Byron Clark

Well the special votes are counted and the total for the Workers Party is 932, just short of breaking 4 digits, if 68 of the 358 people who gave us their candidate vote but not their party vote had instead given us two ticks we would be there. That said, its not a bad result for a openly socialist party campaigning in non-revolutionary times.

The first thing I've written about the election is up on Instablogs, to sum it up, governments don't win elections, governments lose them, and this is a good example of that.

As for the Workers Party result, I'm pleased with our 824 votes, if we get the same percentage of special votes as we did of general votes we should get to over 900 on the final count. I'd have liked to get past the 1000 mark and/or received more votes than those Nutbar Libertarianz, but 824 votes for a far left socialist party, contesting the party vote for the first time, in a period of political downturn, and with left commentators telling people not to vote for us, is in my opinion a respectable result.

Our top 5 electorates for the party vote were as follows:
Christchurch East: 40 votes (and 78 votes for candidate Paul Hopkinson)
Wellington Central: 33 votes (and 150 for candidate Don Franks)
Rongotai: 27 votes
Christchurch Central: 26 votes (and 130 for candidate Byron Clark)
Manakau East: 23 votes (and 46 votes for candidate Daphna Whitmore)

Its quite likely that we will run a candidate in Rongotai in 2011. We also preformed quite well in Dunedin (16 votes in Dunedin North, 12 in Dunedin South), and very well in Northland (21 votes) Invercargill (15 votes), the West Coast (15 votes) and most surprisingly, Clutha-Southland (14 votes).

In a matter of hours it will be election day, I won't be posting anything due to the electoral law the forbids campaigning on the day, but look forward to some analysis of the Workers Party vote in the following days. Until then heres the Workers Party campaign video one more time.




Workers should be running the country!

So the commentators are all towing the Labour Party line that "a vote for the Workers Party (or RAM or Alliance) is a vote for National" first the The CWG, then Steve from The Standard and now Matt McCarton has joined in:

"There will be a temptation for these [staunch left] voters to give their party vote to openly left-wing parties, such as RAM (Residents Action Movement), the Workers Party and the Alliance (my old party). The combined party vote of these left-wing parties will be less than 2 per cent. That will mean all their party votes they get will be allocated proportionately to other parties that make it into parliament.
Interestingly, that means that half of the staunch left vote will be added to National. If these left-wingers instead gave their party vote to the Greens it would give them another two MPs they wouldn't otherwise get.

It is true that if a large percentage of the party vote goes to parties that don't cross the 5% threshold the remaining seats would be divided up between the parties that did, however there will be no remaining seats this election, Jim Anderton, Peter Dunne and almost every Maori Party MP are likely to cause an overhang, meaning there will be extra seats in parliament, so no seats will be given to parties that didn't win them. Hear that? there is no way voting Workers Party will give more seats to National

( more voting myths )

A few weeks back a member of the Communist Workers Group made passionate arguments on Indymedia that a vote for the Workers Party is a vote for National, no one paid much attention to the ramblings of a party whose entire membership could fit in a phone booth, but now it seems New Zealand's second most read blog has taken a leaf from CWG's book. I made a few comments but really I'm not in the mood for polemics, I'll leave all I want to say to Pulp.

Are you a socialist, yeah
Socialist, yeah / Socialist, yeah / Oh yeah"
"Yeah, you can be just what you want to be
Just as long as you don't try to compete with me
And we've waited such a long time
For the chance to help our own kind, so now
Please come on and tow the party line / Oh you owe it to yourself
Don't think of anybody else

When:
Wed Oct 22 7pm – Wed Oct 22 8pm
Where:
WEA, 59 Gloucester St (Map)

What’s behind the current woes on Wall Street? Are the problems the result of just a few greedy speculators or do they reflect deeper problems within the system? Why do all the ‘mainstream’ discussions of the problems focus on the interests of business - what about the workers? Is there an alternative that puts workers’ interests first?

