NEW ZEALAND: Basic Income activists on the rise in New Zealand

Lowell Manning (credit to BINZ)

Activism for Basic Income (BI) in New Zealand is growing fast and gaining visibility. The new group BINZ – Basic Income New Zealand – is setting up actions to “bring the ‘universal basic income’ to the forefront of New Zealand’s public awareness”. It has been already formalized with an incorporation status under New Zealand law, and submitted an affiliation request with BIEN – Basic Income Earth Network.

The group has already developed a website, a Facebook page, a startup newsletter and first press release. The core team constitution gathers names such as Lowell Manning, Gaylene Middleton and Karl Matthys, who felt compelled to formalize BINZ after professor Guy Standing’s visit to New Zealand earlier this year. Manning, for instance, worked for 15 years in the NZ Democratic Party as a policy director and, besides skilled in economics, is one of New Zealand’s recognized BI experts.

There is a long tradition in the basic income concept in New Zealand, with local groups advocating for it for more than 20 years. BINZ aims to be a beacon of light to spread even further the BI concept in the country, as well as through joining the larger international BI community of activists.