This documentary focuses on the increasing gap between the rich and poor, both world-wide and in New Zealand.
Underprivileged groups are becoming increasingly obvious in New Zealand. Money and power is accumulating into the hands of a few. As company profits rise, wage and salary earners are suffering a decline in real income. More and more, cabinet is divorcing itself from street level opinion and citizens no longer have any real participation in the country’s economic and political life. Over half a million New Zealanders are estimated to exist below the poverty line. The situation in Fiji and Hong Kong is also examined.
Interviews include: A young student’s difficulty in finding work; a widow with financial problems; a Porirua family of eight who are having difficulty making ends meet.
This controversial film caused Robert Muldoon’s Government to drop CORSO from its funding lists.
“Television New Zealand refused to screen this film which focused on labour exploitation in Hong Kong and aimed to educate the public of New Zealand’s role in causing such poverty. The film, in combination with CORSO’s attention to poverty amongst Maori and other disadvantaged groups in New Zealand society, caused a government backlash. On 19 September 1979 the government legislated the removal of the tax exempt status of CORSO and ended a $40,000 annual government grant to the organisation (Evening Post, 1994).”
“Prime Minister Robert Muldoon was outraged at CORSO’s position that poverty existed in New Zealand and that New Zealand, through trade, was responsible for contributing to poverty overseas. He lamented the demise of CORSO’s focus on aid and the emergence of its political agenda. Consistent with his forthright political style he appears to have taken the attack somewhat personally and reacted vigourously. His animosity towards CORSO was in no key regard lessened by their attack on the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand (New Internationalist, 1982).”
Quotes from D. Sutton, C. Cordery & R. Baskerville, “Paying the Price of the Failure to retain Legitimacy in a National Charity: the CORSO Story”, VUW Centre for Accounting, Governance and Taxation Research WORKING PAPER SERIES, no.47, 2007, p.13.