Is it time for Maori, the poor, environmentalists, Gen Y + X to #occupyWINZ ?

By
Martyn Bradbury
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41
40

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Is it time for a new mass civil disobedience movement to create momentum against the National Party of NZ?

Yes.

This Government and their mainstream media enablers continue to govern because of an unholy alliance between crony corporate welfare benefactors,  property bubble seduced middle classes and the negative egalitarian anti-intellectual sleepy hobbits who uncritically view the world with vacant aspiration.

A plague on all their investment properties.

The poor, Maori, Environmentalists, Gen X and Y are all being destroyed by John Key and his Government.

Do we allow the poor to continue living as tenants in their own nation?

Rental nightmare: Are our tenants second-class citizens?

Do we shrug at the 305 000 kids in poverty?

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Survey shows low and middle decile schools using their resources to help feed hungry pupils.

Do we accept the draconian way in which welfare is being limited so the Government can manufacture a surplus while they borrow billions in tax cuts for the rich?

Stoush erupts over benefit figures – good news, or bad news?

Do we accept a do nothing approach to global warming when the planet is on track for a dangerous and catastrophic climate change?

Key told not to attend Paris and to pull NZ delegation

Do we accept a generational theft on a level never seen before in politics as Gen Y and X continue to be drowned in debt while other generations get subsidised from cradle to grave?

Housing, hope and ideology

Renters much worse off than owners

Do we accept a system that continues to prejudice Maori?

Stats show Maori still facing discrimination

Do we accept the poor and sick to be lower class citizens?

Cancer Society attacks ‘ludicrous’ benefit requirements for cancer patients

Do we accept a corrupt global economics set to once again meltdown?

Short Squeeze, Liquidity, Margin Debt and Deflation

Home Flipping Frenzy in Sydney Sparks Warnings on Housing Risks

Do we accept a Government spying on its own citizens for America?

Julian Assange compares his situation to Kim Dotcom’s extradition case

Do we accept allowing our Government to be usurped by transnational corporations via a Forced Trade deal like the TPPA?

TPP fine print needed on land sales

Jane Kelsey: Govt spin won’t stop TPP facts emerging

Grant Robertson: TPP adds to housing problem

Fewer investor checks under TPP

Bryan Gould: Dairy tariffs still in place – why did we sign TPP?

I say no more.

Progressive change in this country has only ever occurred when people are prepared to step up and fight. Our political ‘opposition’ is full of people wanting to work with John Key – I say that you can’t work with anyone who abuses political power in the manner John Key and his mass surveillance state have established.

You can’t work with a Government who colludes with the Secret Intelligence Services to smear political opponents.

You can’t work with a Government that manipulates and lies in conjunction with far right hate bloggers.

You can’t work with a Government hell bent on silencing critical voices in the media.

You can’t work with a Government that hates Unions and the poor with the passion they do.

All you can do is resist and fight.

I think no department highlights the Governments contempt for us as citizens better than WINZ. This department cuts off the poor from welfare by raising thresholds, they terrify and bully beneficiaries and they are the sharp end of policy aimed at punishing the poor.

So how can we fight back when almost the entire political spectrum of opposition wants to work with Key?

We fight on our own.

Imagine if throughout the country at different times, spontaneously, environmentalists, beneficiaries, the poor, Gen X and Y and Maori all converged on WINZ Offices throughout NZ and occupied outside them. That every cell group organise and then take to social media with #occupyWINZ. That we call for a real benefit to live on, that we call for serious momentum on climate change, affordable houses and jobs with dignity. That we occupy the outside of as many WINZ Offices as we can for as long as we can and start shutting them down. That we take a stand and use social media to promote the protests.

Share this post around, pass it to friends – if all those NZers being impacted negatively by this Government made a stand, they couldn’t keep pretending there are no issues? What do you have to lose if you are Maori other than a system that is biased against you? What do you have to lose if you are Gen X or Y other than that debt cycle that locks you out of home ownership. What do you have to lose if you are a beneficiary who is already being traumatised by WINZ? What do you have to lose as an environmentalist other than forcing the Government to listen?

The more people join and start occupying their own local WINZ Office, the bigger the movement becomes.

