MOST RECENT UPDATE: DECEMBER 2018
Keeping up with the Kiwi comrades, or: how I stopped worrying and learned to love the sect swamp. This list contains all the arguably active socialist groups in New Zealand (including some other anarchist and radical left orgs), it isn’t a definitive list of every single organisation on the left – that’d be a much bigger project. But if you’re window shopping for a new org to join and get a taste of socialist politics in EnZed, maybe this’ll help. Oh, and in terms of how large a scene we’re talking about here:
Many of these organisations number less than ten people, and there’s some membership crossover between groups, I’d say the total active membership combined numbers at about 250 or less people across the whole country.
A quick honourable mention goes to the Pacific Panther Network, not included in the list because they aren’t a self-described socialist organisation. But they are a very interesting Pacifica radical organisation and the direct descendant (founded in 2016) of the legendary Polynesian Panthers of the ’70s & ’80s. Their scope being far beyond that of a single-issue campaign or sectional activist group, and as such inclusion on the list is warranted. While you’re at it, why not check out this 2010 documentary on the Polynesian Panthers and this interview with current Pacific Panther Teanau Tuiono.
Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement
Status: alive, somehow
AWSM possibly holds the title of sole nationally organised anarcho-communist outfit in EnZed. Numbering at the single digits last I heard, they’re now greatly diminished from their already not huge beginnings. Asides a website, they print the irregular newssheet Solidarity. Though currently essentially one of several propaganda groups, they originally formed in 2008 as a means to rectify the mistakes of the much larger but less organised anarchist scene that’d existed five years to a decade earlier.
Black Star Books
Status: still kickin’ at 15 years old
An anarchist social center away down in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, BSB maintains an archive of Dunedin art zines inherited from Glue Gallery and a library of leftist literature (including some rarities). Asides the archive BSB serves as a social space having hosted movie screenings, a community kitchen, talks and lectures, meetings for local orgs, and at some point a DnD group. Fairly standard infoshop fare.
Canterbury Socialist Society
Status: alive and in good health
No longer the newest kid on the bloc and no longer the only game in town in Christchurch, CSS are an education outfit with a relatively broad outlook. Their primary activity thus far has been regular talks on socialist theory, film screenings, and monthly drinks. Not in any way large, but it would seem they’re patiently building to be one of the larger groups around the country sitting in the dozen+ members range. Of interest to socialist trainspotters is the launch of a bulletin titled The Commonweal (this history nerd approves) and the establishment of an annual State of the Unions panel + Fred Evans Memorial Lecture.
Communalism Aotearoa
Status: alive
The NEWEST of the NEW groups to form in the last year or two, this lot seem to be a Bookchinite org that cropped up quite recently. No one seems to know who exactly it is, but you can read what they have to say on their website.
Communist League
Status: still going but almost certainly stagnant
Originally the Socialist Action League when founded in 1969, the CL renamed when it sided with the Socialist Workers Party (US) in a split from the Fourth International in the late ’80s. Now the New Zealand branch of the informally known Pathfinder tendency which sprung up around the SWP(US), an average encounter with a member would likely consist of being sold a copy of (SWP(US) rag) The Militant while being extolled the virtues of the Cuban Revolution on the streets of Auckland. Given my not being in Auckland, and their refusal to maintain any kind of website or social media page beyond sporadic press releases on Scoop, it’s rather hard to gauge their presence.
The CL continue to valiantly contest every general and mayoral election regardless of results. They’ve stood in every general election since 1990, being rewarded with 210 votes (0.01% all up), on their first and thus far most fruitful attempt. More successfully they’ve tilted at every Auckland mayoral election since 2004 with a more substantive 1,817 votes (0.46% all up) in 2016, taking 11th place. CL stood their first ever candidate in Mt Albert for the 2017 by-election, in which they drew 15 votes (0.12%) to the cause of Pathfinder brand socialism. Felicity Coggan in Māngere and Michael Tucker in Maungakiekie stood for them in the 2017 election, achieving 109 votes between them.
Communist Workers Group
Status: alive, if quite small
A 1994 split from Workers Power, itself a distant descendant of the original New Zealand wing of the Spartacist League, CWG are a small outfit in Auckland who until 2010 represented the International Trotskyist Faction in New Zealand. Active in protests and unions, the main activity of the group is writing for their regular publication Class War and on their blog Redrave. Internationally they align themselves with CWG (USA) and Revolutionary Workers’ Group (Zimbabwe).
