PARLIAMENT | PARTY | GRASSROOTS

Red Alert

Posts Tagged ‘protest’

Signing Fees Pledges

Posted by Grant Robertson on December 10th, 2010

A very tough day in the UK today, with the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition passing(just) its proposal to triple university tuition fees and cut allowances for some students. There is a huge wave of protest in the UK that has got pretty ugly, with Prince Charles car attacked, the NUS condemning the violence and stories flying about police tactics.

Leaving aside the substance of the issue, which represents fees of up to 9,000 pounds, for many casual observers in New Zealand it might be hard to understand why this debate and vote is so significant in the UK, and why the focus is so much on the Liberal Democrats. Martin Kettle in the Guardian has a good description of this, and believes that this is the beginning of the end for the coalition.

From a Liberal Democrat perspective many backbenchers voted against their leadership today because it was clear party policy not to raise fees, but also because many, including their leader Nick Clegg signed pledges not to raise fees. Those Lib Dem MPs in electorates with large university populations are worried.

Signing a pledge such as this is not new. There are many of us here who remember Lockwood Smith’s 1990 promise not to raise fees. To remind, here is the evidence. (h/t Moana Mackey)

Tags: , , , ,
Filed under: education, protest, students
70 Comments

Locked out

Posted by Darien Fenton on June 21st, 2010

Today I went to support the locked out staff at Auckland’s 4.5 star hotel, the Rendezvous – that’s the staff who keep the hotel clean and help provide an enjoyable stay for hotel guests. This trans-national hotel chain is offering a measly pay increase of 1.5% from now (no backdating) for two years until 2012.

The last pay increase was in January 2008 so the workers have already been 18 months without a pay increase. And there’s a catch. The employer wants the workers to give back one day’s sick-leave, to increase the costs of staff parking and remove a subsidy for health insurance.  The Rendezvous says this is the final offer and the workers have been locked out from their jobs until they accept it.

Look at these workers.  Are they militants?  Are they highly paid?  I don’t think so.  One housekeeper told me that she is expected to clean 18 rooms a day – an increase in 4 rooms since the Rendezvous took over the former Carlton Hotel.  Isn’t this a productivity increase?  Isn’t this supposed to deliver better wages?

This is a disgraceful overreaction from a hotel that will be looking to cash in big time come the Rugby World Cup.

P6210092
P6210093

Tags: ,
Filed under: union, workforce
19 Comments

Hospital cuts – guess who pays?

Posted by Darien Fenton on June 4th, 2010

IMG00180-20100604-1152

Lots of wonderful Pacific singing and drums on the picket line today, when Carol Beaumont, Su’a William Sio and I joined Auckland Hospital Cleaners protests today.  The Cleaners are employed by trans-national contractor, OCS  and they’ve been bargaining for nearly a year – so far, all they’ve been offered is a big fat zero.

It’s not like they’re asking for much.  The cleaners and orderlies who work for OCS at Auckland, Greenlane, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Burwood and Christchurch Hospitals are asking for a 2% payrise backdated to 1 April 2010, which is the same as other hospital workers employed directly by the DHBs or other contractors have already agreed to.

Meanwhile the CTU is warning that health services across New Zealand face cuts of more than $100 million in the next year, as deeper analysis of the Budget reveals the full extent of the funding shortfall and the reality of ‘reprioritised savings’, inflation, and cost shifting from ACC.

Who pays?  We all do, but low-paid workers like the OCS cleaners and their families will feel it hardest.

Tags:
Filed under: Budget, health, protest, union
60 Comments

Yours. Not mines.

Posted by Phil Twyford on May 1st, 2010

mining march

Aucklanders turned out in force at today’s march against the Government’s plan to dig up some of our most precious landscapes.  The Herald and Radio NZ estimated the crowd at 50,000. Police said 20,000. Either way it is a kick in the pants for National and ACT and the Maori Party.  Hats off to Greenpeace and Forest & Bird and the others who organised it. Robyn Malcolm spoke at the rally in Myers Park. What a treasure she is. Labour and Green MPs were there in number, and from our lot: Phil Goff, David Cunliffe, Charles Chauvel, Jacinda Ardern, Darien Fenton, Carol Beaumont, Carmel Sepuloni, David Shearer and me.  Labour’s policy of rolling back any changes to Schedule 4 and not compensating mining companies who find their operations shut down got a big cheer.  Check out Greenpeace’s pics on flickr.    Photo: Greenpeace

Tags: ,
Filed under: Mining, protest
50 Comments

The proper role of an MP

Posted by Phil Twyford on March 3rd, 2010

I think Key, Hide & Co are beginning to feel the heat. After a week and a half of submissions on the third super city bill it is clear Aucklanders are as opposed to this assault on democracy as they were when the Nats did their last impression of listening to the public halfway through last year.