The reality is that this Government won’t do a damned thing and the media will remain deaf dumb and blind unless we are prepared to fight.

Turning up with tents, sleeping bags and occupying outside the local WINZ office handing out information to beneficiaries on how the Government is hurting them and updating your protest action on social media could cause a momentum to force change. Shutting down WINZ Offices until they start looking after the poor rather than bully and punish them would force the Government to address the real concerns of those on the bottom of society, and while we have their attention allow us to take them to task for intergenerational theft and climate change denial.

Bernard Hickey makes the case for an uprising here…

Only in 2029 would the enormity of what happened to the nation’s finances in the previous 30 years have dawned on voters in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

Only 49 per cent of those aged 18-29 voted in 2014. By 2029, that proportion will be much higher. When they look back over those decades of political decisions leading up to 2029, what will they see?

They will have seen a raft of policies stretching from the 1980s onwards that repeatedly blocked the building of new houses and infrastructure, particularly public transport.

They will have seen the dismantling of free tertiary education by a generation that benefited from it. They will have seen the results of a superannuation set-up that loaded the costs on to the workers of 2015-2030, not on the retirees.

That’s because contributions to Super were turned off in 2009 and not turned back on until 2023. That will have cost more than $121b by 2029.

Superannuation spending will have risen from $9.9b this year to $23.4b by 2029, and Treasury is forecasting a rise to $100b by 2060. That’s on top of a surge in health costs as the population aged and got fatter.

By 2029, taxpaying voters in their 30, 40s and 50s will be facing massive pressures on public finances, potentially forcing tax increases and cuts in social spending without changes to the pension and health settings.

It will be too late to extend the retirement age by then, but there will be a big push to means test superannuation and health spending for the aged.

The unfair link of Super to wages, rather than price inflation, will be revisited.

There will be talk of widening taxes on capital and land to hoover up some of the wealth those retirees held in property.

The inevitable results of climate change will be clear for all to see.

 …we could wait until 2029 or we could start fighting now.

By the way. Here is a list of every street address of every WINZ Office in NZ.

