The anti asset sales march
April 29th, 2012 at 9:24 am by David FarrarThe HoS reports:
An estimated 3000 people joined politicians, unionists and community leaders in the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale hikoi, which passed through Auckland on its two-week journey from Cape Reinga to Wellington.
My normal rule of thumb is to take 33% off any media estimate of a march and 67% off any estimate from the promoters!
But even if 3,000 that is 2% 0.2% of Aucklanders.
Among them was Phoebe and her friend Gloria Strawhan, 13, who carried a banner with the words “Just No” scrawled across it.
It was the overriding message of protesters as they walked up Queen St from Britomart to Aotea Square.
Asset sales? No. Privatisation and the sale of land to overseas investors? No. Mining, fracking and drilling? No. Auckland mayor Len Brown? Step down, the crowd chanted. Act Party leader John Banks? Boo, they hollered.
How fascinating that they want Len Brown to step down. Were the Labour and Green MPs on the march also calling for this?
The Government did not have a mandate to sell assets, despite being elected after saying they would, said Smith.
Sorry, but that is exactly what they have.
April 29th, 2012 at 9:30 am
A big part of the 3000 would be made up of David Shearer, Labour MPs, Green MPs their hanger-ons, and the “Hikoi” who are are bussing from Northland to Wellington.
I think it’s worthwhile asking which party is on 50% in polls and which is struggling to break 30%
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:38 am
There were some incredibly stupid signs. One in particular was the sign “Don’t sell the All Blacks”. Shame on the parent that made that sign for their kid.
https://www.facebook.com/events/334873306563769/
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:39 am
So they are the 2%? Lol. Well they’re doing better than Mana in the election – there were the 1%.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:39 am
This one here is also ridiculous. Please, let’s have a snap election now – I doubt you’d win – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150854397230775&set=a.10150854395970775.472252.11870725774&type=3
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Sorry DPF, but you’ve got this wrong. There were between 8 and 10 thousand people taking part.
toad 6.1.2
28 April 2012 at 9:30 pm
Yeah, I was there and reasonably familiar with estimating crowd numbers at protests from many years of previous experience.
I would agree 8K – 10K.
Toad says so, so it must be true.
And we all know that greenies NEVER lie or exaggerate.
Vote:G
April 29th, 2012 at 9:57 am
DPF I think you’ll find 3000 is 0.2%
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:59 am
How many people actually knew what they were protesting?
“There’s so many things to disagree with,” the woman said … “The sale of assets, oil drilling, the cronyism, the teapot tapes, the SkyCity deal, charter schools, the sale of state houses.”
In other words, it sounds like the usual “Let’s protest about … um, something.”
Not to say they’re not well-intentioned, or sincere. But it does sound like the asset sales is just one ingredient for these people in a long list of “everything this Government has done, is doing, or ever will do is wrong”.
The photo in the HoS shows the usual Mana banners, Maori sovereignty flags, and so on. And quotes Hikoi organiser Mike Smith. Isn’t he the loon that took to the One Tree Hill tree with a chainsaw years ago?
Anyway, having said that …
DPF – I agree, technically National does have a mandate. But is it necessarily a good idea to just push on ahead regardless? If there were mass protests by ordinary people (which these aren’t), then I think morally they should stop and take a second look.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:01 am
I am sure the irony is lost on these people that:
- They protested so vociferously against the Crafar farms sale
- They no doubt wish to maintain and grow New Zealand’s already bloated welfare state
- The only way to achieve the above point is by borrowing more
- NZ is already deeply in the red
- Our borrowing will be funded from the Chinese buying Treasury bonds.
Therefore, they would rather NZ be further indebted to foreigners, rather then the government paying off debt by selling MINORITY shareholdings to mum and dad new zealanders.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:10 am
sbw @ 9.38 – the All Black were sold a long time ago…
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:13 am
From Stuff, yesterday:
“A statement from hikoi organisers said: “The hikoi will express public opposition to privatisation and the selling off of our country’s assets, natural resources, land and public services. “Most New Zealanders don’t want our public assets, resources and farm land sold to private investors. It is not in our interests to put our future in the hands of a few large foreign companies whose primary goal and self-interest in profit undermines what is good for the country we live in and love.”
So they’re actually opposed to private ownership of farm land? It’s like Stalin’s collectivisation and the resulting famine, but 80 years too late.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:14 am
graham>But is it necessarily a good idea to just push on ahead regardless?
