27 April in Wellington – A Protest Against State Asset Theft (Part Tahi)
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NZ, Wellington, 27 April – On a crisp, summery day, citizens of Wellington (and some from further afield), began to assemble at Te Aro (“Pigeon”) Park, in Manners Street, to send (another) message to National ministers: Aotearoa is not for sale!
TV1 cameraman, with Police and protest organisers, together planning the march route and other measures to keep people safe during the event. There was excellent co-operation between both parties. ANFS has a solid record for peaceful, non-violent, law-abiding protest;
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From about 2pm, the crowd quickly swelled from a few dozen, to several hundred. Ages ranged from young children, to the elderly. It was interesting to note that over half the assembled people were in their 20s or 30s.
The issue of state assets belonging to the people, has become an inter-generational matter of concern and deeply-held beliefs;
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Question. Will all our assets be gone – flogged off to investors from Beijing, Berlin, or Boston – by the time this young fellow grows up? Will he be a tenant-worker in his own country – a country that was sold out from under his feet by venal, ignorant politicians and a distracted middle-class?
Answer? Not if we have anything to say about it!
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From the young, to the older. This is an issue that cuts across generations, race, gender, class, etc;
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Some good sounds from the Brass Razoo Solidarity Band;
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Good representation from the young people of the Mana Party;
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Plenty of good humour evident amongst the protest group. I wonder if Dear Leader would like this piece of art?Perhaps for a small sum donated to a worthy charity?
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ANFS (Aotearoa Not For Sale) organiser, Ariana, addressing the crowd,
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Young New Zealanders who want what we took for granted as children ourselves; clean rivers and clean seas. Is this too much to ask from a consumerist generation?
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Simple messages on home-made placards;
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Once Key and his cronies sell of our assets, what will be left for this young lady? And will she and her young generation curse us for letting it happen?
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Another simple, home-made message from a New Zealander to the government;
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A young socialist in the making? The struggle does not end here, nor will neo-liberalism triumph. Not whilst the young continue to bear the banner;
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Another view of the crowd, listening to ANFS co-organiser, Francis, barely visible in the background (holding bullhorn);
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I think a good number of people in this country would agree with these messages;
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A good message – and one all governments should consider;
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Three staunch MANA Party supporters. Note the message on the placard. Aside from simple-minded Tory supporters, who really believes that power prices will fall, once Mighty River Power, Meridian, and Genesis are partially-privatised?
Will investors really settle for a drop in returns on their share investments? Yeah, right, of course they will… *pfffft!!*
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A very clear message. This banner will lead the march;
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Valerie, addressing the crowd about the protocols of the march,
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Two cars painted to promote the day of action. Using corporate-style vehicle-advertising – how cool is that?
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Continued at: 27 April in Wellington – A Protest Against State Asset Theft (Part Rua) – Where the march heads for Parliament grounds!
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One comment what did 49% open to New Zealand citizens equal full ownership by foreign powers?
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Sorry, not quite sure what you’re meaning, Jo.
It’s not a fulls ale it’s a partial priviatisation. 51% srays in government ownership. It is NOT a full asset sale,
That’s correct, Jo. 51% of the shares stays in governments ownership.
But 49% is now privatised. Which means,
* the entire company now has to operate as a fully commercial entity.
* The government has lost 49% of revenue.
* If much of that 49% ends up in foreign ownership, that worsens our balance of payments; which effects our credit ratings; which may make it more expensive to borrow from offshore.
* And perhaps most important, a semi-privatised company such as MRP cannot be directed to undertake social or environmental activities if it undermines profitability and returns for shareholders. (It leaves the 51% shareholder – the government – open to lawsuit.)
Hence why the Labour-Green proposal for a single buyer-desk (along the lines of Fonterra and Zespri) may be the only mechanism left to control prices for domestic users.
As Geoff said, there will be nothing to stop the remaining 51% from being privatised at some future point, when National once again cuts taxes; finds itself cash-strapped as a result; and then has to sell more SOEs to make up the shortfall in government tax-revenue.
See my reply fo Geoff. I don’t trust Labour and the Greens as far as I can rgrow them, On te News tonight the Greens were atatcking Transmission Gully. All we want is a second way out of our city. Didn’t they learn anything from ChCh. We have one substandard road which in a big quake will be blocked alongside the railway. The haebour will probably be stuffed. God forbid they get into power. Labour will be a puppet with the Green hands up their fundament.
Jo; our “one road” out of Wellington is the Motorway, and Old Hutt Rd, leading to Ngauranga Gorge. From there it splits in 2 – SH1 and SH2.
Transmission gully doesn’t begin until somewhere further north, Paramata, I think. So even if Transmission Gully is built – there will still be only ONE WAT out of Wellington.
Why would Labour be a “puppet”? Sorry, but I don’t get your point at all?
Awesome
Thanks, Caroline! 🙂
BUT EVENTUALLY IF THE NACTS HAVE THERE WAY IT WIULL BE A FULL SALE.
@ Geiff Bull. Remember the name Roger Douglas? Labout are still extremely vulnerable to someone like that. Russell Norman on the finaces bench anyone
Jo; Russell Norman is a highly educated, experienced man with a doctorate in economics. What makes you think he won’t be good on the “finance” bench?
His economic statements so far has been fairly sensible. So what is it about his politics that you disagree with?
Roger Douglas hasn’t been a member of Labour for about 20 years.
@Priss ask Argentina how printing more money worked. I think he a loose cannon who never expected to have power. I trusted and voted for the Greens early on I wouldn’t touch them witha barn ple now. I have a degree in history but don’t call myself a historian. Has Norman tested his doctorate in the real world?
Don’t you mean the United States printed more money, Jo?
It was a good protest action. Very peaceful and good natured as Frank reports. Kudos to the organisers!
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