Around 50 people protested outside Auckland’s Papakura army base, against the deployment of SAS troops to Afghanistan.
The protest was organised by Global Peace and Justice Auckland
Stop the SAS return to Afghanistan
Picket outside of the Court of Appeal, corner of Molesworth and Aitken St WELLINGTON 8AM – 9.30 AM
The picket coincides with the Court of Appeal hearing for an anti-war
protester convicted of burning the NZ flag at anti-war protest in 2007. It also coincides with the government’s announcement of the return of the SAS to combat in Afghanistan. All welcome…and please pass it on…
Organised by Peace Action Wellington
Australia builds military capacity
The Spark August 2009
Joel Cosgrove
Continuing a precedent followed over most of the last decade, the Australian government has increased the military budget well above inflation, with a 56% increase in the last seven years and 9% in the last year, to $25.66 billion dollars, with expectations that it will rise to $29.47 billion in 2010, a rise of 12.9%.
This is an important development in the attempts by the Australian ruling establishment in their move away from the traditional Australian defence position of border control and response to one of regional projection and incursion to maintain and develop Australia’s interests. Continue reading “Australia builds military capacity”
Pacer Plus:New Zealand and Australian exploitation in the Pacific
Byron Clark
The Spark July 2009
New Zealand and Australian trade ministers met with their Pacific counterparts in Samoa to negotiate an “enhanced version” of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) dubbed “PACER Plus”. The negotiations have been controversial for two reasons, one is the exclusion of Fiji, which New Zealand and Australia currently have sanctions against. Fiji has been officially suspended from the Pacific Forum but not from PACER, which is a separate treaty.
The other reason is the likely possibility of increased exploitation of the Pacific by the regional powers. As Solomon Islands opposition leader Manasseh Sogavare told the Solomon Star News;
“As far as Solomon Islands is concerned, the arrangement would amount to opening up one-way traffic of trade benefits from here to Australia and New Zealand, which in any case is already in favour of these countries without the PLACER-PLUS arrangement” Continue reading “Pacer Plus:New Zealand and Australian exploitation in the Pacific”
Spark Audio: Interview with Phil Ferguson
The Joel Cosgrove Variety Hour recently interviewed Phil Ferguson who spoke at Workers Resistance 2009 on Karl Korshe and Historical Specificity. As well as Korshe this interview includes discussion of the current economic situation and Marxist economics. Download the MP3 here.
“That capitalism is in crisis.”
First in Victoria University Debating Society 2009 series of public debates on topical public policy issues. (Rutherford House, 6.30pm, 11 May 2009)
Third affirmative speaker Don Franks
Unfortunately capitalism is not on its deathbed, but it is in a state of crisis. You don’t have to take the word of a communist union organiser – just listen to the despairing of senior capitalist mouthpieces.
“Our world is broken—and I honestly don’t know what is going to replace it. The compass by which we steered as Americans has gone. The last time I saw anything like this, in the sense of disorientation and loss, was among my Russian friends when the Soviet Union broke up.” So said Bernie Sucher, Merrill Lynch operations head in Moscow, in the March 8th Financial Times.
In the same edition of the Financial Times Associate editor and chief economics commentator Martin Wolf despaired: “It is impossible at such a turning point to know where we are going… Yet the combination of financial collapse with a huge recession, if not something worse, will surely change the world. The legitimacy of the market will weaken. The credibility of the US will be damaged. The authority of China will rise. Globalization itself may founder. This is a time of upheaval.”
In the midst of this time of upheaval, Wolf continued clinging to the old capitalist mantra: “no credible alternative to the market economy exists…” Continue reading ““That capitalism is in crisis.””
The flag is symbolic, imperialism is real
Victoria university members of the Workers Party are facing charges of serious misconduct after burning the New Zealand flag. This leaflet explains the political background to the act.
Why burn the New Zealand flag?
The New Zealand flag is a symbol of imperialism. This is most obvious in its design, a tribute to the British Empire. This design was adopted after the Second Boer War, which devastated South Africa but resulted in a surge of Kiwi patriotism.
A simple re-design, while reflecting our emergence from the shadow of the British Empire, would not change the imperialist nature of the flag. It’s a tool of the ruling class, inseparably linked with militarism. From the Boer War through WWI and II, right through to armed involvement in Vietnam and Afghanistan, the flag has marked New Zealand’s presence. Flags mark military conquest, the subjugation of nations.
Flags and borders divide the working majority. ANZAC soldiers had more in common with their Turkish counterparts than with the bureaucrats who sent them to Gallipoli. The working majority has interests in common worldwide, including an end to imperial war. Ruling class nationalism is a barrier to recognising this.
What purpose does ANZAC day serve? Continue reading “The flag is symbolic, imperialism is real”
This is no alternative? Partnership or struggle
There Is No Alternative?
A Workers Response to the Financial Crisis
A teach-in organised by the Workers Rights Campaign
Saturday May 2nd
1-00pm
Canterbury WEA, 59 Gloucester Street
Continue reading “This is no alternative? Partnership or struggle”
Obama – managing the US war effort
John Edmundson
During the lead-up to the 2008 US election, Barack Obama made much of his plans to end the war in Iraq. His bold declaration – that “on my first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war”. Across the world, many people pinned their hopes on this promise.
Obama’s policy was never really about ending America’s imperialist war policy. It was always about managing the US war effort more effectively. Continue reading “Obama – managing the US war effort”
Free the Cuban Five!
Below we republish a statement put out recently by the Christchurch Cuba Friendship Society calling for the release of the 5 Cuban government agents currently incarcerated in the USA for spying on right-wing Cuban exile groups in Miami who are guilty of engaging in terrorist attacks against the island nation:
Meeting calls on President Obama to release the Cuban Five
The Christchurch Cuba Friendship Society (CCFS) has called on President Barack Obama to free the Cuban Five.
The CCFC meeting, held in the city Thursday night, welcomed President Obama’s decision to close the Guantanamo torture camp and urged that he take the next logical step and abandon the facility altogether to its rightful owner the people of Cuba.
The meeting also resolved to write to Mr Obama seeking justice for the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters held in US prisons for the past 10 years.
“Much has been said on the issue of change by President Obama now is the time for action” CCFS spokesperson Paul Piesse (above) said. “Guantanamo should not simply be closed but returned to the people of Cuba along with the anti-terrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in the US.” Mr Piesse added.
The five, Gerardo Hernández, René González, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labañino and Fernando González were gathering information about terrorist groups that operate on US soil “Their actions” Mr. Piesse noted “helped prevent terrorist acts and protect innocent civilians. Their continued imprisonment is a travesty of justice”
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has ruled that the men’s imprisonment is in breach of article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Mr Obama” Piesse noted “is now in a position to demonstrate his commitment to ‘honesty, courage and fair play’ – it’s time to walk the talk.”
The meeting also called on Unions, Churches and all those who seek justice to also petition the new US President for the Cuba Fives immediate release.