Yes. National can’t ignore a key election promise.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:15 am
nickb (2,110) Says:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:01 am
“…I am sure the irony is lost on these people that:….”
Yep – ‘Hokoi’ & Mana not wanting any public assets sold – other than to their mates in the ‘Tribes’.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:16 am
That facebook link belonged to Greenpeace. I had no idea they opposed state asset sales too
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:44 am
I thought Adidas owned the All Blacks??
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:46 am
I live in Auckland- was in the city yesterday and there were only a thousand or so of the usual smelly rabble…”3000″ is very wishful thinking!
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:56 am
When the MSM only has a shot of the banner wavers at the front and not the whole group its a dead giveaway that the support was negligible
Vote:Rent a mob courtesy of the dole, the dpb and the sickness benefit.
How big was the percentage of ex occupy smellys?
April 29th, 2012 at 10:57 am
I have no problem with the Govt changing its mind on minor issues. But this was the major issue of the election campaign, debated for 10 months. I think it would be quite wrong for the Govt to back down on such a major issue it campaigned on.
A minor variation such as keeping one of the power companies (such as Genesis) in state ownership, would be okay. But a total flip-flop of policy is unacceptable. Political parties should implement the policies they got elected on.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 10:58 am
Was Penny (public service or enemy or something) there. I suppose they can camp the night in Aoiea Square.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 11:05 am
The useless moronic left, they are the Greens and the Labour party are the party of No.
They should hold up what signs of whjat they really want – no jobs, just more welfare.
There true aim is to bankrupt us like Greece and have rampant unemployment.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 11:10 am
Let’s say 10,000 people were there. National got 1,568,000 party votes just a few months ago.
I know which number is bigger.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 11:25 am
I see (picture in the Herald) they have given the post modern religious cry “Save Mother Gaia” some local flavour…
Vote:“Stop undermining Papatuanuku”.
A ‘happy’ mixture of luddites, racists, fascists, post modern religious nutbars and members of the ‘rent-a-mob’.
April 29th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Looks like the main thing they are protesting is that they lost the election.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Is that the same Mike Smith who carefully sought a mandate from Aucklanders to turn One Tree Hill into No Tree Hill?
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
nickb (2,110) Says:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:01 am
I am sure the irony is lost on these people that:
- They protested so vociferously against the Crafar farms sale
- They no doubt wish to maintain and grow New Zealand’s already bloated welfare state
- The only way to achieve the above point is by borrowing more
- NZ is already deeply in the red
- Our borrowing will be funded from the Chinese buying Treasury bonds.
Therefore, they would rather NZ be further indebted to foreigners, rather than the government paying off debt by selling MINORITY shareholdings to mum and dad New Zealanders.
Easy way to fix this. Stop giving people money for doin shit all. If the Govt. don’t sell some stuff then where does the money come from to build new stuff? ah the TAXPAYER. Well most of these bludgers aren’t taxpayers,(nor ratepayers for that matter.) so lets start taxing and charging them for the privileges they enjoy in this country.
Vote:Cut the welfare, student loans, DPB, WFF et al, useless beuracratic ministries that prop up these useless and send them the message if they want stuff they have to earn a living and pay taxes and rates.
Like Rodney says we just don’t need Govt. to do so much for so few that contribute so little. (other than their whinging and moaning.)
April 29th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
It was a core part of the election manifesto, so they can claim a mandate, I don’t dispute this.
But let’s not think that National won big last year because they didn’t. The large national vote was just a consolidation of the right wing vote. National added 2.38% to their 2008 total, whilst ACT lost 2.58%; The right wing marginally lost votes compared to 2008, the left wing parties added votes compared to 2008. It was just fragmentation of the left wing vote whilst the right consolidated. Largely irrelevant under mmp.
That’s why National has a smaller majority now than before the election. Despite what some people will tell you, there was no national landslide, no crushing victory. They sneaked home. They have a one seat majority in the house for asset sales.
How many people don’t really fancy asset sales but voted National anyway and swallowed the dead rat of asset sales as the price of keeping the woeful Phil Goff from leading a hyrda coalition with Hone, Winnie and the greens ? A fair few I bet.
If this went to a straight up / down vote with the public it’d lose. That’s why Key was smart enough to bundle it with everything else in an election campaign.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
@ DPF – as I noted when I blogged last night, nearly four times as many people PAID to watch the Blues at Eden Park on a wet Friday night, than marched for free in Queen Street yesterday. This was in spite of predictions from the hikoi organisers (and Phillip Ure) that this would be the biggest, most high-profile protest in living memory.