But when the Herald gets stuck into them. And all the mayors. And the Employers and Manufacturers Association. And the Chamber of Commerce. Surely it gets a little harder to write off the critics as rent-a-mob? Perhaps not. Rodney Hide was on the radio this morning criticising yesterday’s rally outside the select committee hearings which was attended by Labour and Green MPs, and calling the 150 Aucklanders who protested ’sad’.

They are sad alright but not in the sense Hide means. They are really sad about what this Government is doing to our democracy.

Hide accused me of politicising the select committee process by organising the rally. He is joined by ACT supporter Michael Bassett, himself a former Minister of Local Government, who has written about all this, kindly sending me a copy, in which he says it is a constitutional outrage that an MP on the select committee should be taking part in a public protest outside the committee’s hearings. He is also unhappy with the Herald’s coverage.

My first response is that it is rich beyond belief for Hide to accuse anyone else of politicising the super city process. Hello Rodney? Aren’t you the guy who denied Aucklanders a referendum on the super city? Who invited them to make submissions on Maori representation when your threat to resign had already convinced John Key to drop Maori seats as an option? Who rammed the first two bills through under urgency? Who gets the power under this third bill to hand pick the directors of the powerful commercial structures who will run 90% of Council operations?

Secondly, I have always considered it an MP’s job to fight for what the people want. The select committee is not a court, and I am not a judge. When a Government blocks its ears to the public, I think it is perfectly in order for MPs and citizens to take up the right to peaceful protest.

What do you think?

Click this next link to see Michael Bassett’s comments in full.

(more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Filed under: Auckland, democracy, local government, select committee
67 Comments

Time to stand up

Posted by Phil Twyford on February 27th, 2010

Sick to death of National and ACT’s Frankenstein vision for Auckland?

Tired of their fake listening campaigns, and bogus assurances they are going to ‘put the local back into local democracy’?

Join the protest outside the select committee hearings this Tuesday lunchtime.  Let Key, Hide & Co know that Aucklanders deserve and demand better.

12 – 2pm  Tuesday 2 March   Quality Hotel Barrycourt, 20 Gladstone Road, Parnell

If you care about:
* the corporatisation of our local democracy
* the loss of local voice
* moves to make it easier to sell the Ports of Auckland and other assets
* unfair boundaries and inadequate representation
* undermining protections for the Waitakere Ranges
* tokenistic representation for Maori
* the rushed and undemocratic process the Government is using to push the super city through
…then join this lunchtime rally and show the Government Aucklanders won’t take the super city lying down.

Spread the word – send this facebook link to all your friends.

All political parties, groups, individuals welcome to attend. The rally will be peaceful and orderly.

Tags: , ,
Filed under: Auckland, democracy, local government, protest
9 Comments

Rally for Radio NZ at Parly

Posted by Brendon Burns on February 24th, 2010

A rally is confirmed for tomorrow, Thursday, in Parliament Grounds in support of Radio NZ at 1pm.

It is being organised by Jake Quinn, who also put together the excellent Facebook Save Radio NZ webpage which has generated a huge 14,205 fans in six days – a good measure of public mood.

Jake invited Annette King and I to speak but neither of us can be there. (An electorate commitment in my case, partly  involving broadcasting students.)

Other Labour MPs will be there and will speak. Show your support for our last public broadcaster, take your transistor or at least dial in!

Check out the Facebook page for emerging details of other protests/rallies.

Tags: ,
Filed under: events
9 Comments

Police want to destroy Minto’s megaphone

Posted by Grant Robertson on January 12th, 2010

I probably disagree with John Minto about as much as I agree with him in terms of the various statements he makes.  I know that he irritates some New Zealanders, but he is someone who stands up staunchly for what he believes, and has played a real part in raising issues that  are important to New Zealand and New Zealanders.

If  it is true as reported on Stuff that the police are seeking an order to destroy the megaphone he used as part of his protest at the tennis in Auckland last week, then this is shocking.  We have to defend the right to protest in this country.  I have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to protests and they are a critical part of a functioning democracy.  Even if people felt the protest in  Auckland was particularly irritating, that is the price of democracy.  As it happens the player concerned was able to cope, and made it as far in the tournament as her ability allowed.

The Police have the ability to take action against unlawful protest, and that will work its way through the Courts.  But trying to seize a megaphone is a terrible gesture, symbolic as it may be, for the principles of our democracy.  This is a time for people including those who fundamentally disagree with John to make clear that this is not the kind of thing we want to see in our country.

Tags: ,
Filed under: human rights, police, protest
30 Comments

The right to protest

Posted by Chris Hipkins on November 21st, 2009

Last week there was a bit of coverage in the Dom Post about a court case that I have been involved with over the last 12 years. It relates to a student protest at Parliament back in September 1997 when I was still a fresh faced first year uni student.

