The Right to Live and Die: Critical support to proposed euthanasia reforms
A reader of the site, John Ashborne, contributes to the debate on the End of Life Choice Act referendum. It was with great concern that I read the views expressed in the ISO’s 18 August article on the upcoming euthanasia referendum (“Thoughts on the End of Life Choice Act Referendum”, by Dougal McNeill and Serah […]
Vote Labour, but Build a Socialist Alternative
As the anti-capitalist socialist movement is unable to stand candidates in the general election with any prospect of success, the ISO advocates electoral support for Labour without for a moment down-playing our fundamental criticisms of the party’s politics. We are not for abstaining. It makes a difference whether National or Labour forms the government. Take, […]
Renters United making its mark
A sharp, clear demonstration by Renters United in Wellington over the weekend injected some much-needed class demands into the election campaign. Renters United focus on the one-sided class war that’s been waged over the last decade or more not in our workplaces, but in our homes: rent out of control; power tipped massively to landlords […]
From anti-racism to liberation
The Black Lives Matter movement has succeeded, in just over a month, in moving mass consciousness and mass discussions over racism further than years of well-meaning educational programmes. The movement, in its size, youth, anger and multiracial composition, offers an image of hope and the way forward. The leadership of young Black demonstrators has given […]
Thoughts on the End of Life Choice Act referendum
The ISO has not adopted a position on the End of Life Choice Act referendum. This personal contribution from two members sets out their argument for voting ‘no’. The New Zealand General Election will take place on October 17th, 2020. When voting, we will each have the opportunity to vote in two referenda. Though the […]
Labour’s launch; lowering expectations
Jacinda Ardern’s speech at the Labour party’s election campaign in Auckland confirms that this time round Labour’s campaign is going to be completely different to 2017’s. In 2017 Labour rolled out an election manifesto that was a long shopping list of reforms. In government, Labour’s record over the last three years has been mixed. Labour […]
VUW Panel on End of Life Choice Act
The New Zealand General Election is fast approaching. In addition to the customary option to vote for a party and an electoral candidate, there will simultaneously be two referenda. One of those will be about whether or not to pass into law particular processes to allow people with terminal illness the option of assisted death […]
The Corruption of Local Government: Plimmerton Farm, Porirua
A whiff of corruption hangs over moves to urbanise Plimmerton Farm, a 384 hectare greenfield property within the Porirua district that has been bought by Plimmerton Development Ltd (PDL). The Porirua City Council and PDL are working together to get the property rezoned under the district plan from rural to an urban zone and pave […]
From Muller to Collins: National’s racist hit backfires
You could not make this up. Fifty-three days after stabbing Simon Bridges in the back, and fifty-three days out from 5 September when voting starts in the general election, Todd Muller resigns and is replaced by Judith Collins as National Party Leader. Amid the media focus on personalities, the real story is about how a […]
“All black lives matter”: In solidarity with the black transgender community
Some 200 people – including many from Wellington’s LGBTQI+ community – marched in solidarity with the Black transgender community in the US in Wellington over the weekend. The march was called after Merci Mack, a Black transgender woman, was murdered last week in the US. This brings the total number of reported transgender or gender-non-conforming […]
