Download the Alliance Party 2008 Manifesto

Putting People First

The Alliance wants a better New Zealand for everyone.

We believe all people should be able to have secure well-paid work, quality, free education and health care, affordable housing $and power, a safe sustainable environment and the right to make decisions about their lives and their communities.

The Alliance is different from most political parties. We don’t receive big donations from big business or organizations pushing hidden agendas. We represent people who care about others and who know there is a better way to run things.

We are a democratic socialist party. Our goal is for a free society where all individuals are able to reach their full potential and lead happy and productive lives.

We want to create an equal and fairer country and a more democratic society. We want a New Zealand where people are put first.

We need a New Zealand where people are put first.

Income Tax

Key goal: The Alliance has a fair tax system to pay for a future in which New Zealanders are healthy, well housed, well educated, and in work. All New Zealanders will have access to public goods such as health and education, which will be paid for by tax.

A total of $3.566 billion extra in tax will be paid by the top 33%, particularly those who earn over $100,000 per year, to give tax relief to the bottom 66%.

The break-even point will be $41,000, that is, a family with two wage-earners each making that amount will pay no more tax than they do at the moment.

The first $10,000 of income would be exempt from tax. This applies to everyone. Almost a million Kiwis who earn between $10,000 and $20,000 would average $1,400 less tax than they do now. Those earning between $30,000 and $40,000 would average $428 less tax. Altogether, 1,380,000 people would enjoy substantial tax breaks.

Alliance income tax is part of a total package that will finance extra spending of $6.12 billion per year on health, education and other vital social investments that benefit all of us. About 25% of this will come from income tax, 16% from a new capital gains tax, and 23% mainly from higher taxes on casino profits, a carbon tax, restoring the land tax, and inheritance taxes at 20 cents in the dollar, beginning at $500,000.

The rest would come from stopping payments into the Superfund. Those payments are starving social spending and blighting New Zealand’s future. A healthy, well-educated, and fully employed people is the best guarantee we have to support our elderly people in dignity.

GST

The Alliance would gradually phase out GST, starting with essentials such as food, and put in its place a financial transactions tax (FTT) at the low rate of two cents per $100.

The FTT would be charged on withdrawals only, not deposits.

If you spent $26,000 per year and withdrew a weekly total of $500, FTT would be 10 cents. Compare that to GST on a family’s weekly food bill – 12.5% of $200 or $25 a week.

GST is a regressive tax that hits the poor at the same rate as the rich. It also burdens business with unnecessary compliance costs.

Education

Key goal: Free education for all. Free education for all is a right, not a privilege. Student loans are out of control. Let’s drop the debt and give young people a good start in life.

• The Alliance will abolish the Student Loans Scheme and immediately write off all loans.
• We will introduce a living allowance for all tertiary students at the level of the Unemployment Benefit.
• We will fully fund the public education system from early childhood to tertiary level, including removal of tuition fees.
• We will reduce class sizes to a maximum of 20 pupils in all primary and secondary schools.
• We will end bulk funding of schools.
• We will address the workload issues of teachers struggling to cope with multiple assessments under NCEA.

Health

Key goal: Quality and free public health care. All people deserve good health care. By providing all people with free, high-quality health care, we avoid the suffering and cost of dealing with problems that have been left untreated.
 

• The Alliance would increase health funding over three years from 6.8% to 8% of GDP and seek an agreement with other parties to maintain it at that level.
• We would immediately add spending of $1.4 billion to our public health service. This means free doctors’ consultations, the removal of prescription charges, and reduced waiting lists.
• We will put more resources towards public health initiatives such as sexual and reproductive health.
• We will address urgent needs in mental health care and in the disabilities sector.
• We will introduce free hearing and eye tests, and free dental check-ups.
• We will make child health a national priority, by supporting facilities to treat children’s illnesses and publicly funding a national immunisation programme.
• We will adequately fund Plunket Well Child services as an investment in our future.
• We will keep remaining rural hospitals open and plan hospital services so that 90% of New Zealanders are less than 60 minutes away by road.
• We will change the election and appointment system for District Health Board members to ensure meaningful community control

Housing

Key goal: Affordable housing for all people. The Alliance will help get people into a home they
can afford – our priority is housing for all.

