Yesterday at 3pm Auckland Action Against Poverty organised a direct protest action. The location was at the Royal Akorana Yacht Club on Tamaki Drive. The action was aimed at the people attending the National Party summer fundraising party. Our message was clear. The punitive and inhumane treatment of beneficiaries imposed by this government needs to stop.
We arrived armed with banners, signs, a giant inflatable rat and our passion. What began as a crew of twenty quickly swelled to a group of fifty committed and determined activists. As our numbers and determination grew so did the police response. More and more arrived. They were armed with tasers. I hoped no none would get hurt.
I attended because as an advocate at AAAP I see the consequences of the welfare reforms on a daily basis. Last week I met a women who had no money for school uniforms. The WINZ case worker asked her what had happened to last years uniforms. The woman informed her the children had grown. The caseworker asked her if she had proof that the children had grown. Th process of requesting aid to dress your children for school should not be a process that makes people cry. It should not be a routine exercise in humiliation. I am angry and I want the people attending to be aware that the consequences of welfare reform are real. They are having real life dire and devastating consequences.
All we did was yell and chant. We also tried to gain access and disrupt the proceedings with noise. My personal goal was to get anyone attending to think, even for a second, about what could impassion someone enough to get off their arse on a summer Sunday afternoon and yell at them. That is all.
Some of the guests weren’t happy that they were being yelled at. A man in a bright blue jacket was very upset his access was hindered and he couldn’t get straight in to his destination. Bummer. I found it hard to empathise that he was being inconvenienced. We were delaying him from his Pinot. I just thought about how it’s not like getting declined for an emergency food grant. It’s not like getting trespassed for raising your voice so you have no access to services at all. Now that inconvenient.
Meanwhile main stream media, particularly TVOne dismissed us as a ‘rent a crowd’. Sean Plunket on Radio Live said that we are just the usual crew of protesters and give protesting a bad name. We sent out a couple of press releases. If Plunket chooses not to read them and to report while being wilfully ignorant perhaps he is giving journalism a bad name.
Things did get a little heated. We did try and get close. Close and in their face. Impinging on their personal space. Invading their daily lives. It’s an uncomfortable experience isn’t it.
We were joined by a DJ and spoken word poet Tourettes. Tourette’s work is insightful and acerbic. I saw some of the police snigger. We sat down in front of the ministerial cars. They had to sneak Mr Key and Paula Bennett out the back. Why haven’t MSM reported that? Why didn’t they want to come out the front and hear our message? What did they really have to fear? John Key had police and his own security detail. We just had a few protesters with a passionate message.
A suggestion for next time would be to organise a very large quantity of very rotten eggs , tomatoes and dung and film the fun as you literally make a big fucking stink .
Well done all of you for giving the bastards a hurry up . I wish I’d been there .
I’ll donate some rotten eggs.
Sad to say those actions only served to generate sympathy for the PM. Protesting in that manner is a waste of time, it’s just the same old usual routine that people take one look at and carry on with their lives. If you want sympathy from the public for your cause be sympathetic, especially when you’re living off the public purse. Protesters need to start thinking outside the box. the current tactics only lead to public apathy and dismissal.
We receive donations but no government funding. Please see the next comment below outlining the other actions we participate in.
By “living off the public purse” I was referring to the beneficiaries on whose behalf the protest was for. Protests like this do not help their cause. I’m not saying don’t protest, I support the left and am on your side, I’m saying its time to change up the tactics, the argy bargy sideshow makes middle new Zealand roll its eyes and change the channel. The perception is that beneficiaries have an easy go of it. If you want the public to be sympathetic to their their plight, this is the wrong way to go about it.
Nick, so what alternative course of action do you propose?
Yes, I’m really interested in new ideas. They are always welcome.
This protest, the reaction & the blog have reinforced the need for me & others to write more about direct action & why it is still necessary.
here’s another idea, have well dressed protesters scattered around downtown at rush hour with cardboard signs that show the middle class a mirror of themselves on hard times. Have short horror stories of dealing with WINZ on the signs. or something short and sweet, “What would you do if you lost your job?” “What would you do if you lost your home?” etc. “help us make it better so this never has to be you”.
Nick, are you serious? Is this really going to bring change? This country has a great history of being humanitarian and caring to its people. What has happened? We are still waiting for the ‘trickle’ to come ‘down’.
That sounds like an invitation to ridicule…. The lack of credibility that scenario presents would be eaten up by the stooges in the news media….