Dargaville

Street address:
68-72 Normanby Street

Kaikohe Community Link

Street address:
7 Memorial Avenue

Kaitaia Community Link

Street address:
Shops 1, 2 + 3
34-36 Commerce St

Kamo Community Link

Street Address
424 Kamo Road
Whangarei

Kawakawa Community Link

Street address:
62 Gillies Street

Kerikeri

Street address:
Keri Centre
Fairway Drive

Onerahi

Street address:
Shop 6, Onerahi Mall
116 Onerahi Road

Whangarei Community Link

Street address:
Walton Plaza
3-5 Albert Street

Albany Community Link

Street address:
44 Corinthian Drive

Avondale Community Link

Street address:
44-48 Rosebank Road

Birkenhead Community Link

Street address:
87 Birkenhead Avenue

Browns Bay

Street address:
97 Clyde Road

Clendon

Street address:
Clendon Shopping Centre
Corner Palmers Road and Roscommon Road

Glenfield

Street address:
1 Peach Road

Glenmall Community Link

Street address:
20 Oates Road

Grey Lynn Community Link

Street address:
562 Richmond Road

Helensville

Street address:
34-38 Commercial Road

Highland Park Community Link

Street address:
491 Pakuranga Road

Hunters Corner Community Link

Street address:
139 Great South Road

Mangere Community Link

Street address:
93 Mascot Avenue

Manukau Community Link

Street address:
18 Amersham Way
Manukau City

Manurewa Community Link

Street address:
12 Selwyn Road

Mount Albert Community Link

Street address:
Shop 2 and 3
945a New North Road

Mount Eden Community Link

Street address:
191 – 193 Dominion Rd

New Lynn Community Link

Street address:
5-9 Hugh Brown Drive

Onehunga Community Link

Street address:
201-211 Onehunga Mall

Orewa

Street address:
27 Florence Ave
Orewa

Otahuhu Community Link

Street address:
4 Fairburn Road

Otara

Street address:
52-60 Lovegrove Crescent

Papakura Community Link

Street address:
20-22 Queen Street

Papatoetoe Community Link

Street address:
17 Shirley Road

Pukekohe Community Link

Street address:
9 – 11 Tobin Street

Queen Street Community Link

Street address:
Level 3
450 Queen Street

Takapuna

Street address:
519 Lake Road

Tamaki Community Link

Street address:
Unit 1
40 – 42 Mayfair Place
Glen Innes
Auckland 1072

Three Kings Community Link

Street address:
Three Kings Plaza 536
Mt Albert Road

Waiheke Island Community Link

Street address:
Shop 1
116 Ocean View Road
Oneroa

Waitakere Community Link

Street address:
36-44 Sel Peacock Drive
Waitakere

Waitakere Outreach Community Link

Street address:
4 Pioneer Street
Henderson

Waiuku Community Link

Street address:
57B Queen Street

Warkworth Community Link

Street address:
Winscombe Mall
37 Queen Street

Westgate Community Link

Street address:
22-24 Cabernet Crescent
Westgate
Auckland 0614

Cambridge

Street address:
69 Duke Street

Dinsdale Community Link

Street address:
Shop 14
Dinsdale Shopping Centre

Five Cross Roads Community Link

Street address:
3 Fifth Avenue

Glenview

Street address:
Glenview Shopping Centre
Ohaupo Road

Hamilton Central Community Link

Street address:
317 Victoria Street

Hamilton East Community Link

Street address:
126 Grey Street

Hamilton Outreach

Street address:
468 Anglesea Street
Hamilton

Huntly Community Link

Street address:
160 Main Street

Matamata Community Link

Street address:
78 Arawa Street

Morrinsville

Street address:
239 Thames Street

Ngaruawahia Community Link

Street address:
Corner Newcastle and Gallileo Street

Paeroa Community Link

Street address:
Corner Te Aroha and Rotokohu Roads

Te Awamutu Community Link

Street address:
105 Sloane Street

Thames Community Link

Street address:
646 Pollen Street

Waihi Community Link

8am – 5.00pm daily except Wed 9.30am – 5.00pm

Street address:
16 Seddon Street

Greerton

Street address:
53 Courtney Road
Gate Pa

Kawerau

Street address:
Tarawera Mall
Plunket Street

Mt. Maunganui

Street address:
9 Owens Place
Bayfair

Murupara

Street address:
41 Pine Drive

Opotiki

Street address:
93 Church Street

Rotorua Community Link

Street address:
Ground floor
1207 Pukuatua Street
Rotorua 3010

Taupo Community Link (Heartlands)

Street address:
77 Heuheu Street

Tauranga

Street address:
Corner Durham Street and Springs Street

Te Puke

Street address:
99 Jellicoe Street

Tokoroa Community Link

Street address:
8-10 Torphin Crescent

Turangi Community Link

Street address:
Ohuanga Road

Whakatane Community Link

Street address:
24 Pyne Street

Flaxmere Community Link

Street address:
8 Swansea Road

Gisborne

Street address:
Tangata Rite Building
Lowe Street

Hastings Community Link

Street address:
506 Eastbourne Street West
Hastings 4122

Kaiti

Street address:
Kaiti Mall
Wainui Road

Napier

Street address:
Working age clients – Ground Floor,
Vautier House, corner Dalton and Vautier Street