• The Alliance will introduce low-interest, no-deposit loans for low-income workers and beneficiaries to enable them to buy homes.
• We will increase the number of state houses being built to ensure adequate supply of quality affordable housing.
• We will help councils and other agencies providing pensioner flats and social housing with loans at below market interest rates, but only if rents are set at less than 25% of household income.
• We will establish a public housing construction agency employing builders and apprentices to build state houses, and to modernise and insulate existing state houses.
• We will introduce capital gains taxes to reduce speculation and end the instability of the housing market.
• We will introduce rent controls and stronger tenancy protection.

Workers’ Rights

Key goal: Secure, well-paid jobs. The Alliance will help workers in low-paid and insecure jobs, reduce the working week and increase the minimum wage.

• The Alliance will increase the minimum wage to $17 per hour.
• We will introduce a 35-hour working week with no loss of pay.
• We will immediately introduce five weeks’ annual leave.
• We will introduce greater protections for casual workers.
• We will ensure responsible contracting – where private business gets public money to deliver services, they will be required to meet national standards in pay and conditions.
• We will improve paid parental leave – workers who become primary caregivers should get 12 months’ paid parental leave and their partners should get two weeks’ paid parental leave.
• We support the right to strike: workers should have the right to strike to enforce their Collective Agreement, to oppose layoffs, to support other workers and for political reasons.
• Workers should have a say in the way work is organised. We will push for stronger employment legislation to ensure greater workplace democracy.
• We will ensure genuine full employment promoted by public-financed regional economic development and public works’ programmes.

Energy

Key policy: Affordable, secure power for the people. Electricity will be taken back by the people for the public good – providing affordable, reliable power for all.

• The Alliance will introduce 100% public ownership of electricity generation, lines and retail companies.
• We are committed to long-term planning of electricity supply.
• People’s wellbeing comes first in the provision and supply of electricity and gas, and free market policies will be abolished.
• We will make it illegal for energy companies to arbitrarily cut off electricity or gas supply.
• We will support the development of renewable resources.
• We will introduce price controls on supply of electricity and gas to residential customers.
• We will take major steps to improve energy efficiency and reduce relative use of electricity.

Environment and Climate Change

Key goal: A future for our world. We can only protect our environment by creating an
economy based on need and sustainability.

• The Alliance will take into account the full impact of new projects and services to ensure sustainable development.
• We will strengthen the Resource Management Act and open up public debate on all developments of significance.
• We will reduce pollution caused by too many cars, by investing in buses, trains and ferries, which will be under public ownership and control.
• We will regulate the provision of water, electricity and gas to domestic consumers to ensure that no one is denied these basic necessities because they cannot afford to pay.
• We will minimise waste by encouraging recycling, the reduction of packaging, and ensuring that products are made to be reused, repaired, recycled or composted.
• The Alliance in Government introduced legislation to require the mandatory labelling of genetically modified food. We support a cautious approach to genetic modification to protect people’s health and New Zealand’s ‘clean, green image’.
• Climate change is one the greatest threats to our natural environment. New Zealand should be a world leader in finding solutions for climate change. We aim for carbon neutrality by 2030. The fight against climate change cannot be successful without international solidarity.

Children and Young People

• The Alliance will restore a Universal Child Benefit.
• We will introduce universal, quality childcare for all pre-school children.
• We will introduce free school meals for all children.
• We will abolish youth rates.

Senior Citizens

• The Alliance will increase superannuation to 72.5% of the average after-tax wage.
• Superannuation will be available at age 55 at reduced rates until age 65 to reflect the growing need for public provision from an earlier age.
• We will end all means testing of senior citizens needing long-term care.
• We will subsidise telephones and transport for senior citizens.

Women

• The Alliance will extend pay equity to the private sector. Pay inequities will be reduced when we have free childcare and after-school care, and when the work that women commonly do is rewarded with decent pay.
• We will introduce 12 months’ paid parental leave for primary caregivers and two weeks’ paid parental leave for their partners.
• We recognise the contribution of women in unpaid work.
• We will introduce work–life balance provisions to address workers’ family responsibilities.
• We support more effective strategies and increased funding to protect women from violence.

Transport

Key goal: An integrated national transport system based around public ownership. We will invest in high quality, affordable and environmentally sustainable transport.