Fightback
Status: small, but with a lotta fight left in ’em
Formed from the ashes of the Workers Party of New Zealand in 2013 (they’ve published a short history here), Fightback deemed itself a ‘fighting propaganda group’ but is now denoted as a more straightforward ‘socialist media group’. Now largely confined online, Fightback are among the more prominent socialist sects in terms of public awareness. Though a presence in the activism scene, their main activity is the regular publication of pamphlets and aptly named magazine Fightback.
Fightback were one of the driving forces behind the Migrant & Refugee Rights Campaign (MARRC) throughout most of 2017, supporting the candidacy of Gayaal Iddamalgoda in Wellington Central. For this effort they were rewarded with 161 votes, the largest of the minor players and hilariously well ahead of the ACT candidate. Asides this, Fightback’s main distinguishing feature among the local radical left is the ‘conservative leftism’ thesis developed by member (and veteran of Socialist Worker away back when) Daphne Lawless. It hasn’t exactly been a popular thesis, but can’t be faulted for a growing number of pieces detailing and refining the idea.
Of recent note, asides the org re-branding as a trans-Tasman outfit to coincide with going near fully online, is the orgs participation in Organise Aotearoa – likely one of many groups to duel card with OA. Oh, and apparently they’re considering affiliating with the 4th International.
The Freedom Shop
Status: among the living
Tucked into a corner of the Newton Opportunity for Animals Co-op Shop, The Freedom Shop are sellers of anarchist literature & knick knacks in Wellington as well as maintaining a small library. One of only two anarchist infoshops still around, The Freedom Shop one-ups BSB with the semi-regular publication of the Aotearoa Anarchist Review (or as it’s better known, AARGH!).
International Bolshevik Tendency
Status: tiny & ailing, but not dying
Mercifully the IBT don’t claim to have a New Zealand branch, merely some supporters here, which is more humility than the left is usually capable of. Notably formed by a merger of the Permanent Revolution Group (in NZ) and the Bolshevik Tendency in the US around Bill Logan, they number perhaps ~5 people. To my understanding, the only activity that could be attributed to the IBTNZ (insofar as it exists) is contributing articles to the IBT’s international publication 1917.
Recently the American section did the splits over whether or not Russia are imperialist (they thought not) – which means the BT in IBT may no longer really be applicable. You can read about the split from the source itself on the IBT website here.
International Socialist Organisation
Status: waning, but still in very good health
The biggest second biggest band in the land, the ISO are by most measures one of the largest sect in NZ with around 30-40 members primarily concentrated in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland (of which there’s a core of about 25-30). Initially founded in 1993 (meaning it’s their 25th b-day as of 2018), they reformed after splitting from an ill-fated merger with the Communist Party of New Zealand in 1996. The ISO were one of several socialist groups to throw their lot in with MANA in 2011, officially ending their support in early 2015 after Internet MANA imploded post-election. Internationally I’m unsure exactly what their affiliation status is, although they at least gravitate the International Socialist Tendency and have close relations to Socialist Alternative (Australia) and ISO (USA).
You’ll find members on various campuses or at demos bearing ISO label placards and selling the orgs long-running paper Socialist Review – which turned 20 in 2017. As of the last few months, the ISO has been knocked from its perch as the biggest org in the country by the rapid growth of Organise Aotearoa – a position it held for much of the decade with the split and final demise of Socialist Worker in 2008 and 2012 respectively + the split (2011) and slow decline of the Workers Party since it became Fightback in 2013. They do remain one of the main players among the radical left though, a position held for almost two decades now.
Rumor has it the ISO is about to finally meet its long-held ambition of opening a Christchurch branch. So there’s no branch, but see the entry for new Christchurch group Solidarity.
New Communist Party of Aotearoa
Status: alive, but small & relegated to Wellington
Probably the only self-identified, overt Marxist-Leninist group active in New Zealand, this lot cropped up a few months back and … well they’re still around. There seems to be maybe a half dozen teenage Stalinists involved and there’s a website, though I have to give credit – they do have a nice party logo.
(new and unrelated) New Zealand Communist Party
Status: likely nonexistent
No not that one, no not the other ones either. I don’t know why two new ‘communist parties’ founded by young folk appeared this year, but this one seems to be using the old CPNZ logo as its own and making some claim to be the true successor. I think this might just be some kid’s Facebook page, but they did claim to have 500 members a little while back so what would I know.
Organise Aotearoa
Status: Hyped up and fuckin’ going for it
The biggest band in the land after only being publicly active for 3 months. With a slogan seemingly pulling from the American Party for Socialism and Liberation, OA generated some buzz in media circles upon appearing. Seemingly this is what has come of the rumors which have floated around since Sue Bradford proposed a new communist party back in 2014, and while it was being talked about there had been no official launch.
Now with a few months activity to get a bead on ’em, it’s safe to say OA have shot out to being the largest socialist org in the country right now – and probably the largest in some 15 years. With 150+ paying members of which something like 70-80 are active (largely in their two branches of Auckland + Wellington), OA seem to be growing rapidly. It seems a Dunedin branch is likely in the near future, and perhaps other branches in the North Island further down the line as well. Lastly of note, they’re holding a long series of public hui’s to thrash out a programme – which anyone can submit to (if that’s ya thing).
Otago Socialist Society
Status: small, but alive and well
A smaller sibling to the Canterbury Socialist Society, with a similar orientation towards education and social events. Established in late 2017, OSS numbers at a core of about a half dozen.
Rebel Press
Status: among the living
Still going a decade in, Rebel Press are one of the only (perhaps the only?) anarchist publishing groups in the South Pacific. Largely operating out of Wellington to my knowledge, the folk at Rebel Press are responsible for various titles on anarchist history, the animal rights/ecological movement and the security state. They also publish Imminent Rebellion, the only (irregular) anarchist journal in the South Pacific.
Redline
Status: alive, small, and rather combative
Formed as a split of high profile figures from the Workers Party in 2011 (including the former National Secretary, National Organiser, and Spark Editor), Redline is basically a blog. Likely one of the widest read socialist blogs in the country (despite any specific social media presence beyond the members own profiles), they number at maybe ~5. I’d say they’re most well known for their extensive material critically analyzing the Labour Party, and for being fairly distant + adversarial toward much of the rest of the socialist scene.
As of quite recently, Redline has decided it needed to be even more alienated from the rest of the left and has thrown its hat in with the TERF scene. It’s been quite the schism, and left Redline sitting even more distant from (most of) the left than before.
Socialist Aotearoa
Status: alive, stagnant
A 2008 split from Socialist Worker, which arguably makes them the last remnant of the original Communist Party, and the NZ affiliate of the International Socialist Tendency, SAot are primarily a personality cult around Unite organiser Joe Carolan. A central feature of activism in Auckland, their Anticapitalist branded merch (and overabundant demo gear) are perhaps a more ubiquitous feature of that scene than the newssheet it’s named for. They also boast the largest social media following of any org on this list, for whatever that’s worth. SA have notably been embroiled in cover-up allegations since the publication in 2011 of an open letter regarding misogyny and abuse on the part of then member Omar Hamed.
One of several sects to join MANA, eternal leader Joe stood as their candidate in Mt Albert for the 2014 general election and pulled 290 votes/0.79%, placing 6th of 8, for his efforts. He’s having had another crack at it in the 2017 Mt Albert by-election under the banner “Socialist – People Before Profit” for which he staked his position as King Crank at 5th place with 171 votes (or 1.32%). It would appear the lack of any of the main right wing parties didn’t have much effect on the various leftist and crank sects who threw their hat in.
Socialist Equality Group
Status: small, stagnant, and very feisty
A small org based primarily in Auckland and Wellington, SEG are the local preachers of the eternally correct line of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), primarily via the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). Their activity mostly consists of reporting on political events and demos, by which I mean accusing literally every other socialist sect who turn up as ‘pseudo-leftists’. Won’t lie, it’s pretty unintentionally hilarious, but I somehow don’t see a mass organisation of Nuh Zelund workers sprouting out of it anytime soon.
Solidarity
Status: perhaps alive, perhaps not
A very very NEW(!) group in Christchurch that’s in some way loosely affiliated to or has the backing of the ISO. As far as I’m aware while they’re a structurally and politically relatively loose group, their activity is similar public meetings, film screenings, activism, etc fare to the rest of the socialist left. Where they go is yet to be seen.
South Pacific Christian Anarchists
Status: alive?
A relatively loose network of sympathisers with the Christian Anarchist tradition active primarily in New Zealand and Australia with a few affiliates at large scattered through the South Pacific. Formed in 2006, SPCA (heh) have held an annual hui most years since around New Zealand (twice in Australia) ever since. There ain’t that many of ’em these days, but they’re still kicking and occasionally putting out an irregular zine Co-Opted/Kia Ngātahi. If you’re interested, the best resource on the group is probably this hour-long interview two members did with the Which Side podcast in 2016. SPCA members also have some affiliations with the Catholic Worker Movement.
Tāmaki Makaurau Anarchists
Status: alive & well
A spiritual successor of sorts to the Auckland Anarchist Network, the newest org on the anarchist block boasts 15 members and at present relatively frequent talks at Auckland University. An official launch of sorts is set to occur soon for the group, and with it a steady shift away from campuses. A number of projects and initiatives are bubbling away among the membership for the future, so for all I know TMA may well be watch-this-space for interesting developments over the coming year or so.
Wellington Socialists
Status: alive but a little winded
This lot are another very new as of 2018, relatively small group that has a similar activity roster to other socialist groups. It’s taken some notes from an engagement with a couple of my own musings, which I find very flattering, and seem to do a lot of stuff with the Wellington Workers Education Association – kudos to that. You can find their website here. With the launch of OA it seems some members have moved more of their energy toward that org, but the group as a whole remains alive & well.
World Socialist Party
Status: fuck if I know, moribund maybe?
A phantasmal myth, leaving behind an archaic website as the only evidence they were ever alive. The only indication the World Socialist Party of New Zealand still exists and is not an elaborate hoax is that they’re still listed as the local sibling to the Socialist Party of Great Britain and there’re flickers of activity deep in the bowels of the SPGB forums. If they do still exist, then they’re by miles the oldest continuously lived sect in New Zealand having been originally founded in 1930(!). I have heard from other folk in the socialist scene that some bloke is wandering around still claiming to be a World Socialist Party member, though as far as I’m concerned the man may as well be a folk legend. You can find a couple articles from them in the Socialist Standard archive from the UK.
Graveyard
RevCom (A/NZ)
Status: dead
Lifetime: may never have existed but about 2016-2018
RevCom lay claim to being the NZ section of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) – themselves a recent addition to the ecosystem of trot internationals. They never did more than maintain a (now dead) website and a twitter account that’s been silent for over half a year.
Socialist Appeal
Status: dead
Lifetime: about 2011-2018
Supposedly the “Marxist Voice of Labour and Youth” – their words, not mine – SApp were another tiny groupuscule that are just kinda floating around. According to them, they’re the NZ section of the International Marxist Tendency, but actually they’re this one guy James from Kaitaia . They apparently had a magazine, and have even produced their own books on revolutionary theory, but there doesn’t seem to be much trace of them.
If you want a real trip, this guy from Kaitaia has a rather wild background. He claims to have been arrested attempting to start a revolution in the local Pak ‘n’ Save and got investigated by the cops for distributing leaflets saying the CIA planned to bomb the 2011 World Cup to … overthrow Gaddafi? Also the name of the ‘party’ seems to have changed a lot, if you’ve ever seen a group calling themselves the 5th International or the Viva Party floating around – same guy. My personal fav is Killuminati Seven Day Theory Party – Takeover Aotearoa New Zealand (KSDTPTANZ), which in some way incorporated 2pac as a revolutionary theorist. There’s also ugh, well there’s this. Also same guy.
The website, the only real sign of life, is now no more. So SApp is pretty much dead.
Socialist Voice
Status: dead
Lifetime: 2014-2018
Once one of the more notable orgs around, Socialist Voice were a kinda-split from Fightback active in Wellington and Auckland (also Christchurch according to Facebook, Hamilton according to Wikipedia, and neither according to people I know from both). Formerly the NZ affiliate of the Committee for a Workers International, they split indefinitely after an alleged abuse cover-up within the Australian section (simply, the Socialist Party).
Aligning themselves with a splinter faction, The Socialist, which resigned in protest taking several prominent members with it, it does not appear that Socialist Voice has rescinded this position (there’s a statement on their website from May 2016). Asides the usual activist circuit, union organising, and a reading group in Wellington, they ran a conference (Socialism 2017 – Mana Pāpori) with a few international guests across March 24th-25th 2017. Their Australian comrades have since formed an electoral coalition under the banner Victorian Socialists, drawing together the ever warring Socialist Alternative and Socialist Alliance for a serious attempt at state parliament.
As of late 2018 their website is down and Facebook untouched, at least some ex-members have moved onto Organise Aotearoa.