The Left seems to have grossly overestimated the level of public interest in things such as partial privatization (as opposed to asset sales) and the sale of the former Crafar farms.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
There’s a sunny side to everything.
Vote:Once National have completed these sales they won’t be warming the Government benches again for well over a decade.
April 29th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
And the marchers didnt stop till they reached the dole office for their regular handouts…
To be clear: if you are receiving benefits you don’t get a fucking say in this matter.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@RichardC-on the other hand, assets may just get partially privatised, and the world doesn’t stop turning. In which case people might ask ‘What was all the fuss about?’, and send Labour back to the Opposition benches to further self-destruct.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
While National made it clear, and none could pretend not to know, they intended asset sales I don’t think it follows they have a mandate for it – their majority is not overwhelming and that issue was not the only reason people voted as they did.
A single vote does not agree with every claim or position of the person it is cast for.
If sufficient public demonstration was mounted against (and I’m not arguing it has been) asset sales it is perfectly possible to imagine National having won government without this policy in particular being supported. Though 3,000 through out Auckland wouldn’t seem enough to prove the point.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Well mandate or not Labour was just handed another huge boot in the arse in queensland so like the State Govt. most of the councils and shires have booted out the wastrels of Labour. Federal next. Maybe very shortly.
Off topic but not.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
they made a fundamental mistake with the timing of that march…
..for yr maximum possible turnout any march must be at midday on a saturdy..not 3 pm..
..a potent image on such marches is parents pushing prams etc…
..and a 3 pm start almost guarantees they won’t turn up..
..for the simple reason that 3.pm is too close to the meltdown hours of late afternoon/evening meal..
..wheras midday gives everyone plenty of time to get there…
..and most importantly..still leaves marchers time in their day-off..apres march..to go off and do something else..should they so.desire..
..i wd submit that such subtleties have a major effect on turnout on the day..
phillip ure@whoar.co.nz
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Stuff reported the size of the march at 8,000, without citing a source. Some other protest march sizes for comparison;
– Against the Cavaliers’ rebel rugby tour of South Africa in 1985: 10,000 to 15,000.
– Farmers on the exchange rate in 1986: 6000 (and seven top-dressing planes)
– Public servants against the State Sector Bill in 1988: 13,000.
– Against the Employment Contracts Act in 1991: 12,000.
– Against the Foreshore and Seabed Act in 2004: 10,000-15,000 (police estimate; protest organisers claim 20,000-30,000)
Most of these examples are a couple of decades old. The total population of NZ has grown by 25-33% since then, so the earlier protest numbers should be scaled up for an even comparison. If we do this, then (as a very rough first approximation) the 3,000 – 8,000 people “Against Asset Sales” march was roughly a third the size of the protests against the Cavaliers tour, ECA, or Foreshore and Seabed protests. All of which still happened despite the opposition.
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
We are going to keep New Zealand,
Vote:please understand this, no compromise our land will stay in and with New Zealanders, born here,
as in many countries like China,
if you wish to oppose this wait for t6he next elections and see Winston Peters become PM.
John Key is a caretaker, watch him disappear like Helen Clarke
April 29th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
Oh dear pq, try typing with both hands, breathless after a 20 second flog, its all downhill dear…
I checked with organisers of the other marches in: Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and the main provincial centres. Nope, no march. No one else gives a shit, other than “3000″ in Auckland. So, lets see…
3,000 / 4.2 million…
1.1 million / 4.2 million
Fuck off. General election was your chance. If you dont like it, go to Australia, or buy shares when they are offered, and hang on to them. Its what we plan to do.
Or does your benefit not stretch that far? Then get a job
Vote:April 29th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Than – I recall the Motorbike ACC levy protest got about 5,000 to Parliament. So less people care about Asset Sales than a hike in ACC on about 100,000 people.
Vote:April 30th, 2012 at 9:56 am
hey Phil here is a question, would you get up off your useless ganja’d arse and join this ridiculous and pathetic excuse for a ‘hikoi’ of the uneducated and ignorant? I mean, it’s not like you would be getting paid, so you would technically still be bludging as per usual. It’s not like you would be accomplishing anything useful either so your existential states wouldn’t be under threat.
Vote:April 30th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Could someone remind these retarded communist scum that we live in NEW ZEALAND. There is no such place as aotea-fucking-roa.
Vote: