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Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 2. March 5 1979

The National Situation

The National Situation

Last year many students expressed concern at the growing trends towards the right, not only in the university but in society generally. The Muldoon government's track record on attacks on people's democratic rights has alarmed many students. These onslaughts to people's civil Liberties have included the 1976 amendment to the Industrial Relations Act and the Commerce Act, theoretically denying workers the right to strike, the 1977 controversial SIS legislatic and the archaic Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act.

Despite 1978 being an election year these attacks continued, with voluntary Union Ballots being forced on the Portland Cement Workers and the Ice-Cream Workers to name just a few. The Clerical workers Union was even denied the "priviledge" of a ballot. Just before the election the Government enhancing its union bashing image, bluntly declared it a voluntary union.

The rights of speakers from overseas such as Jose Horta and the NZUSA Southern Africa Scholar to inform the New Zealand public the reality of their situations has been denied. Trevor Richards was branded as a "Traitor" for having the gumption to question the government over Gleneagles. As" a fresh injustice on top of all the others the Maori peoples of New Zealand have suffered, the Government launched a massive police and army manoeuver against the occupiers of Bastion Point, a chilling example of the powers of the state.

Though only 2 months have passed in 1979, the Muldoon Government has already waged a massive campaign against New Zealanders standard of living. Electricity prices have risen by 42%, and milk by 50% bread prices are expected to rise soon too.