Ruatoria

Street address:
32 Barry Avenue

Taradale Community Link

Street address:
15 Lee Road

Waipukurau

Street address:
1 Marlborough Street

Wairoa Community Link

Street address:
236 Marine Parade

Hawera Community Link

Street address:
Unit 1, 15 Union Street

Marton

Street address:
238-248 Broadway

New Plymouth Community Link

Street address:
Duncan Dovico House
Gill Street

Stratford

Street address:
65-67 Miranda Street
Stratford 4332

Taihape

Street address:
58 Tui Street

Taumarunui

Street address:
Meredith House
Marae Street

Te Kuiti Community Link

Street address:
45 Taupiri Street

Waitara

Street address:
25 Queen Street

Whanganui

Street address:
133 Wicksteed Street
Whanganui 4500

Dannevirke Community Link

Street address:
79 High Street

Feilding Community Link

Street address:
110-114 Manchester Street

Foxton

Street address:
Corner Wharf and Main Streets

Horowhenua Community Link

Street address:
Corner Salisbury & Durham Streets

Kapiti Coastlands

Street address:
Coastlands Shopping Complex
Rimu Road
Paraparaumu

Otaki

Street address:
84 Mill Street

Palmerston North Main Street

Street address:
521 Main Street

Wairarapa / Masterton Community Link

Street address:
49-51 Lincoln Road

Johnsonville

Street address:
33-39 Johnsonville Road

Kilbirnie Community Link

Street address:
32-34 Bay Road

Lower Hutt / Lower Hutt Super

Street address:
317-327 High Street

Naenae Community Link

Street address:
2 Vogel Street

Newtown Community Link

Street address:
94-96 Riddiford Street

Porirua Community Link

Street address:
4 Lydney Place

Upper Hutt / Upper Hutt Super

Street address:
162-164 Main Street

Wainuiomata Community Link

Street address:
Shop 6, The Mall

Wellington / Wellington Super

Street address:
Ground Floor
Freemason House
195 Willis Street
Wellington

Blenheim Community Link

Street address:
Riverview House
3 Alfred Street

Greymouth Community Link

Street address:
112-116 Mackay Street
Greymouth 7805

Hokitika

Street address:
Heartlands Centre
49 Tancred Street
Hokitika 7810

Kaikoura

Street address:
Heartlands Centre
Unit 3
78 Beach Road

Motueka Community Link

Street address:
236 High Street
Moteuka 7120

Nelson City

Street address:
Level 1, 22 Bridge Street
Nelson 7010

Richmond Community Link

Street address:
275-279 Queen Street
Richmond 7020

Stoke Community Link

Street address:
Central Mall
Corner Songer Road and Main Road Stoke

Takaka

Street and Postal address:
Heartlands Centre
65B Commercial Street

Westport

Street address:
50-52 Russell Street

Hornby

Street address:
25 Shands Road
Hornby

Kaiapoi Community Link

Street address:
Unit 9
The Crossings
77 Hilton Street

Linwood Community Link

Street address:
154 Aldwins Road
Linwood

New Brighton

Street Address
26 Beresford Street
New Brighton

Papanui

Street address:
7 Winston Avenue

Rangiora

Street address:
4 High Street

Riccarton / Riccarton Super

Street address:
76-78 Riccarton Road

Shirley

Street address:
203-205 Hills Road
Shirley

Sydenham

Street Address:
39 Durham Street
Sydenham

Alexandra

Street address:
57 Tarbert Street

Balclutha

Street address:
Corner George Street and Charlotte Street

Dunedin Community Link

Street address:
Corner Cumberland, Castle Street and St Andrews Street

Dunedin South

Street address:
127 Hillside Road

Gore Community Link

Street address:
24 Traford Street

Invercargill Community Link

Street address:
33 Gala Street

Mosgiel

Street address:
22 Factory Road

Oamaru Community Link

Street address:
23 Coquet Street

Queenstown Community Link

Street address:
Ground Floor, Building 11,
Remarkables Park Town Centre
Frankton

Timaru Community Link

Street address:
14 Strathallan Street

 

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41 COMMENTS

  1. Leveraging the system against the system instead of being victimized is a great idea.

    Telling beneficiaries about the fraud being put on them by winz would put the risk back on policy makers to act. Because legislation says so.

    This is a good plan

  3. “Imagine if throughout the country at different times, spontaneously, environmentalists, beneficiaries, the poor, Gen X and Y and Maori all converged on WINZ Offices throughout NZ and occupied outside them. That every cell group organise and then take to social media with #occupyWINZ. That we call for a real benefit to live on, that we call for serious momentum on climate change, affordable houses and jobs with dignity. That we occupy the outside of as many WINZ Offices as we can for as long as we can and start shutting them down. That we take a stand and use social media to promote the protests.”

    This is an honourable post and appeal, I support it. Indeed, a couple of years ago, I did actually do what is proposed, and stood outside a few WINZ offices in Auckland to raise awareness about ‘designated doctors’ as hatchet doctors, and the appalling new welfare regime we have now, largely imported ideas from the UK.

