A POOR STANDARD OF POLITICS

The Standard is another pro-Labour Party blog. It claims to be a voice for workers: 'The New Zealand labour movement used to have its own newspaper. A group of us thought that now might be a good time for it to be digitally reborn'

Yeah, well, most of the time its been a voice for the Labour Party which long ago sacrificed workers on the altar of neoliberalism

The Standard has pretty much followed the Labour line and was generally supportive of Labour's neoliberal economic policies. Apparently it saw no contradiction in supporting economic policies that were screwing the labour movement while, at the same time claiming to be a voice of the labour movement.

But now with the New Zeaalnd economy disintegrating before our very eyes, The Standard, like all pro-Labour blogs, is proving to be the fair weather friend of the labour movement that it always has been.

Having largely supported the neoliberal policies that have provoked the capitalist meltdown (I simplify here) it can't credibly attack the National led government for its neo-liberal policies

The National-led government - just like the Labour government - is an implacable defender of capitalism and its package of business welfare and infrastructural spending is a desperate attempt to prop up New Zealand capitalism.

As I've said before in other posts, Labour and its supporters support this approach. Where they disagree is in the content - Labour thinks that National isn't doing enough to help the New Zealand business class. 'We would give our business mates, MORE!' declares Labour. MORE money! MORE tax breaks! MORE everything!

What do ordinary New Zealanders get? THE BILL!

Ideological flag carriers for Labour like The Standard have taken this argument further by arguing that Prime Minister Key's 'stimulus package' (nonsensical phrase) is merely a juggling of figures and it has taken satisfaction in republishing leaked emails in which Key indicates there is no new money to deal with the crisis and that his minister's will just have to work within existing budgets.

The Standard's pathetic alternative, the alternative of all insipid Labourites everywhere, is to just dole out more money to the already wealthy business owners.

A case in point is Fisher and Paykel which, you may recall, sacked about 350 hundred workers in 2007 when it transferred some of its operations overseas.

The Standard has no problem with bailing out this loyal New Zealand company - and presumably other companies as well.

So The Standard, a self-proclaimed voice of the labour movement , has now arrived at the point of openly declaring itself as being an advocate for the New Zealand capitalist class. The pretence is over and the game is up.

A 'voice' of the labour movement! What absolute and self serving drivel.

Instead of campaigning on behalf of New Zealand capitalists, The Standard, if it any political credibility at all, would be campaigning on behalf of New Zealand workers.

Here's the real progressive alternative.

Let's turn these businesses like Fisher and Paykel over to the people who work in them!

These businesses will be run on democratic principles. Worker's councils can be set up to replace boards of directors that used to represent the shareholders and overseas interests. Workers - who now have a real say in the running of the company - will vote on a regular basis to determine who will sit on the council.

This is a real pro-labour solution that would be part of an integrated socialist approach which would include the nationalisation of the finance and banking sector.

Until The Standard stops going into bat for the likes of the wealthy Fisher and Paykel owners its claims to be 'progressive' must be regarded as hypocritical.