Nationalisation Call (Press, 15 September 1975)

On 15 September 1975, the Campaign Against Foreign Control in New Zealand (C.A.F.C.I.N.Z.) faced criticism for alleged partisanship regarding its approach to capitalism. This discussion unfolded during a seminar organised by the Young Socialists movement in Christchurch, predominantly at the University of Canterbury. Attendees expressed concern that C.A.F.C.I.N.Z. seemed to overlook capitalist exploitation by New Zealand-owned businesses while focusing heavily on foreign investment. Bill Rosenberg, an activist associated with C.A.F.C.I.N.Z., defended the group's position, arguing that foreign firms posed a more significant threat compared to local capitalists. He highlighted the risk posed by overseas investors who could influence New Zealand management through financial incentives and the potential to intimidate if their demands were not met. Rosenberg asserted that C.A.F.C.I.N.Z. opposed monopoly capitalism irrespective of its origin and clarified that they did not support replacing foreign exploitation with domestic exploitation. The seminar participants discussed how foreign control often equates to monopoly control, suggesting that local capitalism is less harmful, being represented by small businesses like grocery stores that struggle against larger supermarket chains. Companies like J. Wattie Canneries and various breweries were cited as examples of New Zealand-owned monopolies generating profits for a limited number of capitalists, and attendees called for the nationalisation of these entities. Debates at the meeting also covered the subject of the Bluff aluminium smelter, raising questions about its potential nationalisation due to foreign control. Rosenberg remarked that Comalco, the foreign entity behind the smelter, only benefited from New Zealand's electricity resources without giving back to local workers, as the smelter consumed a significant portion of the national electricity allocation for industry. K. Locke, editor of “Socialist Action,” noted the irony that the only nationalised industries in New Zealand were those that did not yield profits, such as the Railways and the National Airways Corporation. He maintained that private enterprises typically pursued high-return industries, and public ownership of these sectors could ease the tax burdens on working people. The conversation proposed pooling resources from profitable private entities under public ownership, managed by worker-elected representatives. As part of the seminar's broader agenda, various topics were also addressed, including Gay Liberation, lesbian feminism, and the struggle for legal abortion. Speakers from different political entities, including the Values, Socialist Action, and Labour parties, highlighted issues relevant to the upcoming elections. Overall, the seminar exemplified a collective call for systemic change regarding both foreign and local capitalist practices in New Zealand.

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