    I was shocked though that apart from a few WINZ clients, most were not interested, or too scared, to take a stand themselves. They have been harassed so much, and they dare not speak out and up, they rather rush away and avoid being seen with a protester. That is a dictatorship that is sadly working, I must say. We get the same with the mainstream media, that dedicate almost no time at all on beneficiaries, even the sick and disabled. Unless you present as a “battler” who tries to meet all of WINZ’s demands, they consider you a useless “bludger”, not worthy to being a Kiwi.

    That is a form of modern day fascism that has taken hold of this nation, and Hone Key is the lying, smiling face fronting it.

    I hate the state of affairs, and I really wish to support this appeal for protests. There was a man who shot two WINZ workers over a year ago, we get told a trial is supposed to start late this year, it was actually meant to start in May. So here we have justice being denied yet again, as it is unacceptable that an accused person has to wait for a trial for over a year. I wonder what MSD have to hide, to delay the proceedings.

    As for any protests, I fear they will get the WINZ and other security rambos to “clear the street” rather swiftly by using questionable means and justifications. We have too many suck up to this dictatorial, unjust system, and very few ask the hard questions.

    As for the WINZ approach on sick and disabled, this tells you what really goes on:
    https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/how-the-n-z-health-and-disability-commissioner-let-off-a-biased-designated-doctor/

    http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/the-health-and-disability-panel-and-its-hand-picked-members/

    http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-controversial-bio-psycho-social-model/

    http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/12/28/designated-doctors-used-by-work-and-income-some-also-used-by-acc-the-truth-about-them/

    http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/work-ability-assessments-done-for-work-and-income-a-revealing-fact-study-part-a/

    https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/the-medical-appeal-board-how-msd-and-winz-have-secretely-changed-the-process-disadvantaging-beneficiaries/

    So the government celebrates balancing the budget, that has probably been achieved by offloading sick and disabled off benefits, same as sole parents. Shame on such immorality by this government, they are fascist, nothing else.

    • I just wish to state clearly, that I do not consider violence or threats as an acceptable means to fight WINZ and the government. Civil disobedience may be though, and so people should choose their steps wisely. Firmly asserting rights and freedoms, and making use of the law, including of course natural justice, that is totally ok. But do never go and talk about threat or violence and the likes, this will not work for us, thanks.

  4. I agree with this post in principle however, I am concerned that if we, the people mobilise and do this, this nasty government we have got may retaliate by suspending/cutting all benefits, which is something I believe they would have no qualms whatsoever about doing. They don’t give a damn about Maori, the poor, the elderly, and/or sick….. in their eyes we are deemed to be ‘useless eaters’ because we no longer contribute financially to society and are therefore excess to requirements. They can’t ‘sell us’ as a farmer would sell old stock for slaughter so they will simply starve us out of existence! Such is the evil in the top echelon of this country!

    • Failure to understand this stuff, and the accompanying belief that merchants are parasitical, creates a shitty economy. Martyn has navigate the great material continuum, and that takes a great deal of effort. Which should be applauded.

      And rewarded with our support.

    • And there lies the problem, and why it just can’t happen. They will retaliate and cut off our benefits. Plus the ensuing media coverage will “out” us as beneficiaries, something that most of us are trying to hide because of the potential consequences eg accommodation amongst other things. I don’t want my private landlord to know. Plus the sight of all these benes camping out (especially during working hours) will just reinforce the general public’s view that we’re a bunch of layabouts who aren’t interested in looking for work, ie bludgers. Even the ill and disabled- if we’re well enough to protest then we’re well enough to work.

      Best way to revolt is to mass vote as far-left as possible and totally change the make-up of parliament. It won’t solve everything but it’s the best we can do for now.

      • thats the thing. It’s not just the traditional beneficiaries. We can onclude with increasing numbers cancer patients and former middle class bogans.

        Even former MPs.

        New Zealand’s retirement system is currently unfounded, same in the health system.

        I’m not going to predict a date for occupy winz, but it will happen.

