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Showing posts from November, 2012

What would A Socialist World Look Like?

Mike Treen, life long socialist and National Director of the Unite Union , describes what a socialist society might look like. Describe to me "A Perfect World" from Billy Hania on Vimeo .

LONG LIVE GAZA- solidarity from Aotearoa

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  Mohamed Hassan from Students for Justice in Palestine, reads a statement from our comrade Jehad Quidah in Gaza. Jehad has become a firm friend of many in NZ through Facebook. Joe Carolan from Socialist Aotearoa  Mike Treen from Unite and GPJA Billy Hania from the Palestinian Human Rights Campaign speaks with Tamara , a young Israeli refusenik now living in Aotearoa. Also joined By Hone Fowler, who reads out a letter from his father Roger, who was on a mission from Kia Ora Gaza when the bombing began. Finally, Linda from SA stands up as a revolutionary socialist, Anti Zionist Jewish person.     Around 300 people marched from Aotea Square to the US consulate in Auckland on Saturday, in solidarity with Gaza, calling for an end to Israeli attacks on the Gazan population and the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Impassioned chants echoed off the walls of the CBD, calling “Free Palestine”, “Israel, USA, how many kids have you killed today?” and 

TRUE GRIT- a Wharfies' story.

Comrade Dave Phillips writes on the eve of renewed action at Ports of Auckland  As a Union official, it never comes easily being involved to yet again advocate industrial action when you have just come off the back of a lengthy period of strike and lockout but when you are faced by a feral employer who places no value in those they employ who seeks to undermine the hard won conditions of employment all for the sake of profit the options become much narrowed. To sta nd amongst men and women with high values and principles that are forced to look deep within their moral conscience to make the hard decisions that they know could have huge ramifications for themselves and their families. The sombre mood and steely look around the meeting room as hands were raised on mass is something I will never forget. The measure of these men is not by the silver Judas dollars jingling in their pocket as some have willingly grabbed but it is the demonstration of intestinal fortitud

Speaking out for Gaza- SA's Joe C on 95Bfm

Socialist Aoteaora's Joe Carolan speaks out for Gaza on Auckland's 95 Bfm. Listen to it HERE.

From Auckland to Gaza- All out solidarity- Rally this Saturday 2pm Aotea Square

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GAZA IS UNDER ATTACK!  PROTEST THIS SATURDAY  AOTEA SQUARE - 2pm.   Students for Justice in Palestine are calling for a protest this Saturday 24th of November at 2pm in Aotea Square to protest the ongoing Israeli aggression and air strikes on the Gaza strip that have left 82 dead so far and over 750 people injured.  One of the deadliest attacks over the last 6 days has killed 12 members from one single family.  This protest is supported by the Unite Union, Socialist Aotearoa, Global Peace and Justice Auckland, Kia Ora Gaza, the Mana Movement and Palestine Human Rights Campaign. We call for an end to the violent attacks from the Israeli state and urge all New Zealanders to join us. Our very own Roger Fowler of Kia Ora Gaza has only just managed to escape the onslaught and exited through the Rafah crossing on Thursday.   The protest will gather at Aotea Square from 2 pm and march to the US Consulate on Customs Street, possibly making a few stops along the way. Bring

Rage for Gaza- voices from the streets of Auckland

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Voices from the solidarity rally for Gaza in Auckland.

The Palestinian Flag flies over the American Consulate in Auckland

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To the cry of "Blood, blood, blood on your hands" and "Israel-USA, how many kids have you killed today?", comrades hoist the Palestinian flag over the US Consulate in Auckland, New Zealand today. Video also below.  Please share widely. Names of murdered people who fell victim during the past three days of Israeli attacks. The number rises to 33 and still rising :( RIP! 1- Ahmad Al-Ja'bary, 52 years old. 2-Mohammed Al-hams, 28 years old. 3- Rinan Arafat, 7 years old. 4- Omar Al-Mashharawi, 4 years old. 5-Essam Abu-Alma'za, 20 years old. 6-Mohammed Al-qaseer, 20 years old. 7- Heba Al-Mashharawi, six-month pregnant, 19 years old. 8- Mahmoud Abu Sawawin, 65 years old. 9- Habis Hassan Mismih, 29 years old. 10- Wael Haidar Al-Ghalban, 31 years old. 11- Hehsam Mohammed Al-Ghalban, 31 years old. 12- Rani Hammad, 29 years old. 13- Khaled Abi Nasser, 27 year old. 14- Marwan Abu Al-Qumsan, 52 years old. 15- Walid Al-Abalda, 2 years old. 16- Hanin Tafe

