Newsletter of the New Economics Party

It has taken a while to recover from our Unconference a month ago and digest the implications of its decisions and interactions.

Party or Movement? We recognise that as a microparty our goal is to influence public opinion and have our policies implemented. Hence we are more a movement or a pressure group rather than a political party standing for office at this stage. We also see far greater opportunity for adoption of components of our policies at the local level, and it is in communities where we plan to focus our efforts in the near term.

There are many other microparties and it was a pleasure to welcome Andrew Casey and Daniel from the Pirate Party to our Otaki gathering and enjoy their constructive and enthusiastic input. Andrew has offered to teach us to encrypt our emails because it costs hackers $1000 to decode an email and when more people encrypt their emails, hackers might think twice or look for lower-hanging fruit.

We intend to continue dialogue with other microparties, to encourage us to share resources, go to each other's gatherings. Each party needs to work out their bottom lines, the policies on which they won't compromise. Maybe we have a policy we can campaign on together?

We made a decision re fourth paradigm change

We have now decided we need four new paradigms not three. It is not just the tax system, the money system and the welfare system we where want big change. The fourth is in governance. Rather than power, finance and function being devolved from a big central government, we want to have the smallest unit of government devolve power and finance to the centre rather than the other way round. This is now on the main page of our website. It is a major paradigm shift. Thanks to Gary Williams who drove this one. No change can be made till the power is wrenched from the centre.

On our executive are the following: Deirdre Kent, Phil Stevens, Rex Verity, Carol Winstanley, Gen De Spa, Tim Leniston with Phil Linklater co-opted in absentia. Margaret Jefferies, who facilitated our event, came on our first Skype call so that we could reflect on what happened.

We agreed there was a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm at our gathering, with good contacts being made. When we are faced with the prospect of a huge credit crunch, a Global Financial Crisis far bigger than the first (as predicted by Prof Steve Keen, former Goldman Sachs CEO Nomi Prins and many others) we need to start a discussion about what sort of economic and fiscal system would be truly sustainable and lead to a fairer, more caring society. How can we make sure that we live on a planet that wasn't seeing species disappear and freak weather events become daily television spectacles with houses falling into raging rivers?

Your participation is welcomed

1. We need a treasurer. Our treasurer Morgan Le Quesne has resigned so now we must find a new treasurer. Email morgiania@xtra.co.nz for more information. Minimal job.

2. Morgan was also the Membership Secretary. If you are interested in people, have networking skills, web skills and some knowledge of what we are all about, email Deirdre at deirdre.kent@gmail.com. Training available on database management. Dealing with enquiries and redirecting them as needed, working closely with treasurer.

2. You can participate in discussions on policy and strategy through loomio.org, a good decision-making platform produced by young Wellingtonians along the lines of how the Occupy movement made decisions. Send an email to finlay.thompson@gmail.com or phil@euphoria.org to get an invitation to join in. The first discussion is a brainstorm on how to get our messages out to the public.

3. It is evident from our unconference that there is a good deal of interest in forming regional and local groups as our activity is going to be local. We want more local power and so let's apply our principles at local level. So if you would like to start a local group email deirdre.kent@gmail.com and I will help you with contacts.

4. Help with website. It would be great to find someone with cataloguing skills to help fill in missing SEO titles, SEO keywords and SEO Descriptions. This would make our website more searchable for those issues. (There is plenty more to do to tidy up the website.e.g. menus and categories. We use wordpress.

New blogs

Social bonds are an experiment that won't work because..(Systems thinking required. Silo thinking on social welfare won't work)

The Productivity Commission has produced a great report on housing where it recommends rating based on land value and a land tax, but of course the mainstream media neglects to note this critical advice to keep land prices from rising out of control.

The Resource List we handed out at the unconference is also now available. Want to follow what is happening in Greece, why the credit crunch is coming, how to prepare for it and what policies must be in place so we don't repeat the same mistakes? Please let us know if you want us to add your favourites.

A Short History of the New Economics Party is also now available.

How we arrived at the Land Dollar solution

Why we need Systems thinking for Wicked Problems

There are also quite a few short video clips posted as blogs. If anyone has video editing skills it would help us if you edited one or two so we can put them on.

Basic Income

New connections we have made: Recently we were contacted by Karl Matthys of Basic Income NZ. After the Fabian Society's recent meeting where Perce Harpham of Wellington spoke, this organisation has sprung up and if you go to their website you will notice a link to ours. We now have a link to theirs on our website.

Time to act again on TPP

The US Senate has just authorised President Obama to use fast track negotiating authority. This removes what was the last hurdle (safeguard) against the most far-reaching and potentially sovereignty-erasing multilateral trade and investment agreement we have ever seen. Here is a message from the TPP Action team:

Now more than ever we are required to act for the present and future happiness of New Zealand.

In the next week or so please make room in your life to;

1) take a day off work at short notice to attend a sitting in Parliament

2) take the time to make submissions to links that may soon be emailed to you

3) Make your voice heard in the mantra: God defend New Zealand - let us make many calls to our MP’s

Now more than ever we are required to act for the present and future happiness of New Zealand.

Finally we hope you are keeping warm and working happily. Our website is here.

Our membership form is downloadable and we are also very happy to take donations.
ends

© Scoop Media