The only thing that will jolt people out of their torpor is being confronted daily with the stark reality of existence for an increasing number of kiwis… what happened at the yacht club should be happening everywhere the PM goes….. Everywhere except his house that is….. Unless a couple of thousand people could be mustered, and appropriate chants, and songs learnt… Entertain him in his bolthole…
The perception is beneficiaries have an easy go of it eh?
Right, well the first thing is to get said people who have that perception to actually go through the process of application, denial for basic needs, justification for living, and all the rest of the quite strictured environment that beneficiaries go through to seemingly justify being on this very earth.
The argy bargy “sideshow” is very much a direct result of being pilloried, blamed for financial blowouts, not being listened to, being demeaned, talked down to, raged at in editorials of our leading media, put down in countless talkback shows with no justification, called lazy for not getting jobs that see a person applying among 100s of other applicants … I could go on, as that is merely the start of an epic 6 year state of not listening while they tot up the cash handouts to Rio Tinto, Sky City, failed investment houses and letting our banks – offshore Australian banks at that – abuse the system to the tune of billions, not to mention an IRD that seems inept at collecting on clear cut tax evasion while our screaming media and so-called MP’s blame the financial hole on our most vulnerable, and their supporters in the comments bleat on and on and bloody on about vulnerable people in our society somehow “wanting” to be in poverty.
It’s a screaming mess, the likes of which led to a shooting already and hundreds of thousands of kids in poverty, and the fact is, after all that – they’re STILL NOT LISTENING
MBIE just spend 360K on their furniture for heavens sake among all this!! That’s a slap an no mistake…
Seriously – protest action at this level really only happens or has to happen when it is clear, abundantly clear, that the normal channels have elicited not a whit of that ear that is supposed to be listening to vulnerable peoples very real, very human needs…
John hits the heart of it. if you want to change the perception, run a campaign focused on the reality of being a beneficiary. The reality is very different to the perception. I don’t know what the resources are like at AAAP but here’s an idea, setup a fake winz office in Aotea square and invite the public to the “beneficiary experience” show people what its actually like. Show them how easily it could be them in that position if they fall on hard times. People are generally selfish in nature and will only care when they see whats in it for them.
I understand being angry and frustrated but getting confrontational damages any public sympathy you might have. It gets spun into “ungrateful bludgers” every time. you need the public on your side to boost your numbers before a big confrontation otherwise you’re just 50 “rent a crowd” “professional protesters” and the public changes the channel.
Although I was hesitant to give you some credit, Nick, I think you have a point. That is the fact that any protests where there is the more traditional chanting, shouting, forming of lines and pushing and shoving, or random attempts to occupy an spot, have lost much appeal.
One reason is that society has changed, and even many at the bottom of the pile do not bother engaging in physical protests anymore, they rather find other, discrete ways of dishing out their anger and frustrations, some online on blogs, some by simply shutting off and not participating in society, which is totally dominated by the middle class.
Others are too “pampered” and rather play with their little electronic gadgets, flee into privacy and individualism and fall for consumerism, to find some “fulfillment”.
And the media has actually a heck of a lot to answer to the situation we have also, as they have been portraying beneficiaries as the lazy, apathetic, disinterested, self serving “bludgers” that live off the taxes of the majority. Crime is more prevalent in poorer circles, due to the pressures of survival, but also as a form of dissent, hence there are statistically more on benefits that may also have participated in some illegal activities. The MSM adds all this together and has formed a very nasty, negative perception of those on benefits.
Add the middle class lecturing mentality, and moralising tendencies, and you get what we have. Add also the endless commercial advertising, the strong emphasis on work and consumerism, and it gets worse.
Most people have no clue what life on the benefit is like, and they are fed all the mentioned negativity, and when they see the hand selected footage that mainstream media show, the biased, negative impressions get reinforced, and there is no sympathy to be found.
Hence you are right, new forms of protest need to be found, bearing in mind the way media operate and also select their “news”. The MSM must be frontally challenged also, about the way they present news. But in some ways thy need to be tied in, not on their terms. So it is a very difficult challenge to deal with this, and to find the right approach to stand up, fight for and raise the concerns of the poorest of the poor, and the voiceless on benefits.
An assertive approach is needed, but maybe new ideas for chants, for assemblies, formations and how placards, physical and non physical expressions are used.
