Thousands March Against Austerity In Wellington

Saturday, 8 June 2024, 3:40 pm
Press Release: ActionStation

Thousands rallied in Wellington today, furious at the coalition Government’s cuts to public services, and what is being called a ‘mass transfer of wealth’ from the public sector to private interests.

People from all walks of life came together today to send a clear message to Christopher Luxon and his government - austerity will take us backwards - stop the cuts.

Speakers included representatives from the cancer society, early childhood education, housing, the care and support sector, disability rights, queer and trans services, health, and the public servants. They called on the government to reverse their public sector cuts, stop privatisation, and invest in ‘collective wellbeing’.

Director of ActionStation (event organiser), Kassie Hartendorp said that the rally is “just the beginning.”

“People across Aotearoa are beginning to realise that the economic arguments that the National party and others fall back on, might not actually stack up” says Hartendorp. “The idea that moving collective wealth into the hands of a few and hoping it trickles down, is becoming less and less convincing to everyday people- and the government’s programme of austerity has driven this home.”

Teacher and PPTA president Chris Abercrombie raised issues with charter schools, calling it ‘privatisation of our education system’ and argued that cuts to public services would ‘end up putting more children in poverty, which will have a devastating effect on education in this country’.

Hartendorp signalled that there is more to come. “What we are hearing from our members, and across communities is that people want Aotearoa to be a place where everyone can thrive, and there is a growing belief that economic and te Tiriti justice is the key to unlocking this. The coalition government has come in with a bulldozer to these ideas, and shouldn’t be surprised that people are feeling compelled to act.”

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