Newsletter of the Alliance Party June 2011 NEWS National office: PO Box 2505, South Dunedin 9044, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]Web: www.alliance.org.nz “Putting People First” Dear Members, This year has been a very busy one for the Alliance Party so far. Many of the issues we became involved with last year are still very much to the fore. And we have plenty of new ones that require our attention. KiwiRail wagons must be built in NZ We are still battling with KiwiRail to get their rolling stock built in New Zealand at their Dunedin and Lower Hutt workshops which have traditionally done this work for our railways. This is the most cost effective way of getting them built and it would keep the money in the country and provide much needed employment. Sadly KiwiRail management and the government seem hell bent on outsourcing the work overseas. However, we will not give up without a fight. We are working hard with Hillside workers, unions and members of the public to try to make them change their minds. Website www.kiwiwagons.wordpress.com Tax Justice GST increased to 15% in October last year. Since then Alliance supporters, along with members of the Socialist Worker organization have been to the forefront of a national campaign to have GST taken off food and replaced with a very small financial transactions tax. Financial services are exempt from GST. To date around 40,000 signatures have been collected for the petition. The goal is to get 50,000 signatures before the petition is presented to parliament in August. Many thanks to those of you who have been helping collect signatures. It goes without saying that the Alliance would remove GST on food immediately if we were in government. We are hoping that other parties will adopt GST off Food as a policy once they realize the amount of support for it. Website www.nogstonfood.org Privatization Privatisation looks set to be a major issue this year with asset sales on the National government’s agenda. Look forward to big increases in power prices if the plan to privatise electricity companies goes ahead. A related concern is the proliferation of free trade agreements which makes it easier for foreign companies to buy New Zealand assets, including services. These agreements threaten our sovereignty and ability to set the rules for trade with our country. Agencies such as Pharmac, may not permitted under such agreements. This would be catastrophic for our health system. Pharmac plays a critical role in keeping medicines affordable. New Zealand Not for Sale Alliance members have been working with New Zealand Not For Sale to highlight the dangers of free trade deals. Thanks to those members involved helping organize the nationwide speaking tour by Murray Horton from NZ Not For Sale. We note with concern the growing inequality in New Zealand. The rich are getting rich and the poor getting poorer. The only way to combat this is to make sure that everyone has a liveable wage or benefit funded by a progressive taxation system that sees the rich paying a greater share than those on limited incomes. This is the main stay of Alliance policy and we are still the only political party that takes this stance. Website www.nznotforsale.org To all our members and everyone who has donated time or money or supported us in any way thank you all very much. It is your support that keeps the Alliance Party going. Kay Murray Andrew McKenzie (co leader) (co leader)
Transcript
Newsletter of the Alliance Party June 2011
NEWS
National office: PO Box 2505, South Dunedin 9044, New Zealand. Email: [email protected] Web: www.alliance.org.nz
“Putting People First”
Dear Members,
This year has been a very busy one for the Alliance Party so far.Many of the issues we became involved with last year are still very much to the fore. And we have plenty of new ones that require our attention.
KiwiRail wagons must be built in NZWe are still battling with KiwiRail to get their rolling stock built in New Zealand at their Dunedin and Lower Hutt workshops which have traditionally done this work for our railways. This is the most cost effective way of getting them built and it would keep the money in the country and provide much needed employment. Sadly KiwiRail management and the government seem hell bent on outsourcing the work overseas. However, we will not give up without a fight. We are working hard with Hillside workers, unions and members of the public to try to make them change their minds. Website www.kiwiwagons.wordpress.com
Tax JusticeGST increased to 15% in October last year. Since then Alliance supporters, along with members of the Socialist Worker organization have been to the forefront of a national campaign to have GST taken off food and replaced with a very small financial transactions tax. Financial services are exempt from GST. To date around 40,000 signatures have been collected for the petition. The goal is to get 50,000 signatures before the petition is presented to parliament in August. Many thanks to those of you who have been helping collect signatures. It goes without saying that the Alliance would remove GST on food immediately if we were in government. We are hoping that other parties will adopt GST off Food as a policy once they realize the amount of support for it. Website www.nogstonfood.org
PrivatizationPrivatisation looks set to be a major issue this year with asset sales on the National government’s agenda. Look forward to big increases in power prices if the plan to privatise electricity companies goes ahead. A related concern is the proliferation of free trade agreements which makes it easier for foreign companies to buy New Zealand assets, including services. These agreements threaten our sovereignty and ability to set the rules for trade with our country. Agencies such as Pharmac, may not permitted under such agreements. This would be catastrophic for our health system. Pharmac plays a critical role in keeping medicines affordable.