Come along and hear Paul Hopkinson, John Edmundson and Philip Ferguson of the Workers Party address these issues:

See more Workers Party videos on our Youtube page

Today "Workers Party of New Zealand (Workers Party) was registered as a party, along with its abbreviated name"

There we are on the list :-D

Next month everyone in New Zealand will have the opportunity to vote for a party that stands firmly on the side of workers. its been a good week for us

Below is the video of my speech from the Workers Party's Christchurch campaign launch.






authorised by:
Rebecca Broad
2/789 Mt Eden Rd
Auckland

On the University of Canterbury's Ilam campus, every coffee is 'Fair Trade' and every egg is free range* every week there seems to be an international aid worker or someone from the human rights commission speaking on something topical. Yesterday you could sign a petition for the closure of Guantanamo Bay.
Although critiques could be made against Fair Trade, aid under capitalism, and NGO style activism, the above could all be considered 'good causes' yet I sometimes wonder if the student population could ever get beyond this level of consciousness and actually rock the boat on some big issues, issues that aren't so easy.

There is no real movement for Free Education anymore, as capitalism can no longer provide it. As Tim Bowron wrote recently:
"we now have an entire generation of students who have grown-up knowing nothing except the user-pays market model of education and for whom slogans such as “free education” seem utterly quaint and unrealistic."

The Workers Party leaflet "Students the University and the limits of capitalism" makes an argument for what student radicalism really is:
"We need to fight for quality, free education and make common cause with the working class outside the university – the people whose exploitation is still what pays for most of the costs of education. (For instance, students still only pay about 30 percent of their own education costs; the rest is paid for out of the surplus-value exploited out of workers, most of whom never get the chance to attend university). These days, many students are also working in low-paid, casualised, non-unionised workplaces, being exploited. So it makes even more sense for students and staff to link up with workers right across society, support their struggles and gain their support for our struggles."

In terms of consciousness, it almost seems a world away from the current situation, last semester I wrote a letter to the student magazine arguing against a woman who stated that those outside the university are "simply bludging off the declining number of tertiary educated people." Given that 85% of New Zealanders have no university degree that would be a hell of a lot of people bludging off a very small number of others, its ridiculous when put in context, but demonstates some of the misinformation those of us who could be described as "student radicals" need to counter.

*The exception being the one privatly ran cafe loctated (somewhat amusingly) in the Commerce department

7pm, Monday, July 28
WEA, 59 Gloucester St

Meet local WP candidates Byron Clark (Christchurch Central) and Paul Hopkinson (Christchurch East).

Food, drinks and revolutionary politics.

see press release.

Lectures still don't start till Monday and already I've sent two angry letters to the student magazine complaining about the actions of the university; though this one in my capacity as Workers Party on Campus club president, this is something that effects all student clubs at Canterbury.

It is not often that the Workers Party on Campus finds common ground with the campus Christian clubs, but we are appalled that campus security asked members of a UCSA-affiliated club to stop handing out leaflets or be tresspassed, as happened to members of the Christian Union last week. Christian Union president Paul Denmead make a good point in his comments to The Press (Feb. 21) stating that the university is allowing banks and other businesses to advertise on campus during enrolment week, but not clubs. The university's new policy on club advertising, supposedly intended to create 'a level playing field for all clubs' is actually keeping clubs off campus and inviting private companies on. It appears the university is putting profit ahead of its own students; like Student Life president Justin O'Malley told the Press "I'm sure it's a money thing."
The ban is essentially an outrageous infringement of students’ rights. The university is supposed to be about critical thinking, freedom of thought and so on, yet here we have the university authorities saying there will be no freedom of expression by students’ clubs on campus during enrolment week.
We would be happy to work with other student clubs in opposing this ban and getting it overturned.

Workers Party magazine The Spark is now available in blog format at thespark.org.nz so supscribe to the feed for future Spark content.

The man yelling "You destroyed the left" is former Alliance co-leader Len Richards, now a Labour party member. The Man he hit was Workers Party member and Unite organiser Jared Philips. This shows what happens when you start looking at the Labour party as a "lesser evil" or some kind of pro-worker party, its only a matter of time till you find yourself defending attacks on civil libertys and assulting protesters.

Byron Clark, Christchurch: 720
Tim Bowron, Dunedin: 880
Nick Kelly, Wellington: 975
Rebecca Broad, Waitakari: 2076

These are the preliminary votes and may change slightly, but 4,651 votes for a socialist party in 2007 is a great result.

