COPING WITH GLOBALISATION AND MARKET FORCES
The following points have been put together by the Kimber Mainly-Politic
Group of Adelaide in response to the discussion starter on Globalisation. - 29th January 2001.
Globalisation.
We wish to distinguish 'Corporate Globalisation' from 'Globalisation'.
Globalisation is inevitable in the face of the technologies of the 20th.
and 21st centuries, particularly in respect to travel, transport and
communications. Implications of this globalisation are many and varied
with much that is good and much that is much less so. In the case of
Corporate Globalisation, this involves the processes causing widespread
concern and anguish manifested at Seattle, S11 and like protests. It is a
process driven by Big Business interests under the banner of Free Trade,
which is itself a euphamism for Corporate Capitalism. Of particular
concern in respect to the operations of Corporate Globalisation we point
particularly to a discounting of environmental, social and democratic
factors. Such discounting is manipulated by the many corporate and
government 'players' to ensure the ordinary punters [common folk like us],
are kept in a state of compliance.
For Now We The People or any other People Power movements, the provision
of access to information on global events that hs not been 'spun' by
corporate interests is of high priority. In this regard, we value highly
the ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation, particularly Radio National.
We applaud Dick Smith's initiatives in promoting Australian owned
companies producing Australian products. We agree with Dick that too much
of Australia's food industries, banking etc. has bee taken over by foreigh
interests.
We have discussed the Tobin Tax on a number of occasions and agree that
it appears to be a mechanism with good potential to (1) reduce the flow of
Money Market monies, and (2) to provide with much needed fundsfor
governments to implement regulationa such as environmental controls.
Industries.
Australian Superannuation funds should be regulated to ensure that the
national well-being as well as that of contributors is catered for.
Economic Inequality.
Free Trade is a more acceptable way of saying "Free For All Capitalism".
Fair Trade is the path to be followed. The full labelling of consumer
products, comprehensive Star Ratings systems, energy-minimisation building
code provisions are the sort of means we need to employ.
Regarding the roles of political parties in the country, we believe that
they do less than is possible to curb the activities of Multi National
Corporations [MNCs]. There is we believe, scope for much better regulatory
mechanismc to protect the environment, to protect jobs, to encourage
investment into appropriate channels for the well-being of the nation and
its people.
Taxes.
Carbon taxes and so called Green taxes are strongly supported by the
group. Global Warming faces the living systems of the planet with
potentially severe threats. Reduction in the emissions of carbon into the
atmosphere are vital, as are a range of possible measures still to be
discovered and made into practical programs. Carbon taxes can help
'educate' in a very direct way as well as to raise the funds for R & D.
Pricing mechanisms are needed to reduce the use [and abuse] of the likes
of water, power etc.
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