Perhaps AAAP should open a line for ideas to be presented, so they can flow in, and be analysed and used for developing new ways?
Nick said
“run a campaign focused on the reality of being a beneficiary.”
ANSWER;
This would be automatically done if the public tax purse that runs our Public media, will equally represent any hardship issues such as trying to survive on my pension or any unemployed folks today also struggling to keep our heads above the debt collectors Nick.
Maybe you don’t yet realise the public media in NZ is now gaged and heavily controlled by the Government?
They are embargoed to allowing any hardship community stories that badly reflect on the Government.
You seem to act as you are above the life of the have not’s, and maybe you need to get real.
Mike above recognises that perceptions matter. You point out the biases of the media but then play right into those biases by giving them the perfect soundbites to perpetuate their stereotypes. That’s not a media conspiracy, that’s a failure to manage your message. That’s what I’m advocating here, managing your message in a way that will resonate with the majority so you’re not made out to be the “rent a crowd” once again. But hey, if you’re happy with your results, keep at it and good luck to you.
Nick,
Please what is the right way ? We need results not more Bulls..t, many New Zealanders are really struggling, they want meaningful work, with a liveable wage.
Handouts are the pits.
So please tell me how to get this message across to those evil politicians that we pay so well to screw us into the ground.
The above Nick is not me. I can only apologize on behalf of contributors also called Nick. The ” living off the Public Purse” thing was gratuitous and irrelevant, but not unknown among the myopic opinions of the complacent Right.
test
Does your group do anything else other than protest? Do you actually volunteer your own time and money to helping out those less fortunate in society?
I ask because a lot of people say that are concerned about others in poverty which is of cause something to be concerned about, but all they do is protest like yourself and or vote for a political party to take money off others to fund social welfare.
Mate have you heard of Auckland Action Against Poverty? I imagine a lot, if not most, of their staff are volunteers.
Charity and volunteer work won’t solve the problem it will only deal with the effects of poverty not the cause. But taking ‘money off others to fund social welfare’ will certainly help.
Funny, Stephen, I was going to ask you the same thing.
But really, let’s get honest here. What your parroted cliches really mean is; Do Not Protest – accept this government without dissent.
Because I’ll bet you 10-1 that if it was Shane Ardern driving his tractor up Parliament’s steps – as he did in September 2003 – protesting against Labour’s “flatulence tax”, you’d be cheering those National Party protesters on. Eh?
Due to the benefit of the terminally stupid (you) I would like to point out there is a difference between protesting a tax and protesting to get more money from government. Protesting a tax is where you don’t want the government to take money from you, whereas protesting for more social welfare is where you want government to take more money off someone else.
Thanks Stephen, for confirming to everyone that you are a greedy, tax avoiding/evading, self absorbed, anti- community, anti-New Zealand, neoliberal, National Party supporter. Just like the rest of the National Party Trolls that pipe up with their greedy, selfish comments. The ideal society for you and your Judas National Party mates, is a feudal society. One in which there is a massive pool of desperate unemployed pool in a landscape of zero-hour contracts!
Frank,
All these negative bloggers are just NatZ props.
They just insulate themselves from reality while they embrace the greedy rule of Key Planet ruling ideology nowadays.
So the answer is that none of them would donate their time to help the less fortunate.
Actually Stephen yes we do.
We operate in three distinct ways. We offer an advocacy service for people on benifits, working with them & when necessary accompanying them into WINZ , ensuring they are getting full entitlements.
We address issues pertaining to legislation & research. This includes engaging in the parliamentary process.
Finally, we organise direct actions, bringing the plight of the poor to public notice.
I personally volunteer every one day a week & we have many volunteers that commit more time.
Kate.
Seriously, there is little point in advocating for people by way of protest, it just weakens your cause, and your own voice, 80% of NZ think Sue Bradford etc is a raving screaming lunatic. But if you are serious about engaging in a positive way in parliamentary process, i take my hat off to you.
However, instead of getting more handouts, more welfare, why don’t you spend your time teaching these people how to live, earn, and manage themselves better – its not all about the government (any government) providing endless handouts.
The old Adage, give a man a fish, he feeds himself today, teach him to fish, he feeds himself and his family forever.
Admiration for giving your time.
David H – thank you for your parroted cliches.
Unfortunately, not much fish left in our waters – multinational conglomerates have pillaged most of our coastline, and the drought has left our rivers shallow streams.
