New Zealand Imperialism in the Pacific in the 21st Century
A public talk based on this article is available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiDVbWafgPg “The Pacific is our family, and being here is a great opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s position as a close and trusted partner.” Visiting Niue in June 2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon trotted out this familiar official story about the New Zealand government’s […]
In Solidarity with Kanaky – A Rally Speech
The following is based on a speech given at a Kanaky solidarity rally in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington on Friday 26th July 2024. Kia ora koutou. Ko Serah tōku ingoa. Thanks to all of you for being here. There is a lot happening politically right now. Just yesterday, there was a rally led by Alternative Jewish […]
Imperialism in the Pacific
In early July the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced the presence of HMNZS Aotearoa in Pearl Harbor as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) war practice. Commanding Officer, Rob Welford explained: “we stand strong, we stand staunch, we stand together as sailors […] partners integrated and prepared.” What, we might ask, is […]
Say No to AUKUS
In this piece I’ll be examining AUKUS and how it relates to, and is a product of, the system that the working class of the world currently suffers under. I’ll also be touching on some larger topics such as China, the relevance of AUKUS to us here in Aotearoa, and the big question – What […]
Indian Election and Hindu Nationalism In New Zealand
The pre-amble to the constitution of India declares it to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. It is an admirable vision for the country. In reality one could argue, plausibly, that none of those terms are applicable to the Indian state, at least not on the national level. The previous decade has seen a […]
Rally to support immigrant workers
Unions including TEU, First, E Tū, and NZNO gathered outside the Philippines embassy in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington at midday on Friday 19th January 2024, calling on the Philippines government to ensure migrant workers are provided support. New Zealand construction company ELE, which employed numerous Filipino workers on temporary work visas, went into receivership in December […]
Imperialism in the Pacific
The following was originally presented as a public talk to the Te Whanganui-a-Tara branch of the International Socialist Organisation and the Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington ISO club. The talk was on the topic “Imperialism in the Pacific”, and was pitched to be of value both to experienced organisation members as well as […]
The Political Situation in Sri Lanka – To Early 2022
This piece was first given as a talk at the Te Whanganui-a-Tara branch of the International Socialist Organisation To understand the political situation in Sri Lanka we must first understand the historic past of the peoples of Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon under the British empire. I say peoples because even to this day they are […]
China, Imperialism, and War
What’s the biggest threat in the world today? For Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce it’s not climate change, nor COVID; “more important to the nation than anything else” is the rise of China, and the need for the Australian state to bolster its military credentials and alliances in the face of the relative decline […]
India at a Crossroads
India has been a nation defined by, and distinguished for, its secular principles. Even during times such as the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, or the Gujarat riots of 2002, the secular ethos of the nation has never been questioned on a global scale. There were two primary reasons for this, the first […]
