COPING WITH GLOBALISATION AND MARKET FORCES

Burnie, Tasmania Group, January 2001.

1. It was generally agreed that direct action - the word 'anarchy' was used - from the mass of the people, was the best response to the globalisation of capital.
2. A regime of fair trade could replace the current 'free trade' regime, provided that the potential power of consumers in favour of fair trade, could bring sufficient pressure upon their national governments.
3. This group unanimously agreed that the Tobin Tax be supported universally, as a means of controlling international currency (investment / gambling).
4. Sufficient pressure needs to be brought to bear upon national governments, to remove all impediments to broadband digital communications without delay, so that country-wide, the people can have the opportunity to be empowered by the additional information sources that would become available.

JOBS

1. Full employment would be possible under firm legislation limiting hours worked per week (eg the success of last year's introduction of the 35 hour week in France). It was felt strongly, that allowing considerable overtime (much unpaid) to be worked in a country suffering significant unemployment, is disgraceful.
2. The charter of the ILO (International Labour Organisation) has to be restructured to facilitate positive changes in conditions of work on a universal scale.
3. In addition, a positive restructure and empowering of United Nations along similar lines, should make it possible to ensure that national unions operate along lines that would improve working conditions universally, in ways that the unions could not refuse to apply.

INDUSTRIES

1. It was recommended that industries should be encouraged to operate under natural capitalism and shared capitalism. This would emphasise the optimum use of resources, both human and physical, to maximise sustainable production, and minimise waste, as a result of effective and productive research. State owned enterprises, based on worker participation, for the benefit of all concerned.
2. An effective mechanism for boosting investment could operate through solidly controlled Government corporations, set up in the name of the people of the State, along a strong underlying principle of ethical investment.
3. Special interest groups must influence national governments to enact legislation that requires industry to give maximum direction into production for the common good, for example, re-owning public utility companies to give better guarantee of efficient and reliable production of electric power, as one instance.

ECONOMIC INEQUALITY

1. A massive reversal of the widening gap between the 'haves and have-nots', especially in economically poor countries like Bangladesh, could be achieved through the imposition of the Tobin Tax on international investment transactions. The money collected could be directed into education, health and setting up local industry etc in such countries.
2. Wages policy and welfare policy could be inter-related, by linking unemployment relief to wages along a European model, such as Denmark's, in which companies are required to prove the need to downsize staff / workers, and pay a form of tax to secure the right to reduce the workforce.

TAXES

1. It would be most appropiate in the first instance to establish a tax system that effectively makes payment relatively equitable. A system in which payment of tax is related to amount earned without benefit of rorts or tax loopholes. It was recommended also that an inheritance tax should be applied to holdings with above average values in Australia.
2. Environment concenrs could be met effectively by establishing a system of tax rebates for the use of environmentally friendly power sources such as wind and solar power. A further measure recommended was the payment of a tax for every tree cut down and for every hectare of bush cleared.
3. One obvious measure to prevent tax avoidance (particularly by multinational corporations) would be to develop effective means of controlling the movement of corporate funds by shutting down tax havens. Profits made in one country must be taxed fully by that country, in that country.
4. Politicians should represent and fight for electors, not parties. The present Australian Constitution does not recognise political parties (which evolved from the common interest groups formed 'naturally' once members had been elected). A major reform is needed to limit drastically the power of big business to exercise undue and unfair influence over politicians. This could begin to be set in place by demanding that all parliamentary elections be funded from public funds exclusively, and placing a low limit on the funds donated to political parties and their agents.