  5. gen x y have been shafted well and truly we being left with nothing no super no saving unfordable housing while baby boomer’s are creaming it hell they bought there homes at affordbile levels got all benefits going and lets not kid ourselves the country has been asset striped at our expense its time for pay back and intergenerational justice is long over due we want the same as the baby boomers

    • Don’t fall for the old divide and rule method of social control. There are plenty of baby boomers who are struggling to make ends meet on the super, who a horrified to see their kids and grandkids struggling so much. I know several superannuatants who have grandchildren living with them and none of them are creaming it. The generations need to work together to make a difference.

      While the young are encouraged to blame the elderly for all their problems, they fail to identify and analyse the real causes.

  6. The lower socio-economic groups need to vote at the next election otherwise we are going to get more of what we have presently got.

    Neo-liberal economics where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

  7. Awesome Martyn you rock! You know the arseholes in charge will label you as a terrorist any minute, then you will be on spews news.

    I will vote for you, you are our Corbyn, Mr Bradbury you have the same last name of the novelist of one the best books ever written 451 Fahrenheit. It’s your time to rally this revolution which is well overdue. Get the real rats out – the Nats, you have done such amazing work with the Internet Mana Party. What do we have to lose you say? We are losing this planets beautiful creatures, how dare they not care. Humans can be beautiful creatures too, but we need to work together or these psychopaths will have us ripping each other apart.

    • 1000% Jack,

      This raping of the poor & pensioner’s like me is u unforgivable while Corporation’s get Gov’t hand-outs I struggle on my pension while my home is shrinking in value and costs are rising.

      I am 100% behind Martyn on this criminal attack on the 99% while Government helps only the 1% rich in this country.

      Goldman Sachs is hired by NatZ to sell treasury evil to us as they did in Greece.

      Time for a revolution so someone please setup a poverty march and we will join in.

      NatZ are the new NATZi party.

  9. Bit of an oxymoron ?
    The only true way we are going to start to even pretend to ‘tackle climate change ‘ is if nearly everyone was on the same level of income as most WINZ ‘customers’ then that would bring our carbon foot print down.
    To even start to affect climate change ‘we’ should be aiming for 80% unemployment, to survive much longer we are going to have to introduce a sort of serf type society, with a lot of ‘volunteer’ workers, who will be happy with food and warmth, alas martial law?
    The only way to reduce CO2 is to in fact reduce CO2, that means no cars, no consumption, no jobs, and alas no population growth. no planes, no trucks, eat local, or move closer to the food.
    You know it always gets darker, before it turns pitch black.
    I haven’t a clue when the shit is going to hit the fan for the ’employed’ but I would plane on looking back 4 weeks from any given time, and saying “What the fuck just happened?” be it total civil anarchy, or some ‘natural’ disaster – methane explosion, economy shattering storm?
    If only WINZ couldn’t work with the community to help set up gardens and community centers, a fast change of culture is needed, its not going to save our sorry asses, what with 400 ppm CO2, but it will maybe let us die off with a little dignity ?

  10. It is interesting reading about the springbok tour and the protests, not that long ago in the big scheme of things. How they coordinated the protest groups, communicating (without cell phones and emails/ social media). They had a focal point – the rugby games.
    I am not convinced the WINZ offices are a focal point, but it’s a start, and it may inform a lot of people of their rights, and open their eyes to the uncaring traitors that run the country.

  11. Maori are or were warriors, why not surround WINZ offices with their Haka gear on,with the rugby world cup Key would not like to be shown up. It would be great if maori surrounded parliament in their warrior gear ,and all of us supported them,this government has devided the races long enough,they rule better when there is devision,.
    All together we could be a force to be reaconed with.
    Maybe we could have a Maori Pm ,that pm would have to be well chosen,the wrong choice could be a disaster,just as Key is a disaster.

  14. WINZ offices are horrible places. Apart from the porn industry, I can’t think of an industry that views its clients with more contempt that the WINZ “industry”. Every client is out to rip them off and every WINZ staff has some story about a client who threw a hissy fit because they were told they couldn’t have money for a new swimming pool or something like that.