The protest was against the then National government’s tertiary education reforms, outlined in what became an infamous ‘Green Paper’. We were a rowdy bunch, but the protest was peaceful. We’d only been in Parliament grounds a short time when the then Speaker, Doug Kidd, issued trespass orders requiring us all to leave.

At the time I thought this was pretty outrageous and over the past 12 years I haven’t changed my view. Parliament is a place where all Kiwis can come to protest, whatever their message. The idea that trespass should be used as a means of silencing dissent appals me.

Thankfully both the District Court and the High Court shared that view and the trespass charges didn’t stick. But there was an important principle at stake here and over the past 12 years I, along with a few of the others, have been keeping a legal action going against the Speaker and the Police.

That case has finally been resolved with letters of apology being issued from both the Speaker and the Police. Monetary compensation has also been awarded based on how long each person was detained, how they were treated whilst in custody and whether they were strip searched at the Police station.

The case is now studied by law students. It promoted a change in the way both the Speaker and the Police treat those protesting at parliament. The principle that every citizen has the right to protest in parliament grounds is now well established. It was worth the fight.

Tags: , , ,
Filed under: democracy, parliament
8 Comments

More photos from the Bikoi

Posted by Grant Robertson on November 17th, 2009

Here are a few more shots from the protest. You can see more here on Flickr.

Tags: , ,
Filed under: ACC
7 Comments

53,000 signatures in support of lifelong learning

Posted by Maryan Street on October 20th, 2009

Today I received, along with numerous Labour colleagues and a Green one, petitions with over 53,000 signatures on them, all asking Anne Tolley to reverse her benighted decision to cut $13.2 million from the Adult and Community Education budget.

Maryke Fordyce from CLASS presents petition to Phil Goff, Damien O'Connor and me

Maryke Fordyce from CLASS presents petitions to Phil Goff, Damien O'Connor and me

Anne Tolley’s constant repetition in the House at Question Time of irrelevant information (”we are giving $124m to ACE over 4 years” – that’s not night classes) completely ignores the decimating effect that the lack of night classes will have on many communities which can not afford to self-fund them.  In fact, her effort to drum up laughs from her abashed National colleagues with the return to her myths about Moroccan cooking and – wait for it – ukelele classes for Maori (what deep recess did that come from Mrs Tolley?), fell flat as they all studied a newly discovered paper of importance.
She was left looking not only like a dork, but also as someone not fit to hold the Education portfolio. Education is the opportunity to lift the poorest out of poverty, the most disadvantaged out of the trap of intergenerational repetition. It is a precious portfolio which should be held with respect and care. Today Anne Tolley showed neither quality. She was disgraceful.
Tags: , , ,
Filed under: education, inequality, protest
12 Comments

An impressive gall

Posted by Phil Twyford on October 20th, 2009

I’m getting used to Nikki Kaye swanning around projecting concern and empathy with the opponents of her Government’s policies whether it is the more egregious elements of the Auckland super city, resource management clawbacks, or cuts to night classes. But seeing no fewer than four National Government backbenchers turn up to the 350 Aotearoa action on climate change on the steps of Parliament today was beyond the pale.

Have these people no shame? Earth to Cam Calder, Tim McIndoe, Nicky Wagner and Nikki Kaye – You are Government MPs. You are elected representatives of a party in the process of gutting the Emissions Trading Scheme and taking a risible emissions reduction target to Copenhagen. You are going to be required very shortly to vote for Nick Smith’s sordid little emissions trading bill.

I know that the organisers of the 350 action want to have a showing of cross party support. And good on them. But for heaven’s sake, show some backbone and stand by your own Government’s policy.

Tags: , , , ,
Filed under: climate change, protest
9 Comments

Join the protest against private prisons

Posted by Carol Beaumont on October 18th, 2009

dscf16763 dscf16782Yesterday, along with colleagues, I joined a protest against private prisons organised by the Corrections Association (CANZ).  I want to thank CANZ for setting up the campaign Stop the Cell-Off – No prisons for profit.

The Government will shortly introduce legislation enabling private prisons despite the experience here under the last National Government and evidence from overseas.  Actually this isn’t that surprising given the Government’s propensity for making policy ‘on the hoof’ and their derision about the idea of evidence based policy making.

There are no good grounds for privatising prisons.  It seems to me that the Government can only be motivated by a commitment to privatisation, or a desire to see less Government responsibility, or to see cuts in workers’ wages and conditions, or all of these.

The speakers yesterday identified a range of significant concerns – reductions in staffing levels, worse outcomes for prisoner rehabilitation, reduced safety for prisoners, corrections staff and the public and reductions in staff wages and conditions (for a job most of us would understand is very difficult).

