Next Step Democracy Movement

Next Step Democracy Movement was active 1994-1996; aimed to introduce petitions for six referenda on health, education, economic policy, Employment Contracts Act, energy and military budget.

• ``Should all New Zealanders have access to public health services which are fully government funded and without user charges?
• ``Should all New Zealanders have access to public education services, from early childhood to tertiary level, which are fully government funded and without user charges?
• ``Should full employment with wages and conditions that are fair and equitable be the central goal of government economic policy?
• ``Should all New Zealanders on income support and benefits get an income based on what it actually costs to live?
• ``Should increases in New Zealand's electricity demand be met from energy conservation and from the use of sources that are environmentally sustainable?
• ``Should New Zealand's military budget be reduced to half its 1994/95 level by the year 2000 with the savings spent on health, education, conservation and the promotion of full employment?

In Common Ground Vol 1 No 1 1994, it says People who came to the National Gathering of the BOOF/Peoples Assembly Project will remember that Nicky Hager and others in Wellington spoke of using the CIR process as a method of mobilising public support around key issues, and thereby bringing greater influence to bear on existing politicians and political parties over the next couple of years. While a lot of people are quite suspicious of CIR as a tool traditionally used by the Right for conservative causes, the Next step people are saying that we should use CIR to our advantage... NSDM is part of BOOF..."

Core Group

Next Step Democracy Movement Core Group members included Dawn Tuckwood, Nicky Hager, Alistair Shaw, Maxine Gay and Kevin Hackwell.