    I would love to see some kind of legal occupation even if it just ends up annoying the staff there – some of whom I’m sure must have bween unemployed for long time based on their level of incompetence but when hired by WINZ quickly forgot what it was like to be out of work.

  15. I think surrounding WINZ offices are a mistake. The problem is the governments policy. You are then going to make the public feel it is about benefits when it is about government policy.

    I would think you would send more of message if you surrounded parliament/IRD offices/banks.

    In fact if you surrounded a bank, you’d get a lot of attention as bankers are ‘real’ and ‘important’ like John Key, his backers would not like that – disrupting WINZ offices will just stop the benefits but surrounding a bank would stop ‘profits’ – an absolute NO NO in neoliberalism.

    • In fact surrounding WINZ just gives government more excuses not to pay out benefits. Sorry WINZ occupied, can’t do any appointments anymore, or pay any benefits anymore as not safe for staff. Ring the hotline where you will get nowhere.

      • If I would hazard a guess I’d suggest his point is that changing a government should be done via the ballot box not via illegal means. But if you support illegal methods of attempting to overthrow a legitimately elected government then by all means come out and state this. Remember you then lose any moral high ground trying to claim your views have the backing of the democratic majority.

        • What’s your point, Gosman?

          And by the way, if you support democratically elected governments, then you have no problem with the government of Venezuela, right? And you support the governments of Greece and France?

          And you supported the Allende government in Chile, prior to the US-backed coup that over-threw it?

          • If you think the government of Venezuela is not abusing democracy to stay in power you don’t know much about what is happening there. When opposition politicians are being imprisoned for supporting legitimate demonstrations against the government then democracy has well and truly been subverted.

            • Venezuela: did mind that Chavez right wing extremist opponents were also a bunch of incompetent idiots with dictatorial leanings, and I say this while I do favor neoclassic economics over “capitalistic drivel” :p.

        • 49.27% of party votes went to Nat/ACT/Maori/UF at last election.

          So, a majority of NZers voted against the current government.

          Under our current version of MMP we are prone to results that are not democratic.

    • It certainly was funny.

      funny adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 causing laughter or amusement. 2 strange; peculiar. 3 arousing suspicioun: “there was something funny going on”.

      Excerpt The Concise Oxford Dictionary

      Definiterly 2 and 3 🙂

      Oh and the reverse voting on all these posts suggests more deep state bullshit going on…

  17. I blame an easily fooled NZ middle class. We have repeatedly and consistently voted for governments that have implemented the policy changes highlighted by the article.
    Lower taxes and less government engagement in the economy has been the mantra and it has gone down extremely well with the majority of voters since the 1980’s. It is a mantra that has found enormous political support across all Western countries and enabled the steady but subtle dismantling of the welfare state.
    How do political parties and the media convince voters to vote against there own interests? How can rational individuals be persuaded – even when they disagree with a policy – to vote for it anyway.
    For example the partial privatization of power companies in NZ undertaken by the most popular prime minister of all time. Or the gradual destruction of the public health system in the UK by the Conservative government re-elected this year with a significant majority.
    Why? Why are people happy to see reduction in investments in the types of things that help them and the business they own or work for grow and prosper?
    I believe voters are just plain ignorant and simply accept what they are told. Lower taxes and less government is accepted by the current middle class – many of whom have property, comfortable incomes and private health insurance. They have nothing to lose. It will be – as Bernard Hickey points out – the children of the current middle class who’ll eventually realize they are paying huge price – a two tier health system, in-affordable education and housing and high levels of job insecurity.
    However, even then things will have to get really bad before voters turn against their ingrained beliefs about how the economy works.
    It took the great recession of the 1930’s and WW2 before Western democracies started to deliver socialist governments so don’t hold your breath for real change until there are significant numbers of voters who are seriously impoverished.

  18. While I’m all for protesting, what concerns me is how the media always portrays them as stupid or envious of hard working rich people. If you worked hard like them you’d be rich too!

    We need to be more sophisticated. Things like boycotting products and businesses who cause harm. For example, many people won’t buy Nestle products because of the way they coerce women to stop breastfeeding and take up bottle feeding in areas where the local water supply is contaminated.