As for “hand outs” – I trust you’ll be paying the state back for all your (near-)free education and any hospital visits you’ve had over the years? Oh, and don’t forget to reimburse the State for all your subsidised medication (courtesy PHARMAC).
Plus the roads you use (taxpayer funded); telecommunications (infra-structure originally payer funded); Cook Straight ferry (ditto); Air NZ (you guessed it); and oh, turn the power off while you’re at it – yup, taxpayers built it all up.
Every last bit of it.
Your call.
Wow…did you get that patronising naturally or is this something you have practised? I’m wondering if this condition is nurture or nature?
We do ‘seriously engage in a positive way.’ We lobby and make submissions and everything!
How about you come down to WINZ with me. Bring some fishing nets and see how that pans out. Perhaps you could child mind?
To recommend thrift to the poor is both grotesque and insulting. It is like advising a man who is starving to eat less.
“The old Adage, give a man a fish, he feeds himself today, teach him to fish, he feeds himself and his family forever.”
I look forward to the many highly paid CEOs, managers, and shareholders earning their nice dividends every year, to forego their salaries, dividends and profits, and settle for a set of tools to go out fishing for their dinner every day.
Leadership starts with leading by example.
With the grandiose, extremely selfish “entitlement attitude” that prevails amongst the wealthy and top earners in this country, and also many middle class “professionals”, always justifying their salaries, and how “hard” it is to buy property in expensive Auckland now, perhaps a culture change needs to start at the very top!?
The fish starts stinking from its head, they say, I think, so there is some stuff to think about.
Stop lecturing the poorest of the poor about learning how to fish, when the tools available are not shared out on equal terms, like where those that have had private school elite education, achieved tertiary degrees and had better off parents offering a better starting opportunity, had a much easier start with great advantages.
Also do not forget the “networks” there are, often it is who you know, not what you know, to get “ahead” in work and so.
Well oiled network connections have helped a many to get where they are. This applies to many in the middle class also, where relatives or friends working in certain positions in companies and so may “put in a word” for those they favour, also inter-generationally.
Saying this, I believe strongly in education and training, but that alone does not solve all issues we have.
Stephen use some common sense. Wouldn’t the group of people so empassioned about standing up for the poor that they do it publicly be the most likely to offer support in real terms??
So basically you tell beneficiaries how to game the system.
Stephen, you do the same, its called an accountant
Well actually I don’t however if I did use an accountant it would be for the purpose of keeping as much of the money I have earnt from being taken off me by the government.
By ‘keeping as much of the money I have earnt from being taken off me by the government’ you basically mean “keeping as much of the money for myself so I can buy more stuff, and not contributing to a fair society with strong infrastructure”.
Interesting question. And what does your group do Stephen…when they tire of trampling the faces of widows and orphans, of course?
Good on you. Its ironic that we are paying for the security protecting the pm, from us. A nd seriously nobody with half a brain believes the lies coming out of the msm mouths.
Good on you guys! A voice for the voiceless.
Is sniggering police people par for the course these days??
because they wear the uniform they are in the right??
Defenders of their own warped ideals values and opinions
and their god jkey
I have personally come across these sniggering pirihimana,
watching from afar the violence and santimonious attitude made me run across the road and help the elderly obviously poor, mentaly handicapped woman who was being man handled into the police car for asking passersby for directions to her street.
When I got to the car and said I would help her find her way home in peace, the police sneered (raised lip) at me and said take her home if we find her on the street today she will be arrested.
Cleaning up the streets of that which is unpleasant to acknowledge, seemed was their only purpose.
Why they just didn’t take her home, only they and the shop keeper that rang them knew.
That one incident put me off pirihimana for a large part of my adult life.
It was years later I found an extraordinary police man that changed my perspective, a man so humble and caring I wondered what he was doing in that line of work, what he told me was a family member was treated harshly by police and he wanted to make a difference.
That he did.
The police thick blue line guarding key and his cohorts yesterday all look like those from years ago, to forcefully throw a woman away from their god key just brought that feeling of disgust again.
No matter how passionate protesters get, I am grateful for them to stand up and be counted and photgraphed and probable be harassed in the future,
I am also thankful that we have the freedom to protest in this country, but for how long is any one’s guess.
Those blue jacket wearers do not know of the poverty that exists in NZ as they would never be on that street, in that house or even know people who know 3rd hand about poverty, that is why they deny it exists, because it doesn’t in their world.
