded rights for Weiner, “[Hekmatyar’s] followers first Bin Laden. In 1992, the Mujahedeen workers, women, and peasants. gained attention by throwing acid in drove the Soviets out and seized power Very soon a rural-based war was spon- the faces of women who refused to wear themselves. However they soon fell into sored by the US and the right-wing the veil. CIA and State Department of- a fratricidal civil war that killed tens of military regime in Pakistan against the ficials I have spoken with call him ‘scary,’ thousands more Afghans. The Taliban regime. The conservative tribal leaders ‘vicious,’ ‘a fascist,’ ‘definite dictatorship then ousted the Mujahideen faction in (who also doubled as the rural gentry) material.’ power in 1994. feared the land reforms and abolition of usury. They used the proposed educa- “There was, though, a kind of The Taliban were ousted in turn in 2001 tion of girls to mobilise opposition to method in the madness: [US Na- by US-led forces installing other fac- the “atheist” regime in Kabul. The Kabul tional Security advisor Zbigniew] tions from the old Mujahideen based in regime in turn responded in increas- Brezinski hoped not just to drive the north of the country. New Zealand ingly brutal manner to force the policy the Russians out of Afghanistan, has supported the military occupation changes down the population’s throat. but to ferment unrest within the since then and actively participated at times. All of the governments in Billions of dollars in aid flowed from Soviet Union itself. His plan, says Afghanistan since the US-led occupa- the US through Saudi Arabia and Paki- author Dilip Hiro, was “to export a tion are reactionary warlords, drug stan into the hands of the Mujahideen. composite ideology of nationalism dealing despots and murderers. The They were dubbed “Freedom Fighters” and Islam to the Muslim-majority current vice-president General Dostum

The New Zealand military deployments have been a part of the US led imperialist coalition since the Iraq war

16 Fightback Issue 7 2014 Imperialism/International

earned notoriety for suffocating several tion of renewed military intervention in the Assad regime in 2011. The most thousand Taliban prisoners in shipping the Middle East has nothing to do with reactionary gulf states (Saudi Arabia, containers during the final offensive naked self-interest. Oil and the con- Qatar, Kuwait) funded like-minded against them. trol of where it is extracted remains a individuals and groups. Turkey opened The lies associated with the Iraq wars geo-strategic objective of immense value. its borders to foreign fighters and pro- are more well documented. NZ also Preventing the people of Syria and Iraq moted their own groups. No one cared played a more limited role. However from exercising any notion of genuine if fighters went from the UK, Australia the NZ government did support the self-determination or democracy is part or NZ. The main allies that the impe- criminal sanctions regime against Iraq of that reality. rialists and their local allies are able to between Gulf War One in 1990 and The Kurdish people in Syria and Turkey find in their fight against these increas- Gulf War Two in 2003. This led two (or Iraq and Iran for that matter) are not ingly unpopular governments were often leading UN officials who had been considered allies of the US and its allies the most reactionary and gangster-like placed in charge of the sanctions to because they desire a genuine social tribal leaders, warlords and businessmen. resign as it was obvious that hundreds revolution that will liberate their people But once you unleash reactionary forces of thousands of people were killed from being divided up and exploited. like these, they can take on a life of their as a consequence. On May 12, 1996, The Kurdistan Workers Party has mass own that gets out of control. This is ex- Madeleine Albright (then U.S. Ambas- support in Turkey and Syria. That party actly what occurred in Afghanistan with sador to the United Nations) appeared has led the resistance in Kobane to the the Taliban and Libya with the armed on a 60 Minutes segment in which ISIS attacks. Turkey has killed more gangs vying for control of that country. Lesley Stahl asked her: “We have heard Kurds in Turkey this past week than We must completely reject the propa- that half a million children have died. I ISIS fighters in Syria. On the BBC ganda of the empire. Our allies aren’t mean, that’s more children than died in tonight I heard a Kurd who lives in Tur- the US military or the local gangsters Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price key declare “We don’t need your support, they support. Our allies are the genu- worth it?” Albright replied “We think or your weapons, we just need you to ine revolutionary fighters like those the price is worth it.” stop supporting ISIS”. NZ, Australia, defending Kobane. They need support While not part of the invasion force The UK and The US have all listed the not from the US or Turkey who will in 2003, Helen Clark’s Labour-led PKK as a terrorist organisation because only seek to dominate and betray them government did send a unit of military it also fights the reactionary Turkish but from fellow revolutionary fighters engineers to assist the occupation forces regime (and NATO ally). in Syria, Iraq, Turkey and across the in 2004 because otherwise Fonterra ISIS is a product of the attempt over globe. Those fighters cannot be the ones would miss out on lucrative oil for food three years to overthrow an autocratic, who sell their souls to the empire but contracts. The morality of the occupa- nationalist regime in Syria that won’t ones who want a genuinely progressive tion was no different to that of the inva- bow down completely before the US and democratic transformation of their sion so the culpability remains. Empire or Israel. Billions of dollars in country. We should remain very suspicious of arms and fighters have poured across any claims the US has that their promo- the border since the revolt began against

