Employed & Unemployed

In 1991 the National government's Employment Contracts Act, and benefit cuts came in hand in hand. There's a reason for this, in order to make sure that people will take jobs on the shitty conditions that employer's want to offer you need to make sure that they have to take it.

New Zealand is still feeling the effects of those polices, because they've never been reversed. It's no coincidence that the Meningitis epidemic started in the early 1990s, and we have seen a resurgence in third world diseases.

Well the Howard government is taking this further: even solo parents will lose their benefit if they turn down a job.

The Australian unions have one big advantage over us 14 years ago: they're going to fight back. And if I don't agree with a lot of them, and if they've got a crazy factional system going on, and if they're going to be weakened by those male trade unions that don't think women are people, well it doesn't matter, I'm glad they're fighting.

November 15 is the National day of action against the Howard government's proposals. There will be activity in Wellington, but if you join that activity, remember we still have some unfinished business in New Zealand.