    Or, we can buy positively. I always try to buy fairtrade. Many laughed at this when it first came out, but it has become more popular as people have understood how important it is to pay farmers a fair wage for their products.

    At the end of the day these people (corporations) are motivated by money and profit. They don’t care about how you feel and they can manipulate the messages through the media.

    • +1 GettingON

      The way to fight back and force change is where it is going to effect the neoliberal mantra, in the pocket.

      Now even elections and the media are heavily influenced by money.

      But it is the public money. Companies can not influence if their money supply is cut off by the public by not purchasing their goods and services.

      Target the companies is a more successful way of getting change now.

      It used to be voting, but it is pretty clear in this country that neither National or Labour are interested in what the public want and they get away with it, because they are essentially very similar in their neoliberal direction. Trade and money is everything, what people want is irrelevant.

  19. I have come to the conclusion, that simply protesting outside WINZ offices, picketing them or whatever may not bring the desired outcome. They will do all to have their managers and the media portray the protesters as “unreasonable” “trouble makers”.

    What should be considered and perhaps pursued is to get more negatively affected beneficiaries share their stories, and while keeping some privacy and discretion, reveal which case managers at which offices, which managers and which so-called “designated doctors” do the “dirty work” for MSD, and act unreasonably, possibly even illegally.

    Blank out your names, the clients’ names and details, but leave the names of the other parties in documents that can be scanned, and published, so that we can all see and read what is going on, and what is being done by whom.

    This would be a bit of public shaming, I suppose, but that may even get some mainstream media attention, so they research stuff. It is just a thought, but sometimes I am left without many answers.

    I watched a picket and protest by First Union at Bunnings on TV One, and the way it was portrayed, it may be counter productive, although hardened activists were taking action in good faith.

    We need a smart agenda, that exposes the rot and the wrongdoings, and people need to network more, and create support groups, so no soul is left out on their own, exposed to potential harassment.

  20. you have good points but fail spectacularly – like most other people to grasp that its NOT our govt making policy – your not up against the national party and its cronies, your not even up against a complacent and ignorant opposition or even population – your up against EMPIRE – don’t roll your eyes – open then – do i have to write the story for you – WINZ policy is GLOBAL policy – its appearing around the globe – is it because JK’s national is just so dam popular or is some off shore ‘club’ NZzzz has been subscribed to giving the T&C of membership – DO THE RESEARCH –

    scuttling between the red and left hand of the systems body isn’t going to bring change when the whole system is off shore ….

    protesting at WINZ and disrupting peoples vital life line to food grants and housing benefits isn’t going to change a freaking thing – do the real research and reveal the real policy makers and show just how little of NZzz policy is actually decided in NZzzz – sure there might be some wriggle room but the fact is national policy is now dictated to from off shore ‘clubs’

  21. ps – if you really want change then you have to unite the people who want to vote and the people who can’t see what any reason to vote and get them all to vote strategically – its all a game of throne but can be done if people unite together and agree to block vote for specific candidates or parties lke green/mana/maori/NZ first – combinations – with little independent parties and leave the other two main parties out ….you have a couple of years to get this idea into the masses

  22. It’s easy for someone who is not a beneficiary to advocate that all beneficiaries should occupy WINZ offices. I think it is actually a good idea but this needs to come from beneficiaries themselves, and will do, when the time is right, when we are ready. The fact is that beneficiaries are highy vulnerable and most would not not dare to do this yet. Also we need a lot more support from other people and organisations. There will of course be people willing to join the occupations, and this is good- but there would need to be a large number, who would support an occupation without trying to take it over. But more than that, beneficiaries need practical, financial and organisational support from unions and other community groups. Mainly from unions. All unions should include beneficiaries as members, and give financial support to beneficiary organisations, plus organising distribution of food to the hungry, helping with housing etc. Unions should be willing to go on strike in support of beneficiary rights. This is essential . The PSA should be doing this right now, and WINZ officers should be refusing to implement oppressive laws and policies. The Unite union does have in its constitution this very obligation to recruit and organise beneficiaries and Unite Waitemata acts as a branch of this union and does do this. However as a very small branch it can’t achieve much without more back up.

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