Solidarity with the people of Gaza

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Global Peace & Justice Auckland is organising a march this Saturday to protest Israel’s assassination of a Palestinian leader in the Gaza Strip and the deadly rocket attacks which have so far left 15 Palestinian civilians dead, and over 100 injured.  The protest will gather at Aotea Square from 2 pm and march to the US Consulate in Customs Street. Please invite others and share this event.   https://www.facebook.com/events/508976275794311/  Press Statement by Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine: http://uoasjp.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/auckland-protest-against-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-2pm-saturday-17th-november-aotea-square/  More info: http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/auckland-protest-israels-invasion-of-gaza-saturday/  Omar Mashharawi 10 months old , died today in Israeli airstrike Sobbing and shaking with unbearable grief, Jihad Masharawi is pictured cradling the body of his murdered 11 month old son Omar yesterday. A pi

Direct Action gets the goods- How the Streets Were Reclaimed

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" the last few months we've been feeling like we are in a low level war- workers under attack, state housing tenants evicted, and everywhere the police clamping down on protest. Despite Malcolm's brutal arrest at the beginning, today's Reclaim the Streets was a great victory. The Cops realised that this would be bigger than Symonds Street- that they would have to arrest dozens of protesters. They retreated, in broad daylight. This should be a turning point and marks the beginning of the Summer of Rebellion. Direct action gets the goods- Lets bring down this Tory Government." SA's Joe Carolan speaks about reclaim the Streets on Bfm HERE " Aotearoa is Not for Sale - Cops have declared reclaim the Streets party against privatisation illegal. Threatening mass arrests at 2pm" Crack down on the Kids Zone Pressure points applied on the first brave woman to take direct action and sit down.   "They were dressed in

The reason our flag is Red.

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100 years after Waihi, and the miners slogan still rings true- "If blood be the price of your cursed wealth– Good God but we have bought it fair".    For the Pike River Miners- 29 workers murdered by corporate greed–  the reason our flag is Red.

Big Red Tops.

Socialists will be wearing our big red tops to the Big Gay Out this Summer of Rebellion. Join us and bring a big red Lamington for the Crime Sinister.

13 in Court Today for Opposing Ethnic and Social Cleansing in Glen Innes

13 people have appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning, following arrests at Glen Innes last Thursday evening. Included in those arrested is Mana co-Vice President John Minto. “The arrests are a disgrace and arise from aggressive police mishandling of non-violent, passive resistance to the removal of state houses from Glen Innes” says MANA Vice President John Minto. “The police have become increasingly violent in their handling of these protests but the Glen Innes community is not deterred”. Protests will continue this coming Thursday at 7pm in Apirana Avenue, Glen Innes. The protests are calling for a moratorium on the proposed Glen Innes “redevelopment” so negotiations with the community can take place. The court appearances come just two days before a march in Wellington which will bring delegations from Glen Innes in Auckland, Maraenui in Napier and Pomare in Lower Hutt to present a petition to MPs on the steps of parliament at 1pm. The march leav

Reclaim the Streets- K Road- 2pm- Sat Nov 3rd

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Indian Workers organise to fight back

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An elder of the Indian Workers Association of Aotearoa speaks against exploitation and discrimination, and the need for union and political organisation, at the founding meeting in Auckland.

More Police Thuggery in Glen Innes- 13 arrested

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Trade Agreement or Political Takeover?

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In addition to what we already know – about corporations being able to sue TPP governments for making laws that infringe on their profits, the unjustified and unjustifiable secrecy surrounding the negotiations, about us signing over our right to demand reasonable work conditions and pay, decent and affordable education, enviromental protection and control of our own media, etc – here are some more insane facts about the TPPA: Remember ACTA/PIPA/SOPA? Those were drastic pieces of international internet legislation which people power managed to thwart early this year. They have been repackaged (again!) to be part of the TPPA. Companies will be able not only to patent medicines, making them unaffordable to most people, but also “impose patent protection for diagnostic and treatment methods” (Deborah Gleeson, La Trobe University lecturer, Melbourne), which means public health professionals won't be able to use tried-and-true practices for healing people – budget constraints will

13 more arrests defending state housing in Glen Innes

Mana support for delegation to parliament next Wednesday 13 further arrests were made last night as the government moved two more state houses from Glen Innes with the aim to socially and ethnically cleanse areas of the suburb for high-cost housing. Last night’s protest was the largest late night protest yet and brought the largest number of arrests as well as long delays in moving the houses. The police and Housing New Zealand have been trying to paint the protests as the work of outsiders and the police make often strenuous efforts to avoid arresting local residents in favour of people they know from outside the area. That changed last night with the arrest of one of the local women trying to prevent police manhandling of other protestors. Community concern is growing across Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure at government plans to “redevelop” the area, not for local residents but for higher income families from outside the area. The locals will be forced