10,000 Workers Strike in Support of Hong Kong’s Protests

Michelle Chen (reprinted from The Na- central plea of the protesters amassed That’s what the labour movement is tion.) in “Democracy Square”: a civilized taking to the streets with young pro- demand for self-determination. Yet testers. The Equal Times reports that the biggest worry in Beijing right now as of Wednesday—China’s National The umbrella is a perfect icon for Hong isn’t the threat of universal suffrage, but Day—“According to the latest HKCTU Kong’s uprising: inclusive, aloof, a bit what comes afterward—the struggle for [Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Anglophile and pragmatically defi- social justice that Hong Kongers face as Unions] figures, some 10,000 workers ant of the elements (and according to they pivot between post-colonial limbo across all sectors have downed tools.” As cinematic lore, readily convertible to a and authoritarian capitalism. unions representing industrial, service lethal kung fu weapon). It embodies the

Fightback Issue 7 2014 17 International

and professional workforces rallied curricula on public schools. Longtime has followed and reinforced almost alongside the youth and condemned residents chafed at mainlanders’ per- every governing strategy used by police suppression of the demonstra- ceived aggressive economic encroach- the British colonialists. Working tors, Hong Kong labour echoed the ment on local neighborhoods and in tandem, the CCP and business former colony’s long legacy of worker businesses. And even the symbols of the conglomerates have only worsened militancy. In a call for mass strikes, the protest express a yearning for a change Hong Kong’s already alarming HKCTU declared, “Workers must in the social and cultural reality, rather rich-poor gap. … stand up against the unjust government than just liberalizing political mechanics. It is true that even a genuinely and violent suppression…. To defend Like the “Hands Up” iconography of the democratic system may not be democracy and justice, we cannot let the Ferguson protests, the sea of umbrellas able to bring immediate improve- students fight the suppression alone.” exudes both civility and defiance in the ments to grassroots and workers’ The immediate spark for the protests face of brutality, not looking for trouble, livelihoods. However, the current was the controversy over the electoral just demanding dignity. political system and the NPC’s process. Activists were incensed that At the centre of their struggle for digni- ruling are flagrant violations of our following Beijing’s decree via the proxy ty is the desire to control their economic political rights as well as our right authority National People’s Congress, destiny. A statement issued last week by to be heard. A pseudo-democratic candidates for Hong Kong’s 2017 ex- dozens of labour and community groups system will only install even more ecutive election would be pre-approved draws the link between unaccountable obstacles on our already difficult by the mainland authorities. government and the divide between the path to better livelihoods and a progressive society. But even prior to the electoral betrayal, plutocracy and the people: students revolted against the imposi- But the group’s demands go beyond The Chinese Communist Party tion of Beijing-controlled nationalist electoral freedom: it wants expanded