Kia kaha to you all that have the courge to stand up for those who can’t.
How did they sneak Paula Bennett out of anything? I mean 10 out of 10 for that conjuring act, it would be like sneaking out a leopard skinned Zeppelin.
As for Plunkett, that Hosking Minime, if you listen to his show, perhaps only because it’s some kind of court imposed punishment for lude behaviour, I can reassure you it does nothing for the cause of journalism.
Love the rat, extremely symbolic!
“We also tried to gain access and disrupt the proceedings with noise.”
So they don’t have the right to meet without interference from rent-a-mob?
‘Rent a Mob’ you say? Who is their agent? Many a time I’ve had a need for such services that they may provide but alas until now I didn’t think they existed. But you say they do, ergo, they must.
Andrew – “rent a mob”?!
Well, hell! No one told me I could get paid for being part of a demo!! When did this happen?!
Dayum!!
If we are being paid I wanna be there.
If we get paid for protesting, Delia, I’m giving up my day-time job!! 😀
We showed them all the respect that this government shows beneficiaries. I would even suggest we showed them more respect. None of them left crying & hungry.
Exactly what I was thinking, Kate !
Boo hoo the Tories got shouted at during their luncheon party, oh well, at least they can afford counselling !
And they can afford luncheon, a party and security protecting them – which is more than I can say for our starving thousands.
@ Andrew ! Oh My God !
The Rubicon has finally been crossed ! Thank you . x
Your stupidity , hard won ignorance and simple minded narrative is no longer to be regarded as a given for being a sound perspective . God ! What a relief that is .
So , snark on . Your absurd and crass opinions ( I.E. Beating up those whom your heros made most vulnerable and at risk ) are no longer fashionable darling . Yay !
Rent a mob? it’s hard to find good paying work, these days. And it sounds like they are doing the Lord’s work, too. Win win.
Typical political bullshit, protect themselves from the truth by hiring the law to form a line. Even more typical of Key and Co., is to hide and ignore the truth. Even more typical of Keys responsibilities, to sneak out and do a runner from the truth.
What did they have to fear? The tarnishing of the only thing they have ever had to offer – Their popularity. Even that is not worth what it used to be though.
Well done! 🙂 Trying to get through to these smug self aggrandising scum: well you’d have a better chance with aliens from another Planet. In fact yes! They live on Planet Key, Greed and contempt for the have nots! After all it’s their own fault! This is 3rd World Shit believe me.
Maybe they had a rock to the face to fear? Hone will confirm that. Such ratbags attend these protests, I think they acted wisely.
Mr Jones, Nth Korea called – your Exit Visa has expired and it is time to return home, pronto.
Proof-read, Mr Jones, this is meaningless or perhaps says the opposite of your meaning. It may be hard to focus when filled with a passionate intensity.
So sad that we have such a childish PM. When asked about the protesters in front of his car, he had to get a dig in. His gem was, “Well, I went to a chinese event,” If he had poked his tongue out I wouldn’t have been surprised.
Go the protesters!..and may there be many more to come. This country is in a sad state of affairs. I am surprised there isn’t a protest a day, at the rate of this governments stuff ups!
If a society is judged and measured by the way it treats is weakest most vulnerable people of society?
Then the John Key and National have been assessed, measured and judged as incompetent leaders that lack any compassion, and any concept of social justice.
2013 OCC child poverty monitor claims 1 out of every 4 children in NZ are living in impoverished conditions that’s ” 280,000 ” Kiwi Children living in different levels of poverty!!
There are no formal indicators or monitors that measure homeless people living in sheds, living in cars, living on the streets or living in over crowded houses.
This is a “direct result” of National and Labour governments.
Still the sale of OUR state houses remains on the table.
30 years of neo-liberal free market economics has taken its toll on NZ Society. Privatization and asset sales, welfare reforms, cut backs in health and education has directly or indirectly hurt all Kiwis in one way or another.
Auckland Action Against Poverty and supporters are saying enough is enough!!
John Key and the National govt have the power to end the suffering that their policies are inflicting on kiwi families !!
It just amazes me how John Key and the National government can sleep knowing that they are directly responsible for the suffering of many kiwi families and children.
So much for the Rock star economy!!
If society is judged by the way it treats it’s weakest members of society, then in reality Aoteaora has been reduced to a game of Mafia Wars 🙁
Well said, Ben Barton !
“You reap what you sow”, mofo’s !
