Mass Lobby Of The Labour Party Conference
and
Peace & Justice Counter-Conference
There will be a mass lobby of the Labour Party's election year conference in Wellington next Saturday morning, 18 May.
Hundreds are likely to peacefully protest against the Labour-led government bowing to corporate interests on issues like
genetic engineering, teachers' pay & conditions, free trade, US war moves, student fees and restrictions on the right to strike,
The day before, 17 May, there will be a Peace & Justice counter-conference at the Victoria University students association hall. Keynote speakers include:
* Paul Bruce (international secretary of the Green Party).
* Mike Williams (Wellington secretary of the Seafarers Union).
* Nicky Hager (researcher & author).
* Roland Sapsford (CBC sustainable transport activist).
* Alastair Duncan (national bargaining co-ordinator of the Service & Food Workers Union).
* Jon Carapiet (Green Party, GE-free campaigner).
* Jasmine Aletia (women's & gay rights activist).
* Don Franks (socialist & musician).
* Nick Kelly (Labour Party, sacked as Paul Swain's electorate secretary after publicly opposing corporate
globalisation).
* Plus others. Note: the affiliations of speakers are for identification purposes only, since some are appearing in a
personal capacity.
These two events are being backed by a diversity of grassroots activists & leftists from the union & student movements, Green Party, Alliance, Labour Party, socialist groups and a wide range of grassroots causes,
including GE-free, anti-globalisation, anti-war, justice in Palestine, women's & gay rights, sustainable transport and many more.
"The mass lobby of Labour's conference and the Peace & Justice counter-conference are likely to be significant events in NZ political history," said Grant Morgan, secretary
of Socialist Worker, the organisation which initiated these events. "They will help build a 'movement of movements' in
New Zealand similar to the Social Forums in Italy which are central to mass mobilisations over there against corporate
and military globalisation."
The media are invited to the Peace & Justice conference. More information appears below and attached.
For follow-up inquiries, please contact: Grant Morgan Socialist Worker secretary & conference organiser (09) 634 3377 (days & evenings) gcm@actrix.gen.nz =================
TEXT OF ADVERTISING LEAFLET FOR LOBBY & COUNTER-CONFERENCE (which is also attached in PDF):
We oppose armed globalisation with our minds and our bodies.
THE LEFT IN NZ CAN CREATE A "MOVEMENT OF MOVEMENTS".
The Peace & Justice conference and the mass lobby of Labour¹s conference will bring together a diversity of activists and leftists.
This will promote the building of a "movement of movements" in Aotearoa. Only this unity in action can provide mass
alternatives to capitalism¹s armed globalisation.
PEACE & JUSTICE PROGRAMME:
Friday 17 May. 12 noon to 6pm, then again at 8pm for two hours. Hunter Lounge, Level 2, VUWSA Building, Victoria
University, Wellington.
12 noon-1.15pm CORPORATE & MILITARY GLOBALISATION Speakers (10 minutes each):
* Don Carson - Wellington Palestine Group.
* Nicky Hager - researcher & author.
* Nick Kelly - Labour Party, anti-globalisation activist.
* Jon Carapiet - Green Party, GE-free campaigner. Followed by open discussion.
1.30pm-2.45pm REBUILDING THE UNIONS & THE FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Speakers (10 minutes each):
* Mike Williams - Seafarers Union.
* AlAstair Duncan - Service & Food Workers Union.
* Don Franks - Socialist Worker.
* John Maynard - Postal Workers Union. Followed by open discussion.
3pm-4.15pm PEOPLE & PLANET, NOT PROFITS & POWER Speakers (10 minutes each):
* Jasmine Aletia - women¹s & gay rights activist.
* Nick Henry - student activist.
* Jim Delahunty - left activist.
* Roland Sapsford - CBC sustainable transport activist. Followed by open discussion.
4.30pm-6pm STRATEGISING FOR A BROAD LEFT ALTERNATIVE A giant workshop involving everybody. No keynote speakers. Grant
Morgan from Socialist Worker will introduce (5 minutes) and sum up (5-10 minutes).
8pm-10pm GRASSROOTS ALTERNATIVES: FROM SEATTLE TO ARGENTINA & ITALY Speakers (10 minutes each):
* Paul Bruce - Green Party.
* Brendan Tuohy - Socialist Party of Aotearoa.
* AlIstair Shaw - Radical Society.
* Grant Brookes - Socialist Worker. Followed by open discussion.
The affiliations of speakers are for identification purposes only, since some are appearing in a personal capacity.
MASS LOBBY OF LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE:
Saturday 18 May. Start 8.30am. Events Centre, Queens Wharf, Wellington.
The mass lobby of the Labour Party¹s election year conference will be interactive (NOT abusive).
The Labour-led government is promoting the interests of the corporate elite around issues like genetic engineering, free
trade, US war moves, student fees and restrictions on the right to strike.
The mass lobby will look to popularise and legitimise policies which serve the interests of grassroots people and the
planet we live on.
PEACE & JUSTICE SOCIAL:
* Party hard on Saturday night, 18 May. Put the "social" into socialism. Details to be announced at the conference and
lobby.
Ends