Proposed Referendum Wording
"Should the minimum wage be raised to $25 a hour and then in steps over the next three years until it reaches two-thirds of the average ordinary time hourly rate as recommended by the 1973 Royal Commission into Social Security"?
With the National Government debating the merits of the “Emission Trading Scheme”, we reproduce an extract by Mauro Vanetti's in which petit-bourgeois environmentalism is exposed as an non-viable response to global warming - green "ideologies of abstinence" simply play in to the hands of the ruling class. What is required is a genuine Marxist programme on this issue, which is outlined at the end of the article.
(This article can be read in full on http://www.marxist.com/global-warming-deniers-and-climate-change-ideologues-part-five.htm in reply to climate change denier Brian J Baker)
On July 20th, 2009, the Business Roundtable put forward its ideas about social security.
Their programme was radical to say the least. In a nutshell, their proposal is to delegate the provision of welfare to organisations such as churches, iwi and other non-government organisations.
New Zealand Perspectives 2009 (written January 2009) should be read in conjunction with last years perspectives (New Zealand Perspectives 2008) as they are a continuation from them. In addition these perspectives should be read in conjunction with World Perspectives 2008 and associated material from the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) and Socialist Appeal NZ.
The National Party convincingly won the general election on November 8th attracting 45.45% of the party vote giving them 18 list seats as well as winning 41 constituencies: 4 short of a majority in the House of Representatives. Therefore National will be able to form a government under the MMP system with the right wing Act New Zealand Party and United Future, and the possibility of extra support from the Māori Party.
The events of the melt down on the world stock markets and the ensuing economic crises have overtaken the general election in New Zealand. At present opinion polls vary enormously from giving National a 3% lead over Labour to 18% respectfully. Quite clearly volatility is building up within society.
Prime Minister Helen Clark has called the general election for November 8thhoping to win a fourth term . The general election date was of no real surprise as it was the much predicted date being the penultimate date with which the government could go to the country . The problem for the Labour Party is that it is well behind in the various opinion polls which give the National Party between 8% and 18% lead over the Labour Party. With such a lead in the opinion polls the Labour Party is most likely to be defeated.