It seems that the Young Nats are in a froth over their Dear Leader being upset by protestors. The comments here are more hysterical than usual…?!
Rent a mob, that’s the police their referring too isn’t it?
I mean, I see:
1 maori
1 indian/asian
3 white female
14 white male police.
“Our message was clear. The punitive and inhumane treatment of beneficiaries imposed by this government needs to stop.”
Any person who knows AAAP (Auckland Action Against Poverty) and what they stand for, would have known instantly, what the protest would have been about!
Those that may not have known, could easily have “googled” AAAP on the internet and enlightened themselves. There is also a Facebook page the advocacy and activist group has.
So yes, it is astonishing, well, to be honest disgusting, to have the MSM (mainstream media) pretend they did not know what all this was about. This is not just ignorance, this is intentional ignorance, as the upper middle class catering MSM journalists that are the usual “staff” they employ these days, are firmly in the pocket of the business friendly government and privately owned and dominated media. As TVNZ is trying to “live up to” the “standard” of the dominant media (in private ownership and control), they simply follow the trend.
Truth is, they do not give a damned shit about beneficiaries, about those on the minimum wage and so, as they are not “newsworthy”, unless an emotional “sob story” about “unfairness” of a hand-picked individual, “trying hard” is found and presented.
Also many of the media do not like to “get themselves dirty”, or “endanger” their well manicured and made up looks, or even get a wrinkle or spilled spot on their suites or dresses, by such perceived “riff raff” that comes from the “lower section” of society.
As for the police, they are usually just the free of charge (private) security firm in official blue uniforms (and in plain clothes), that loyally protect the National Party and their senior members. They are on mates’ terms, and that usually means very warm terms.
So no wonder then, the noisy, outspoken, a bit pushy protest was portrayed as being “violent”, while there was more violence dished out by the cops than anybody else. A bit push and shove is often part of a lively front line of a protest, and as only one person was charged after all, that shows the police realised, there was not enough reason to prosecute participants for their conduct.
I was not surprised to hear the Radio Live (Crap) station team on yesterday afternoon, believe it or not, bot former ACT MPs, Rodney Hide and Deborah Coddington, also rubbish Sue Bradford and her “renta mob”. What else do you expect of right leaning mercenaries that pollute the studios 24/7 these days, apart from the odd exception.
It is free game now for these “hosts” and “moderators” and “reporters”, to rubbish discredit, attack and insult those that dare to speak out, stand up and raise issues now, and who dare to challenge the government.
Almost nobody else bothers now, not even Labour, apart from pet topics, they think will be of concern to the “centre” voters. We have a situation in NZ, where democracy is a farce, nothing else, where there is NO true media anymore, and where dissent is either intentionally ignored, marginalised or silenced right from the start.
Welcome to George Orwell’s 1984 “remake”, made in 2015, in Aotearoa NZ (now without a black flag, you know why).
And do not forget what welfare means now, it is NZ’s form of workfare:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/bratt-aylward-shifting-your-primary-focus-to-health-and-capacity-june-2013.pdf
Check out more on ‘nzsocialjusticeblog2013’ (google it).
I’d like to be part of a protest, but I’m too scared to. As are many of my fellow beneficiaries. Why? Well Paula et al did a pretty good job of making it clear there would be penalties for daring to criticise (remember those 2 women who went public with their concerns, and Paula’s subsequent appalling privacy breach?). Her tactics worked. Unfortunately this is a very small country and many of us don’t want to be seen on TV where we would more than likely be identified a) as a beneficiary- many of us are trying to hide that fact from private landlords and potential employers for example- and b) identified by WINZ and suddenly subject to a “random” audit. 10 years ago that might’ve been paranoia on our part but it’s reality now.
The last protest march I went on was the Ruthenasia one in 1991 in Auckland, but that wasn’t limited to beneficiaries. But even getting one of those together again would be near impossible now- the low paid can’t risk losing their jobs by taking time off, students are paying so much in fees they literally can’t afford to miss classes anymore (I noticed student protests fizzled out as fees went up), and what I said about beneficiaries. So how to get us all together? Got to give the govt credit for that at least. Their plan worked brilliantly, they’ve got us running scared.
What you write here is very, very true for so many out there, and it is frightening, what has become of the society in New Zealand.
People do not even dare claiming what they are entitled to under existing law, as it may deliver a “negative perception”.
