P.R.A.T.T. Number 2, Dave MacPherson


Another Pious Radical (or Pinkos and Reds) Against The Tour was Hamilton City Councillor and anti gambling activist Dave MacPherson.

Though Timaru born, MacPherson became active in radical politics at Flinders University, Adelaide, where he was student president.

By the late ’70s he was back in NZ working as a researcher for the NZ University Students Association.

MacPherson fitted in well with the Maoists who ran NZUSA and later joined them and other like minded activists when they formed the Workers Communist League in 79/80.

The WCL was strongest in Wellington, especially at Victoria University where it controlled the students association for many years. The WCL or “Weasels” as they were fondly known, were militantly anti Apartheid and were strong backers of Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness Movement of Azania.

It is not surprising then, that the WCL played the leading role in the Wellington anti Tour protests of 1981, co-ordinated through their front, Citizens Opposed to the Springbok Tour.

MacPherson played a major role in COST, as a member of the Marshalls Committee and as leader of “Orange Section”, charged at one point with blocking all the main routes into Wellington.

On July 22nd, MacPherson was chief marshall of Day of Shame march in Lower Hutt, he and 21 others were arrested for occupying Ewen Bridge for two and a half hours.

On August 15th he was arrested on the Hutt Motorway with 63 others. On August 29th he was again arrested on the same motorway.

The WCL, through COST caused huge disruption in Wellington throughout July and August of 1981. They cost this country huge amounts in lost productivity and police time.

Dave MacPherson certainly did his bit for the revolution.

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7 thoughts on “P.R.A.T.T. Number 2, Dave MacPherson

  1. Luverly to see some balance via this blog, all the tour anniversary reporting to date has made scant effort to balance the protestors’ views with some facts about the political situation in South Africa.

    At least Minto has to admit that the ANC haven’t followed his socialist policies in SA.

  2. Oosterman, a Dutch name unfortunately.

    Here some nice pictures of the loonie crowd that is protesting all over the world: http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21713&only&rss

    The real news is that it is news. The 200 in Auckland are basically nothing. Just like all over the world the loonies can’t get the people out to protest against Israel. Good. Hopefully the journos start to feel lonely too.

  3. He later ran for the Alliance, and was by all accounts a very tough campaign manager in a numbe of campaigns.

    Is currently on the Hamilton City Council.

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