For these reasons and because I believe that something as fundamental as removing a person’s liberty has to be the responsibility of a democratic and accountable Government I oppose the privatisation of prisons.  Private companies are not accountable to anyone except their shareholders, usually for the maximisation of profit.

Prisons are about people not profit - prisoners and their families, corrections staff and their families and us, the public.  Please join the campaign to oppose the privatisation of prisons.

Tags: , ,
Filed under: law and order
13 Comments

Another day, another protest

Posted by Darien Fenton on October 16th, 2009

img00044-20091016-13552 Today, 2700 hospital cleaners, kitchen workers, orderlies and security guards took action outside hospitals from Kaitaia to the Bluff in protest at the National Government’s pay freeze.  These workers have a starting pay rate of $14.62 an hour, or just $30,410 a year for full-time workers.

These pics are from the picket outside North Shore Hospital in Wayne Mapp’s electorate.  The workers live in the electorates of Mapp, Coleman and Key, who were nowhere to be seen today of course.

They’re upset that Bill English is suggesting that the pay freeze could go on for five years, even although the last Labour government funded a 3.1% increase for this year.

In 2008, the hospital service workers pay moved from a start rate on the minimum wage to the minimum of $14.62 after Labour funded and ring-fenced money to ensure these low paid workers got a decent pay increase.

Trouble is, much of that pay increase is being eroded, with ACC levy increases and cost of living increases. And more protest to come – privatisation of prisons, ACC and ACE cuts, redundancies – you name it.

img00053-20091016-1412

img00051-20091016-13581

Tags: , ,
Filed under: protest, public services
31 Comments

Parliamentary Staff Protest

Posted by Grant Robertson on October 14th, 2009

psa-protest

The staff at Parliament are a fantastic bunch. They are incredibly dedicated and helpful, and actually play a really important role in keeping our democracy going. There are two collective contracts running at Parliament one for MPs staff and the other for all the administrative, security, messengers etc.   The latter contract is up for discussion at the moment and the staff are taking industrial action in the face of an effective pay freeze and an attempt to clawback on their redundancy conditions.

There was a rally today at Parliament which a number of Labour MPs attended to show our support for the staff who work hard to keep us safe, informed and happy.  These staff are aware of the economic conditions the country is facing, but they deserve the respect not to have their pay and conditions dictated to them, and to have the opportunity to sit at the table and negotiate a fair deal.

Tags:
Filed under: democracy, jobs, public services, redundancy, union
10 Comments

Another 1990s failure back on the agenda

Posted by Chris Hipkins on July 27th, 2009

Twelve years ago as a first year university student I attended my first ever student protest march. The 25th of September 1997 has stuck in my mind ever since because it was the first and only time I have been arrested. Thankfully neither the District Court nor the High Court agreed with the Police decision to arrest 75 of us for trespass while we were protesting in parliament grounds.

It was an important test case because it confirmed the principle that all citizens have the right to protest peacefully at parliament. That case finally came to a conclusion a few weeks ago when the Police agreed to pay compensation and parliament’s speaker (which was actually Doug Kidd at the time) agreed to issue apologies.

Twelve years later, it’s interesting to see the issues that led to that protest march once again emerging from the new National government. Back in 1997 the then Bolger-led National government released a Green Paper on tertiary education. They proposed to introduce a corporatized, pro-market system for university and polytechnic funding. Democratically elected governing councils made up of stakeholders were to be replaced by boards of directors appointed by the government.

The Tertiary Review Green Paper followed hot on the heels of Max Bradford’s pro-market electricity reforms and came at a time when the public had tired of the privatisation agenda. It was yet another sign that the National government’s continued trumpeting of the New Right free market agenda was out of step with ordinary New Zealanders. Two years later Helen Clark’s Labour team comfortably won the 1999 general election.

Interesting to see, therefore, that the new Minister of Education Anne Tolley is putting some of those issues back on the table. The Sunday Star Times reports the government plans a radical overhaul of polytechnic governance, dumping about 250 of the 400 existing councillors. Maori and Pasifika representatives would be axed, along with representatives of employers, unions, and former students.

Tolley’s decision to resuscitate elements of the controversial and failed Tertiary Review Green Paper reforms is another signal that pro-market corporatisation and privatisation is firmly back on the government’s agenda. Education will be viewed as a commodity to be bought and sold, while students will be viewed as consumers, not learners.

Twelve years ago my opposition to these very reforms compelled me to join a protest march. What happened next was one of the key events that led me towards a life in politics. When Tolley brings her legislation before parliament, this time I won’t just be protesting outside, I’ll be fighting her every step of the way inside the House too.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Filed under: democracy, education, national, parliament, public services
4 Comments