New Zealand Not for SaleAlliance members have been working with New Zealand Not For Sale to highlight the dangers of free trade deals. Thanks to those members involved helping organize the nationwide speaking tour by Murray Horton from NZ Not For Sale.We note with concern the growing inequality in New Zealand. The rich are getting rich and the poor getting poorer. The only way to combat this is to make sure that everyone has a liveable wage or benefit funded by a progressive taxation system that sees the rich paying a greater share than those on limited incomes. This is the main stay of Alliance policy and we are still the only political party that takes this stance. Website www.nznotforsale.org
To all our members and everyone who has donated time or money or supported us in any way thank you all very much. It is your support that keeps the Alliance Party going.
Kay Murray Andrew McKenzie (co leader) (co leader)
Join us. To find out more about the Alliance, our policies, our local branches or to get a membership form –
• Email us at [email protected]• Write to PO Box 2505, South Dunedin 9044, New Zealand • visit our website www.alliance.org.nz
Authorized by Alliance Party General Secretary Tom Dowie, 1427 Leeston Road, Doyleston, Canterbury
The Alliance is on Facebook. If you are on Facebook, make sure you like our page.http://facebook.com/alliance.party
Tax Justice petition to be presented The Tax Justice petition launched by Socialist Worker and the Alliance Party has been a major success.The Tax Justice petition calls on parliament to:1) Remove GST from food; and2) Tax financial speculation.Since the petition was launched last year 40,000 signatures have been collected. We’re aiming for 50,000.The petition will be received by Su’a William Sio the Labour MP for Mangere at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday 16 August. The petition can also be downloaded from the website or from the Alliance at our mail address below.Campaign website www.nogstonfood.org
Affordable housingThe Alliance will help get people into a home they can afford – our priority is housing for all.
Power for the people Electricity will be taken back by the people and operated for the public good – providing affordable, reliable power for all.
Secure jobsThe Alliance will protect workers in low paid and insecure jobs, reduce the working week and increase the minimum wage.
A future for our worldAn economy based on need and sustainability – not greed – is the answer to protecting the environment. Quality health care All people deserve good health care. The Alliance will properly fund public health with a dedicated health levy.
Free education Free education for all is a right, not a privilege. Student loans are out of control. Let’s drop the debt and give young people a good start in life.
Keep our public assetsThe Alliance will keep our public assets in public ownership for the common good of all people. We will even buy back some assets for the benefit of future generations.
Real democracy New Zealanders have the right to make decisions about their lives and their communities and not to be dictated to by anti-democratic private interests.
Campaign for Kiwi jobsThe Alliance has been busy helping the campaign to build KiwiRail rolling stock in New Zealand workshops.The recent announcement of 41 job losses at Dunedin’s Hillside Workshops is the result of a “great betrayal” of New Zealand by John Key and his National Government.It’s the inevitable result of free trade policies pursued by successive National and Labour Governments, says Alliance transport spokesperson Trevor Hanson.Mr Hanson says KiwiRail is owned by the people of New Zealand and should be operated in their interests.“Our people want to work, they have the skills, they spend their wages in our communities, they live and raise families in our communities. They have been betrayed by an irresponsible National Government and a Prime Minister who has no commitment to New Zealand workers.”Campaign website www.kiwiwagons.wordpress.com
Voters sticking with MMPThe Campaign for MMP says that as the referendum on our voting system nears, opinion polls make it clear that New Zealanders are broadly happy with MMP.A Research NZ poll in 17 June reported that there was a clear preference for MMP at 49 percent, compared with First Past the Post at 33 percent. Sandra Grey, Campaign for MMP spokesperson, said the strong support for MMP echoed support in three other recent polls.“We’re taking calls and emails from members of the public daily about how they can get involved to make sure we keep MMP.”http://www.campaignformmp.org.nz/