18 Fightback Issue 7 2014 International

housing protections and welfare policies twenty-somethings who are tired of the the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy and a government that is responsive volatility of the economy and the stag- protests. The idealism is there, but to the economic and social concerns nation of the country’s political system. universal suffrage is a means to an end, raised by civil society groups. With this The latest uprising was portended last the first step away from decades of aspiration toward a fairer as well as freer year when dockworkers staged a major being lorded over by reactionary ruling society, according to City University strike to demand stable, fair working elites—one building block toward social of Hong Kong professor Toby Carroll, conditions. They galvanized internation- democracy. many leaders fear primarily that “people al solidarity in criticizing multinational Sophia Chan, an activist with Left 21, in Hong Kong will convert demands for corporations’ degradation of global tells The Nation, “We see free elections increasing suffrage into robust demands labour rights. as a major blow to business-government for redistribution; that in the face of So far, Beijing shows no signs of heed- collusion and capitalist privilege.” She plenty, those with little or no positive ing the demands for free elections or emphasized that the current parliamen- prospects won’t stand for obscenely con- the resignation of mainland-aligned tary government, dominated by business centrated wealth, power and privilege Chief Executive C.Y. Leung. Protesters leaders, has been structured “to protect anymore.” are doubling down, too, heartened by a the interests of capitalists… although As Eli Friedman points out, Hong Kong groundswell of international solidarity we do think that a democratic politi- is both an amazingly sophisticated and actions. And so the brittle “one country, cal system is only the first step to real intensely unequal economy, compared two systems” policy is steadily unravel- change, we also think that that in itself to other “developed” nations. One- ling. Not necessarily because Beijing would already be a huge improvement fifth of the population lives in pov- has tried to impose its rule directly—for for our fight against capitalist oppres- erty. The minimum wage, just recently the most part, Hong Kongers enjoy sion in Hong Kong.” implemented at the rate of US $3.60, infinitely more civil freedoms than their In 1997, Hong Kong was handed over hardly offsets the astronomical costs of mainland counterparts—but because by Britain to its “motherland,” the housing, inflation and unemployment. Hong Kong, on principle, just wants crown jewel of China’s new empire. But The former colonial trade hub has lost to be able to claim full freedom and the deal turned out to be more than about 80 percent of its manufacturing self-rule for the first time in its modern what Beijing had bargained for. The jobs since the early 1990s, as industries history. mainland regained a piece of territory, have shifted to the mainland. The most The voices of Hong Kong’s workers are but it never conquered the hearts of a impoverished are often migrant labour- instructive for international observers. people who are ready for true decoloni- ers, youths and women. The radicals at It’s too easy to draw a simple parallel to zation and will settle for nothing less. the core of #OccupyCentral represent

