Anarchism in New Zealand

The anti-capitalist, anti-state and anti-domination political philosophy of anarchism has played a small, but important and colourful role in New Zealand politics.

Anarchist groups today

Today there are two small national groups based in Wellington and Christchurch, a national anarcha-feminist network, bookshop/infoshops/social spaces in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, an online bookshop based in Christchurch and a publishing collective in Wellington. There is a national anarchist journal and a national independent news site for activists run by anarchists. Many anarchists are involved in, and have set up, non-anarchist projects and groups with similar values and have played a significant role in non-parliamentary activism.

National

Anarchism in Auckland today

There are two main anarchist projects in Auckland today: Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement and the Auckland Anarchist Network. Anarchists are actively involved in projects such as the Tumeke Cycle Space (a DIY bike workshop initially set up by anarchists) and Auckland Action Against Poverty (a beneficiary and unemployed direct action group).

There has been a small continued anarchists milieu in Auckland over the past decade. Auckland anarchists have tended to focus on starting or being involved in broader activist groups, one off actions and projects rather than starting anarchist specific political groups. These include: Auckland Animal Action (1996–2006), Anti-GenetiX Action (2004–2005), Anti-War Direct Action (2004), Global Peace and Justice Auckland (2004-today), Anti-Bigot Action (2005) Campaign Against the Taser (2006–2007), Civil Rights Defense (2007), Reclaim the Nights and Slut Walk.

Auckland anarchists have only tried to set up permanent anarchist specific political groups a couple of times: Black Cat (2005) and A Space Inside (2006). A Space Inside ran a national anarchist conference in 2007 and later became the Auckland Anarchist Network which focuses on being a consistent communication point for anarchists rather than a propaganda group.. There was also an attempt to set up a social space in 2003 called ECCO.[7]

Like previous generations of Auckland anarchists, they have often gravitated around inner city flats which have included 8 West Terrace (2004–2005) and Necropolis (1990's-2007). West Terrace provided a space for young activists who later formed Radical Youth and Necropolis was Auckland's most important punk space for over a decade.

Like other major cities, many anarchists in the past decade got involved during the anti-globalisation movement including at an anti-APEC rally in 1999.[8] Auckland Anti-genetic engineering rallies (2003) and anti Iraq war rallies (2004) interested new activists in anarchism.

Another important group at this time was militant direct action animal rights group Auckland Animal Action (1996–2006). Although not an anarchist group, many anarchists were drawn to the groups militant direct action. Auckland GenetiX Action (2003–2005) was an anti-GE group set up by anarchists and modelled on Auckland Animal Action and helped Greenpeace stop KFC from using genetically engineered soy feed.

Notable Auckland anarchist activities

Auckland anarchist groups

Rotorua

Wellington

Historical groups

National

According to one anarchist, the Anarchist Alliance of Aotearoa (AAA) only had one member in June 1988. The "Kiwi Anarchist Conference" in 1992 formally adopted the aims and principles of AAA. Five groups were affiliated to AAA in 1991 [17]

Two anarcha-feminist group were established in Auckland and Wellington following the 1991 national anarchist conference in Christhchurch. Sekhmet was the magazine of the federation, produced by the Katipo Collective in Wellington.[18]

National anarchist conference have been run in 1991 (Wellington), 1995 (Wellington), 2001 (Christchurch), 2003 (Wanganui), 2004 (Christchurch), 2007 (Auckland). Regional conferences were held in 1995 (Wellington), 2008 (Christchurch), 2009 (Auckland) and 2010 (Wellington). An anarcha-feminist conference was held in 1995 (Wellington). A Christian anarchist conference was held in 2008 (Christchurch).

Auckland

There was a small group of around 10 anarchists revolving around a Napier street flat between 1976-7.[24]

Poneke/Wellington

Otautahi/Christchurch

Dunedin

Anarchist tendencies

Anarcha-feminism

Anarcha-feminism has played an important part in New Zealand anarchist history.

Punk

Punk has played an important part in New Zealand anarchist history since the 1980s. A very loose community of anarchist punks throughout Aotearoa formed by the early 1980s and was well established by the mid to late 1980s.[32]

Anarcho-syndicalism and Syndicalism

Anarcho-syndicalism and Syndicalism have played an important part in New Zealand anarchist history since the 1890s.

History

Early workers movement

In the early 1890s and 1900s syndicalism and anti-parliamentary socialism played an important and initially leading role as a current within the early workers movement, especially in the ‘Red’ Federation and then the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Some members of the IWW were anarchists (such as Syd Kingsford), or were sympathetic to the anti-parliamentary ideas of anarchism.