• The Alliance will promote publicly funded, fully integrated transport systems, such as rapid bus and rail systems in urban areas.
• We will rebuild the national rail network as part of a publicly operated and integrated transport system that utilises rail and coastal shipping to reduce road freight.
• We will return the national airline and airports to 100% public ownership and operate them as a public service.
• We will maintain the New Zealand road system to a high standard.
• We will end privatisation, such as public–private partnerships and toll roads, and shift a significant amount of funding from road construction to public transport infrastructure.
• We will improve regional infrastructure to ensure that people and goods have ready access to places of work, distribution areas and ports.
• We will return ports into 100% public ownership and introduce cabotage to rebuild New Zealand shipping.
• We will promote research into new transport fuels and seek to decrease reliance on oil.

Justice

Key goal: Safe and secure communities. Secure and well-paid jobs, free education and health
care will reduce crime rates and lead to safer communities.

• The Alliance is committed to an adequately resourced police force that works with the community to prevent problems and provide speedy responses to crimes.
• We will establish a Victims Compensation Board to oversee a fund to help victims of crime.
• Young people under 18 years will not be incarcerated with adults and will be kept in a special environment.
• We are committed to the implementation of the ‘Blueprint for Mental Health’ report so that New Zealanders who need help get it before they commit a crime and end up in the prison system.

Local Government

Key goal: Local communities will own and control services such as water, waste disposal and public transport.

• The Alliance supports well-researched long-term planning that works in the interests of the community.
• We will require income raised through rates to be based on ability to pay.
• We will introduce Single Transferable Voting (STV) for local government elections.
• There will be no more asset sales of public services.

Broadcasting and Communications

Key goal: A high-quality public broadcasting service and world-quality internet service for all New Zealanders.

• The Alliance guarantees low cost and reliable internet access for all New Zealanders, regardless of where they live.
• We will return the “last mile” of the telephone network to public ownership.
• We will build a world-quality publicly owned broadband infrastructure with reduced access costs for the public.
• We will ensure public ownership of significant broadcasting organisations in both radio and television.
• We will establish a commercial-free public television channel.
• We support the continued funding of Maori TV – the community focus of Maori TV shows what a non-commercial broadcaster can do.
• We will introduce legislation which protects and restores live free-to-air broadcasting of significant national sporting events and series.

Treaty of Waitangi

Key goal: The Treaty of Waitangi is the basis for a genuine partnership between tangata whenua and the rest of the people of New Zealand.

• The Alliance supports redressing land and other grievances.
• We will create an accelerated Treaty settlement process with increased resources to the Waitangi Tribunal.
• We support the safe-guarding of Maori customary rights.
• We support the democratic organisation of iwi and urban Maori to ensure all Maori benefit from land and other compensation gained under the Treaty settlement process.
• We will promote Te Reo as the “first” language of New Zealand, including in the education system.

Global Peace and Justice

Key goal: Playing our part as a world leader in building a better world for all, free of war and injustice.

• We support the cancellation of all third world debt.
• We reject free-trade agreements that threaten local control of water, electricity, transport and telecommunications.
• We support the rights of all countries to insist that imported products meet environmental, health and labour standards, and the right to protect our resources from exploitation.
• The Alliance opposes the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and all forms of imperialism.
• We support the Palestinian people in their struggle against military occupation.
• We will direct defence force capability to provide increased support for peacekeeping and mediation – not war.

MPs’ Pay and Conditions

The Alliance in Parliament would push for MPs’ pay to be linked directly to the top of the basic scale for primary and secondary teachers with a 3-year degree and one year of teacher training.

This is not a reflection of the responsibilities and workload of MPs, rather it is a reflection of the special role they have in our society and the need for our representatives to have an awareness of people’s everyday lives and existence.

Public Assets

The Alliance was founded on the principles of public ownership and control of water, electricity, telecommunications, railways, ports and airports.

We have consistently campaigned to prevent the sale of these assets.

Other

This Manifesto covers the main points of our policies.

For full details of these and other Alliance policies, including Arts and Culture, Democracy, Disabilities, Economic Justice, Families, GLBT, Immigration, Refugees, and Water:

• Visit our policies page
• Email us at policy@alliance.org.nz
• Write to us at PO Box 69026, Glendene, Auckland 0645, New Zealand