Values promises a new, co-operative direction

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 1

Values promises a new, co-operative direction

Compulsory conversion of major banks, finance houses, insurance companies, and stock and station agents into co-oper-atives is one way in which the Values Party would set New Zealand on a “new direction.” According to the leader of the Values Party (Mr A. H. Kunowski), this would not mean State control, but the sharing of power and control by the various groups affected by the enterprise. He told an audience of 500 faithful at the opening of his party’s campaign in Christchurch last evening that the new direction was needed. The meeting was quiet, with no interjections or heckling and frequent applause. “We see co-operative enterprise as appropriate wherever the enterprise is a monopoly, or involves a large capital investment, or places a high demand on public resources, or employs many people,” Mr Kunowski said. “We say that the legiti- ' mate interests of the | employees, the consumers, the local community, sometimes the raw-mat-erial suppliers for example farmers in a freezing co-operative — must be protected by direct access to the deci-sion-making process. “This means representa- j tion on the policy board j of a co-operative enter- I prise. This board will re- j place the old board of ! directors of our capitalist | enterprises,” he said. “The day-to-day work- ! ing decisions of the co- i operative must be made ! democratically by all employees of the enterprise. “By involving people in the planning and the organisation of their own workplace, we will un- I leash the creativity that ! lies dormant and repressed j in the New Zealand work- i er.

“Co-operative business will put an end to the age-old struggle between capital and labour,” Mr Kunowski said. Private enterprise was appropriate where many independent producers, distributors, or servicemen or women were supplying many independent customers. “Values policies will encourage the decentralisation of businesses. Small is flexible. Small is just. Small is economic,” he said. “Values seeks a society in which productive effort, social service, and personal saving are rewarded, but in which no personal profit can be derived simply from speculating in the country’s natural resources, its land, its productive assets, or the savings of others.” he said. “We can no longer allow the sole criterion of private profit to dictate where and when the investment occurs. From

now our scarce investment funds must be used wisely in a socially responsible manner,” Mr Kunowski said. Economic pressure had caused the most rapid erosion of individual rights and freedoms New Zealand had known. “The slow waltz to a totalitarian State has become a quick fox-trot,” he said. “We now have a secret police force, accountable to one man, and we are told that they are necessary to protect the interests of democracy. Make no mistake, the secret police exist to protect the interests of private and foreign capital at a time of deepening economic crisis. “The problems of high inflation, high overseas and Government debt, and now high unemployment, cannot be solved in our State capitalist economy," he said.

Mr Kunowski likened the New Zealand economy to a “second Titanic, with the iceberg that spells disaster looming large on the horizon.” The National Party sought a slower ride to destruction; a nice, relaxed, comfortable trip for the first-class passengers, he said. “The National Party expresses its sincere regrets that this means throwing overboard such nonconformist passengers as brown-skinned people, solo parents, single-income families, and the young — especially those who parents cannot afford the firstclass journey. “Labour, on the other hand, welcomes everyone. They don’t want to upset the first-class travellers, merely charge them a little more for their Russian caviar and South African wine, and provide the tourist-class passengers with free lunches from the proceeds. » "Those working extra hard, doing overtime in the engine-room hastening the ship on her ill-fated journey, will qualify under

Labour’s tax plan — their only economic policy this election — for an extra meat pie.” he said. "Social Credit, not to be ouldone by Labour, would issue every passenger with a free Monopoly set. Firstclass passengers, of course, would have I per cent loans to purchase their sets. Everyone will then at least have the illusion of great wealth. their pockets stuffed with useless paper money, when the ship finally crunches into the iceberg and begins to sink." Mr Kunowski said. “Tinkering with the taxation system, or with the financial system, is akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. “Parties posturing behind such Band-aids should be seen for what they are stupid, short-sighted, and irresponsible. Future historians — if universities are still permitted — will look back to this- era and say, ’New Zealand fiddled while Maui gas burned.’ “Values says a new direction is required, away from disaster and towards survival,” Mr Kunowski said.