1951 Waterfront lockout

The 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute was the largest and most widespread industrial dispute in New Zealand history. During the time, up to twenty thousand workers went on strike in support of waterfront workers protesting financial hardships and working conditions. Thousands more refused to handle "scab" goods. The dispute, sometimes referred to as the waterfront lockout or waterfront strike, lasted 151 days—from 13 February.

The Waterside Workers Union, particularly the Auckland branch, had a strong syndicalist philosophy. Jock Barnes, also a syndicalist, was the president of the Auckland Watersiders Union from 1944 to 1952 and played a significant role in the lockout.[33]

The defeat of the dispute was considered by many parliamentary socialists as the final defeat of syndicalism as a viable trend within the broader workers movement.

1960s, '70s and '80s social movements

Anarchism was popular during the protest movements of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Anarchists were involved in the anti-Springbok tour protests (including: 1960 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa, Halt All Racist Tours (HALT) set up in 1969, and the 1981 Springbok Tour), the Anti-Vietnam movement which began in the mid-1960s and the Anti-Nuclear protests during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

1980s and 90s Unemployment rights movement

In the 1980s and early 1990s anarchists were involved in dozens of small unemployment groups around the country. The unemployment movement brought in a wave of new activists to the anarchist movement.

Te Roopu Rawakore - the National Unemployed and Beneficiaries Movement (NUBM) was dominated by the Auckland Unemployed Workers Right Centre (AUWRC). AUWRC was led by Sue and Bill Bradford and involved a large number of anarchists. Anarchists also played a key role in the Wellington Unemployed Workers Union (WUWU) (which later became the Wellington Peoples Centre).

In 1991 Te Roopu Rawakore split, largely due to a division in AUWRC between the Bradford’s and their supports and the anarchists (mainly punks). With NUMB shattered, many activists left leaving the anarchists in charge of the organisation, which final dissolved around 1993.

1999–2005 - Anti-globalisation, anti-war and anti-GE movements

Between 1999 and 2005 anarchists played a key role in anti-globalisation, anti-war, anti-genetic engineering and animal rights movement.

2004 Youth rates campaign

During the SupersizeMyPay.com campaign in 2004 and 2005 anarchists played a leading role in Unite union and Radical Youth to win the effective end of youth rates.

2007 Terror Raids

Armed police raid and arrest 17 activists, including anarchists, for alleged involvement in a paramilitary training camp deep in the Urewera mountain range near the town of Ruatoki in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Important dates

New Zealand Anarchists

Anarchism in New Zealand popular culture

Literature

History

Other books

The standard work on New Zealand home brewing for years, the book was also known as Anarchist handbook no. 1. The book was written by Malcolm James aka Malcolm Gramophone and printed by Kropotkin Press, which he owned.[54]

Churton, Wade. gHave You Checked the Children?h Punk and Postpunk Music in New Zealand, 1977.1981. Christchurch: Put Your Foot Down Publishing, 1999.

Journals, magazines and zines

Earwig was an Auckland underground magazine edited and printed by Heather McInnes and John Mime which at one stage described its stance as anarchist. Some regarded the publishers as "hippy anarchists".[54]

Cock was an anti-authoriarian and anarchistic Wellington-based satirical political magazine edited by Chris Wheeler. It was also influenced by Camus’ philosophy of the absurd and had as its aim to "help overthrow the New Zealand government - by ridicule". Cock once said that "the only threat the [Communists] offered to the National Party was that of boredom."[58]

Counter-Culture was the most openly anarchist underground magazine at this time including anarchist articles and reviews. It was printed by anarchist Malcolm Gramophone who also ran the Kropotkin Press.[54]

Published by Simon Cottle, a punk anarchist from Wellington who also ran his a radio show called Anarcho-Pacifist. Cottle played an important role in promoting anarchism and animal rights within the punk scene.[26]

TSA was launched in June 1987 by Bruce Grenville.[26]

Thr@ll was a free class struggle anarchist magazine. It was published by an editorial collective influenced by anarchist communism, anarcho-syndicalism, situationism and council communism but was not aligned to any tendency or group.[60] (Issues 11 – 21 available free here .)

Imminent Rebellion is a free irregular anarchist publication from New Zealand. It is the countries only national journal and has contributions from around New Zealand. Printed and bound by Rebel Press in Wellington, the insert states: "hand bound with a hatred of the State infused into every page". (Issues are available free here )

Broadsheets

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External links

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