These policies have also affected the extent of the destruction of the Canterbury earthquakes and the ability of the community to recover. If, at the macroeconomic level, New Zealand’s 20 odd year adherence to the neoliberal agenda has been an abject failure, at the microeconomic level the tools of neo-liberalism have wrought havoc in the past 12 months. Whether it is Pike River, the Rena, the offshore fishing industry the underpinning problem, the cause of the problem is neo-liberalism and its dogmatic adherents.
“Denying all notions of solidarity, cooperation, mutuality and participatory democracy, neo-liberalism affords primacy to the market; is hostile to collectivism (collective bargaining, worker-based health and safety initiatives), pursues a low wage economy and affords a privileged status to investors and their agents, management. Pike River: light-handed regulation, minimal standards, anti-worker (i.e. the removal of worker health and safety reps), managerial prerogative. Rena: flags of convenience, low wage labour, loss of cabotage. Fishing industry: flags of convenience, low wage labour, loss of cabotage”.