So there is a very strong pressure out there, to conform and to make and do the best with as little as a person may have, rather than ask for your rights, claim any entitlement, raise any questions, let alone pose any challenges.
This is a form of collective bullying, a new, modern day mob society we have, that does on the surface pretend to be “liberal” and “free” and “open”, but when you look at it more closely, it is often quite the opposite.
There is a lot of nastiness, and the powers that exist in the establishment, that includes employers, landlords and state agencies, they now do more than ever before seem to keep an eye on who does and says what, and whether this is “acceptable” or not.
Of course they will operate “carefully” in most cases, but they will see, read, know and act accordingly, when you will come and need any “services” from them.
And when people do then use the blogs and pseudonyms, they get accused of not being “open” and “up front”.
Despite of all “progress”, it seems society has in many ways not improved that much at all, yes it is in someways moving backwards rather fast, with reactionary elements ensuring this happens.
The government can sit back, as others do the job for them, including an increasingly biased, selectively and superficially reporting, not investigating journalistic profession, as the whole MSM “media”.
This is exactly how “divide and rule” works!
Great to see some direct action….we need more of this so the msm can’t ignore the plight and the protests.
JKs dismissal of the protesters is the usual flannel and if the msm wont hold him to account then we have to.
This country has a great history of change via protests and change of policy due to public opinion and expression……..so lets continue…and change either this government or it’s policies
And by the way ?
Did anyone ask the cops what they thought about protecting the architects of our political status quo when that status quo is demonstrably corrupt ?
I bet they were as embarrassed as Hell .
They love it. They don’t serve the public, their oath is to HRH.
Hey Mods, how the hell did Tim O’Shea’s sixth point get past you?
Meconism – thank you for alerting me. I’m not sure how that got past me or whoever may’ve approved Tim’s comment. The comment has been deleted and Tim has one week suspension. The seriousness of this cannot be over-stated and irresponsible allegations such as Tim’s leaves us wide open to an expensive defamation suit. Anyone else silly enough to repeat unproven allegations against Mike Sabin (or anyone else) will be given time out. The warning I’m giving is simple, people: DON’T DO IT!
As Hitler did they are using divide & rule and next will install a security agency similar to the infamous Gestapo to interrogate and incinerate all dissenters like those of us who protest against the Government and their leader.
so Nick. Do you get that the beneficiaries are not responsible for the hole in the budget. Last year there were many prosecutions of beneficiaries who had apparently ripped off the tax payer. Lots of them made front page news. Yet in 2012 the IRDA identified $5 billion in tax evasion and there was one conviction. The rest doesn’t really make the news. I feel sorry for people like you, one day you will realise that the right has taken you for a ride mate.
I mean today the govt allowed ACC levies to remain artificially high so as to collect an extra $128 million to help balance the books. That’s a direct rip off, a tax by stealth. Might be time to question that which you are so keen to swallow. The truth is the right is laughing at the middle class it is the middle class that is about to be wiped out by the housing bubble, but I’m sure you will be able to blame that on the beneficiaries.
Kay, what you say is true, but buy yourself one of those plain white masks, and join the protests, its all about numbers. The more the merrier.
The entire welfare system must be seen in the context of how the government has CHOSEN to control inflation, and manage debt slavery. Until we who are interested in this changing, start talking about how this works, we are stuck.
I seem to remember reading in some puff piece somewhere, that little johnny numnums idolised Rob Muldoon…
I can say this much, that Muldoon wouldn’t have slunk off the back door to get away from the protest..He would have fronted them !!
Love him, or loathe him, the man had the nuts to stand up for what he believed in… The fact that he was even known to use his fists to make his point puts him many orders of magnitude higher in class than numnums will even dream of, ever…. From day one numnums has had a ring of tough guys to protect him, even inside parliament(a fact completely brushed aside as irrelevant by our psuedo msm)… This is the hallmark of a coward…..A coward who knows that he’s been given a job to do, and provided with the vehicle to do it(national party), all the support he could need(fourth estate). He has known since well before 2008 that the task he was sent here to do was going to huert many people, and cause much heartache, and anger.. Hence his surrounding himself with a ring of police protection at the outset of his tenure….This isn’t a “leader of society” that has a strong belief in his philosophical basis.. This is a corporate troll who only wants to do a job for the “masters” so that he can take his reward in the knowledge that him, and his family will be insulated from the outcomes created by the traitorous, and inhumane agenda of the owners of NZ’s national party…
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