2008 Roger Award Nominations Now Open
Nominations are now open for the 2008 Roger Award for the Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Full details about the Award, including past winners, Judges’ Reports, etc, can be accessed online at http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Roger/index.html
The criteria for judging are by assessing the transnational (a corporation which is 25% or more foreign-owned) that has the most negative impact in each or all of the following categories:
Economic Dominance - Monopoly, profiteering, tax dodging, cultural imperialism
People - Unemployment, impact on tangata whenua, impact on women, impact on children, abuse of workers/conditions, health and safety of workers and the public
Environment - Environmental damage, abuse of animals
Political interference – Interference in democratic processes, running an ideological crusade
The judges for 2008 are: Geoff Bertram, from Wellington, a Victoria University economist; Brian Turner, from Christchurch, President of the Methodist Church and social justice activist; Paul Corliss, from Christchurch, a life member of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union; Cee Payne-Harker, from Dunedin, Industrial Services Manager for the NZ Nurses’ Organisation and health issues activist; Christine Dann, from Banks Peninsula, a writer and researcher; and Bryan Gould, from Bay of Plenty, a former Waikato University Vice-Chancellor. They will be given a shortlist of finalists. The winner(s) will be announced at an Auckland event in early 2009.
Accomplice Award:
This is for an organisation (not an individual) which has been the worst Accomplice in 2008 in aiding and abetting transnational corporations in New Zealand to behave as described in the criteria. The Accomplice’s award is in addition to the Worst Transnational Corporation award and will not necessarily be awarded every year.
Meddler’s Award
For election year only, there is a new Meddler’s Award for the transnational corporation which, judged on the same criteria as for the Roger Award itself, has the most negative impact on the direction or electoral process of the election campaign.
Nominations close on October 31.
The Roger Award is organised by the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa and GATT Watchdog