Fightback Issue 7 2014 19 International Fiji Election: Crooks in Suits

Byron Clark (Fightback - Christchurch) tactic, and has retained its fighting spirit Anthony, who had left his FCTU role though the subsequent decades. to lead the new party (a government The Bainimarama coup was different in decree meant union office holders could On September 17 Fiji held its first elec- that he promised to reform the electoral not stand as candidates) resigned from tion since Voreqe “Frank” Bainimarama system to end the ethnic division. The the party leadership saying he takes seized power in a 2006 coup. With his election was held with electorates of full responsibility for the party’s poor Fiji First party receiving 59.2% of the equal size under ‘Open List’, a form of performance. vote, Bainimarama will remain in power. proportional representation similar to The main opposition is now the Social Aman Ravindra-Singh, a candidate for the MMP system used in New Zealand, Democratic Liberal Party, a reformation the People’s Democratic Party, took to but giving voters some control over the of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Leweni- social media in the following days to order of candidates on party lists. As in vanua who were in government until declare “It is business as usual with the New Zealand, parties had to cross a 5% the coup (the new party is known as same old crooks - this time they are in threshold, disadvantaging small parties ‘SODELPA’ rather than SDL because of suits”. and independents. a decree banning new parties using the A 3 News report the week of the elec- During the eight years since the coup, same initials as old ones). tion stated the election was “considered the Bainimarama regime has attempted Fiji’s labour movement will continue to pivotal to ending the archipelago’s ‘coup to crush the union movement, arresting face challenges in the coming years, as culture’, which saw four governments organisers and strike leaders, and issuing Bainimarama continues his rule with a toppled between 1987 and 2006 amid decrees limiting the role of unions in supposedly democratic mandate. The instability stemming from tensions political life. “The current decrees deny Multinational Observer Group (MOG) between indigenous Fijians and ethnic workers their most fundamental rights stated that the “casting and counting of Indians.” which are part of human rights, and votes” was fair and the election results This soundbite oversimplifies the history attempt to decimate workers unions and “broadly represented the will of the of Fiji. As a British colony, indentured all the gains that workers have made people”, but as Wadan Narsey writing servants were brought from India to through decades of stru ggle,” wrote on Scoop pointed out: work on sugar plantations, and in time then Council of Trade Unions general “The good governance organisations equalled the indigenous population in secretary Felix Antony in February last know too well that elections are far number. The divide-and-rule system year. more than just the “casting and count- implemented by the British persisted ing” of votes, especially in a Fiji where following independence, with elector- “Such onslaught by the regime and draconian military decrees and total me- ates for ethnic Fijians and electorates aided by some employers is unprec- dia control have restricted and shaped for Fijian Indians. edented. The uncertain political public opinion over the last eight years. Electorates were not based on popu- climate is seen by some employers lation, meaning people in densely as an opportunity to turn the clock “Books will now be written about populated areas (more likely to be Fijian back on workers and their unions.” this second Fiji case study (the first Indian) had less representation in par- being Rabuka) on how a military liament than the rural electorates, more Around the same time the FCTU commander, treasonously deposed likely to be populated by ethnic Fijians. ended its support for the Labour Party, a lawfully elected government, and ‘Ethnic tensions’ does not tell the whole which was seen at the time as becom- managed to become legitimised as story. The coups in 1987 and 2000 were ing an Indian Party drawing most of its an elected Prime Minister.” indeed led by men wanting to retain support from just one union. Support the political power of ethnic Fijians, but for the Labour Party has collapsed com- The struggle for democracy in Fiji is far the governments they overthrew were pletely, from 39% of the vote in 2006 from over. led by the multi-ethnic Labour Party to just 2.6% this year. Unfortunately, which had its base not in any one ethnic the new party formed out of a mass group but in Fiji’s working class, which meeting of union members, the People’s had been instrumental in independence Democratic Party, didn’t do much better, struggles with industrial action as a gaining just 3.2% of the vote.

20 Fightback Issue 7 2014 International

Scotland’s radical independence movement

Daphne Lawless (Fightback, Auckland) three traditional UK major parties – the groups went on the rampage in Ed- governing coalition of Conservatives inburgh after the “No” vote was an- and Liberal Democrats, and the opposi- nounced. But the joy of the right wing A “Pyrrhic victory” is where one side tion Labour Party. was short lived. In the month since the wins a battle at such a cost that it goes The “No” campaign, under the name vote, the membership of the SNP has on to lose the war. It looks like the vic- “Better Together”, was widely criticised tripled, to 75,000 members. The SNP tory of the “No” side in the referendum for its patronising and fear-mongering are also riding high in the polls for both on Scottish independence on September approach, telling scare stories of massive London and Scottish parliaments, with – 20 may go down as a clear historical job losses and Scotland being excluded crucially – the Labour Party vote having example of these. from both the British pound and the crashed. The government parties had to The referendum on “Should Scotland euro. This almost backfired altogether, promise massively increased powers for become an independent country?” was when in the last weeks of the campaign, Scotland’s Parliament (short of inde- a primary historical demand of the polls showed “Yes” ahead by a tiny mar- pendence) to win back wavering voters Scottish National Party (SNP), which gin. This was an amazing return, when in the last week of the campaign. Now has formed a government in the Scot- “No” was leading 65-35% back in 2012. they face a revolt against their promises tish Parliament since 2011. As it stands, from English backbenchers who oppose As it turned out, the “No” vote rallied to Scotland’s Parliament is responsible any concessions to nationalism. win by a margin of 55-45%. On the face for health, education and other local of it, this looks reasonably comfortable. The British Labour Party seems to be matters, but has no power over foreign But most significant was the fact that, the biggest victim of the referendum. policy or defence and only limited of all Scotland’s local councils, the only The Conservatives were almost wiped rights to raise its own taxes. places where “Yes” won a majority were out in Scotland after the Thatcher years, The SNP led the Yes campaign, with Glasgow and Dundee – the two coun- and Scotland’s 59 MPs in the Lon- the support of the Scottish Greens and cils with the highest levels of poverty don parliament have since then gone some socialist forces such as the Radical and the longest history of working-class overwhelmingly to Labour. One big fear Independence Campaign (RIC). On the activism. among the Labour “No” campaign was other side at the referendum were all that an independent Scotland would Triumphalist “pro-British” far-right Fightback Issue 7 2014 21 International