I'm proud to say that the local Workers Party branch has nominated me to be our candidate for the Christchurch Mayoralty. Bellow is the press release announcing my candidacy:

The Workers Party is standing retail worker and history student Byron Clark for mayor. "Christchurch is a working class city but the council and mayor don’t represent working class interests. When was the last time one of them was seen on a picket line supporting workers? asks Mr Clark who has been active in helping unionise low-paid workers, in support work for the locked-out distribution workers last year and in campaigning against youth rates. “I also support low-paid council workers who have had pay rises in recent years that are actually below the rate of inflation and are subjected to restructuring policies which always work against them.” He also wants to address issues of local democracy, citing the closing of Edgeware pool and the recent council decision to build a road through Cashel Mall despite overwhelming opposition.

The Workers Party is currently campaigning to sign up 500 members to contest the party vote in the next general election, and is calling on those who vote for them in this year's local election to become members.

And the following is the blurb that will be sent to every household in the city:


Christchurch is a city of workers and needs a mayor that represents their interests, not those of business. Whether elected or not I will continue to campaign for workers’ rights and against social inequality. All council business should be open to the public, and there should be maximum popular participation in council decisions, including binding referenda on important local issues. Local services, such as transport, should be run by the council to meet human needs rather than profit for private companies.

I also favour the council supporting workers’ struggles nationally and internationally, for instance opposing Western intervention in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq.

Heres to a good campaign :-)

The following is the test of a leaflet distributed by the Workers Party:

Hospital Workers Deserve Better!

The Workers Party fully supports the locked out Spotless workers. This refusal by Spotless Services to pay its workers at anything approaching a living wage is a reflection of the struggle facing workers all over the world just to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Research by Peter Davis (Helen Clark’s husband) has shown that in the past 20 years, the median income of working families has decreased in real terms by 20%. Yet funnily enough the total value of the NBR rich list during the lifespan of the current Labour government has increased by over 300%. Much of this obscene wealth is a direct result of the privatisation of public services. But for private contractors like Spotless the only way to increase profits is to lengthen hours and keep pay down. Spotless aren’t the only company doing this. Last year distribution workers employed by Progressive Enterprises felt the same capitalist wrath.

Privatisation is historically the creation of both the past Labour and National governments. The slashing of the public health sector has been continued by the current government. That is why they continue contracting out hospital cleaning and kitchen services. If they wanted to reverse the privatisations, this would be a simple matter to do. But the current government continues it – clearly they do not support workers. The question must be asked “what is more important: the right of workers' to a decent life or private profit?” Capitalism and the governments that manage it say private profit comes first; The Workers’ Party say workers' right to a decent life comes first!

For the past fifteen years the top union leadership has been too ready to compromise. The result has been a steady fall in the living standards of low paid workers.

It is important that we stand together united. That is when workers can win. The success of the progressive workers last year is a clear example of this.

A new strategy is needed, one which puts workers' interests first and actually fights the employers as well as the restrictive anti-strike laws imposed by both Labour and National. It is not just Spotless that needs to be changed. It is the whole system!

The Workers’ Party calls on all workers and progressive people to

support the locked out Spotless workers in their current struggle.

Check out the website of the Service and Food Workers’ Union for details of pickets happening in your area. You can also make an automatic $10 donation to the locked out workers by phoning 0900 LOCKOUT.

There are also some good picket line pics here

Just thought I'd share this video from the recent Young Labour conference, these are the people who will possibly be running the country in 20 years time. Think about that.




The women in the "this is what a socialist looks like" t-shirt is a bit of an anachronism, as is the crowd singing "solidarity forever" Did somebody forget Rogernomics? no they can't of, I mean theres a guy doing a David Lange impression. For a bit of inside-info one of the Christchurch people is an aquaintence of mine (friend-of-a-friend type person) who told me she went specifically for the drinking at parliament.

For those readers more interested in the going on a the recent Workers Party conference, click here

Crispin B. Beltran, known as "Ka Bel" is a trade union leader and member of the 13th Philippine Congress who was illegally arrested and detained for 15 months. He has now been granted freedom

I'm sure that the solidarity work done by various organisations here in New Zealand, many of which I'm a member of such as The Workers Party and the NDU, played a part in this. The video bellow is worth a watch.