FINALISTS NAMED FOR THE ROGER AWARD FOR THE WORST TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION
IN NEW ZEALAND IN 1999
posted 1st Dec 99

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: A global news media corporation is among seven 1999 finalists named for the annual Roger Award which is presented to the worst transnational corporation for the year in New Zealand.

Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd, which owns New Zealand's Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL) group, and was a previous runner-up is included on the shortlist. According to a statement by one of the organisers of the Roger Award, Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA), the other six finalists are: WestpacTrust; Tranz Rail; Monsanto (both previous winners); Telecom; Waste Management and TransAlta.

"The Roger Award holds an unflattering mirror up to the ugly side of Big Business and exposes the lie that unfettered corporate power is the best - and only - way," said CAFCA spokesman Murray Horton. "The Roger Award is part of our challenge to the newly elected [Labour-Alliance coalition] Government - what are you going to do to control and roll back the power of our real, unelected government, the transnational corporations?"

The criteria for judging involves assessing the transnational that has the most negative impact in New Zealand in each or all of the following fields: unemployment, monopoly, profiteering, abuse of workers/conditions, political interference, environmental damage, cultural imperialism, impact on tangata whenua, running an ideological crusade, impact on women, health and safety of workers and the public.

The judges are: Simon Collins, editor City Voice, Wellington; Maxine Gay, president, NZ Trade Union Fedration, Wellington; Moana Jackson, Maori Legal Service, Wellington; and Professor Jane Kelsey, Auckland. The winner will be announced in Christchurch, on February 18, 2000.