mean long-term Conservative domi- showed that clearly to the Scottish elec- tions of massive majorities for Labour nance over a rump state of England, torate. On the other hand, the SNP’s are on the verge of tipping towards Wales and Northern Ireland. outgoing leader Alex Salmond steered the nationalists, who now speak the But the referendum results and its after- them from traditional nationalism to- language of reformism. On current polls, math clearly show that Labour made a wards a social-democratic (though still the SNP might win a majority of Scot- possibly fatal error to team up with the business-friendly) position. Salmond’s tish seats at Westminster in the next parties of David Cameron’s “austerity” rhetoric on the campaign trail was of election, wiping out Labour and being government. The massive shift of sup- an independent Scotland developing a able to demand many more powers for port to “Yes” in the last few months of high-tech, high-waged, socially secure Scotland, or even the beginning of a the campaign was not a surge in Scot- mixed economy like Sweden or Norway. new independence process. tish nationalism in itself. It was primar- For the Scottish working class, the Meanwhile, the Radical Independence ily a movement against the cuts agenda nationalists are increasingly speaking Campaign has decided to stick to- of the London government, and against their language, which Labour seems to gether in the aftermath of the referen- the ability of English Tories to enforce have forgotten. It is of course doubt- dum, building a clear socialist case for a neoliberal agenda north of the border, ful whether an SNP-led independent Scotland to decide its own future. They which has repeatedly voted against it for government in Edinburgh would have will be holding a conference. The split 40 years. been prepared to make any serious in the Scottish Socialist Party in 2006 Like their equivalents in Aotearoa/ break with globalized neoliberalism. For between supporters and opponents of New Zealand, the British Labour Party example, the SNP was careful to call for former leader Tommy Sheridan dashed has long ago given up offering a social an independent Kingdom of Scotland what was the brightest hope for the democratic alternative, and simply under the British monarchy, rather than revolutionary left in English-speaking strives to put a kinder face on neoliber- a republic. countries. This might indicate a new alism and cuts. Standing with the Tories But the results of the votes in Glasgow beginning. and LibDems under “Better Together” and Dundee make it clear that genera-

Even The Simpsons character Grounds Keeper Willie joined in with an online viral video in support of independence. Thousands march against climate change

Bronwen Beechey (Fightback - Auckland) was part of a global day of action held the US, Canada and Latin America, before a United Nations climate change students, unions and representatives of summit in New York on September communities affected by fracking. The largest demonstration to date 23. Among the estimated 400,000 who The marchers stopped for a moment against climate change was held in New attended were indigenous people from of silence to honour those who have York City on September 21. The march

22 Fightback Issue 7 2014 International

already died around the world as a result of climate change, and advocates social- Street that was explicitly anti-capitalist. of catastrophes linked to global warm- ism as the only long-term solution.. The The action was called “Flood Wall ing. The entire crowd then erupted in role played by SCNCC in organising Street”, referring to the flooding of the a tremendous roar to literally sound the march, and its acceptance as part of area that happened following Hur- the alarm, accompanied by the blaring the broader environmental movement, ricane Sandy last year. Around 100 instruments of the 26 marching bands marks an important step forward. The people, including one dressed in a polar that took part. It was directed at the impact of the recession, the Occupy bear suit and three in wheelchairs, were heads of state and governments that movement that targeted the wealthy arrested after blockading the street for have repeatedly failed to address the “1%” and implicitly capitalism itself, and eight hours. problem. the obvious role of big corporations as Solidarity actions also took place in The march was initiated by 350.org and destroyers of the environment, has made other cities in the US, and around other groups on the activist wing of the many realise that capitalism is to blame. the world, with an estimated 40,000 environmental movement, but as the According to US socialist Barry Shep- in London and 30,000 in Melbourne. momentum grew, more conservative herd, writing for the Australian left In Auckland, several hundred people groups like the Sierra Club endorsed newspaper Green Left Weekly: “This turned out despite miserable weather the march. The march was also built was a truly grass-roots march, not a top- and the disappointment of the previous extensively through social media activist down affair. The march organisers from day’s election result. groups such as Avaaz and NZ’s Action different environmental groups encour- Unsurprisingly, the UN summit pro- Station. aged everyone to bring their own ban- duced little in the way of any action on One of the groups in the US that initi- ners and literature, and raise their own climate change. However, the numbers ated the march, and a central organising concerns. The result was that all aspects protesting shows that more and more force, was System Change Not Climate of the problem of climate change were ordinary people are prepared to act, and Change (SCNCC). A coalition of expressed.” that many are recognising that stopping socialist groups and individual radicals, The day after the march, around 1000 climate change will mean changing the SCNCC targets capitalism as the cause people took part in a sit-in in Wall system.

Fightback Issue 7 2014 23 Poetry By Sionainn Byrnes By Body PoliticsBody What am I? On A3 sheets of recycled pulp mashed White craft materials affirm me while sing-song new lilts denounce my green ribbons, my lack of sexual Furry ended felts and snapped crayons strewn across inhibitions, my stories that stain the blanket men in the room ways they never experienced in Long Kesh I am opportunity, I am hope, I am green ribbons in auburn pigtails I dive into murals, into barbed wire, into taxi drivers who seem only to know the directions to Shankill Road, into the bed of my cousin’s friend Cormac I am marital glue – pasty, gelatinous, salty In order to make whakapapa relevant to me, to them I am a human born of expectations failed and fresh In order to retrieve something that was lost in I am what hurting people produce in the temporary emigration solace of their shared dysfunction In order to settle the fuck a niece that ensured my I am the love child of belts on skin, welts on skin, mother would never return to Ireland, and which is wounds melting when skins are shared apparently not illegal

Unbeknownst to me I am ‘working class’ My green ribbons, tied to my lack of sexual inhibitions, I am of terrorist descent tied to my ideological positions A portent of my danger in years to come My shrapnel bombs now stained by menses Fuck a niece informed my femininity I am the red scare To my uncles I say: that’s what I mean by intersectionality And yet if I were a man, I would be more Irish that I That’s what the return line from Christchurch to am Singapore to Frankfurt to Dublin to Belfast means Because strong men in Belfast – who share my blood – don’t mix real politics with feminism As a side note I am constantly referred to as Siobhan Don’t take notes from insular girls who live a world because it is more recognizable than Sionainn away from reality My mother is Siobhan Green ribbons don’t make you one of us I am my mother, and all of her baggage And what’s this whakapapa you mention? I am lost in transit I hope you know that’s illegal here – cue laughs – I am running out of room for presents Plus we only speak Gaelic

It occurs to me that I was a child when this began And somehow I’m the hick? I was opportunity, I was hope, I was green ribbons in Because I tried to speak in the language of your own auburn pigtails politics Lesson learnt: don’t try to make struggles and troubles What am I? On a pixelated screen some twenty years equal later I am a well-read Frankenstina But I am still S – I – O – N – A – I – N – N, I am a work in progress, regress, progress, regress Sionainn to you Future, past, Sionainn, Siobhan I am Gaelic on recycled pulp mashed new Brick by brick by bricolage True, that in New Zealand I have settled felt-like Still pasty, glutinous, and salty, though, my glue, my upon that paper with privilege mashed potato mortar, has not yet dried Even though spelling errors on official documents I am a body politic and a voice worth hearing in the erase a part of me I am nonetheless lucky that my face right context, but one that is trying to learn its place matches the papery palette of power and its limitations

24 Fightback Issue 7 2014