Jump to content

Money Free movement

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Osmaston in 2022

The Money Free movement is a political movement that advocates for a resource-based economy, where all work is voluntary.[1] The movement has political parties in New Zealand[2] and the United Kingdom[3] and is aligned with work of the American-based Jacque Fresco, who is the founder of The Venus Project.[4]

The movement has fielded candidates in several elections across at least two countries, but has not won any positions.

Political activities in New Zealand

[edit]

As of 2023, Money Free Party NZ is led by Richard Osmaston, who founded the party.[5] Osmaston previously ran for mayor of Nelson in 2013[6] before founding the party in 2014.

Elections

[edit]

The party was unable to get enough verified members (500) to register for the 2014 general election.[7] It stood five electorate candidates,[8] but none were successful.

Party members stood for multiple mayoralties in the 2016 local elections, such as Richard Osmaston in Nelson,[9] Gordon Marshall in Porirua,[10] and Ted Howard in Kaikōura.[11] Osmaston also stood for the Moutere / Waimea seat in Tasman District Council in the same year.[12]

In the 2017 general election the party stood four candidates in electorates, winning 293 votes.[13] The party's best result was from Scott Andrew in Palmerston North, who received 142 votes (0.41%, 5th of 5 candidates).

Osmaston stood for mayor of Grey District in 2019, receiving 302 votes compared to the winner's 2,709.[14]

The party ran two candidates in the 2020 New Zealand general election: Richard Osmaston in West Coast-Tasman,[15] and Prince Bhavik in Kaikōura.[16] Neither was successful. During the 2022 local elections, Osmaston ran for six different mayoralties,[17] winning none. Osmaston also stood as a candidate in the 2022 Hamilton West by-election, but was again unsuccessful. The party fielded two candidates in the 2023 general election.[18]

Political activities in the United Kingdom

[edit]

Money Free Party-UK (MFP-UK) was a registered political party in the UK. It is led by Jodian Rodgers.[19]

It was a registered party in Great Britain from September 2013 until November 2016, when it was statutorily deregistered.[20] In March 2017 the UK Electoral Commission approved its re-registration.[21] It was again deregistered in 2021.[22]

In a 2017 interview, Rodgers advocated putting all resources into common ownership, automating as much labour as possible, and having no leaders.[1]

Elections

[edit]

Nick Tapping ran in the 2015 Poole Borough Council election, coming last in the Canford Heath West ward. The Money Free Party was also a registered party for the 2015 general elections.[3]

Jodiah Rodgers contested the Bristol West seat in the 2017 elections.[23] Rodgers came last of five candidates with 101 votes, losing his deposit with just 0.1% of the vote.[24]

Political activities in the United States

[edit]

An American named Steve Saylor announced on a podcast that he planned to campaign for U.S. president in 2020 as part of the Money Free Party,[25] but never filed as a candidate in any state.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b BBC Money Free Party Candidate Interview with Jodian Rodgers, 21 May 2017, retrieved 16 October 2019
  2. ^ Neal, Tracy (16 August 2014). "Money Free Party looks likely to fall short". Stuff. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b Usborne, Simon (5 May 2015). "General Election 2015: A guide to the smaller parties, from the National Health Action Party to the Church of the Militant Elvis Party". The Independent. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  4. ^ Tracy Neal (7 March 2014). "Money-free activist eyes national party". Nelson Mail. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  5. ^ Acwela. "Richard Osmaston". moneyfreeparty.org.nz. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  6. ^ Moore, Bill; Neal, Tracy (16 September 2013). "Local elections: Meet the candidates". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  7. ^ Tracy Neal (6 August 2014). "Money Free Party looks likely to fall short". Nelson Mail. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  8. ^ "2014 Electorate Candidates". New Zealand Electoral Commission. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Nelson City Council 2016 Triennial Elections Preliminary Result". Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  10. ^ Dando, Kris (12 September 2016). "Mayoral candidate Gordon Marshall wants resource-based economy in Porirua". Stuff. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Kaikoura District Council 2016 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  12. ^ Murdoch, Helen (14 September 2016). "Candidates battle for Motueka and Moutere-Waimea wards". Stuff. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  13. ^ "2017 Summary of Overall Results". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Results – Grey District Council". www.greydc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  15. ^ Cherie Sivignon (18 September 2020). "'F' words key to economic development in West Coast-Tasman: O'Connor". Stuff. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Kaikōura candidates". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Meet the Nelson man running to be the mayor of six councils". Stuff. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Electorate candidates". Vote NZ. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Registration summary – Money Free Party". The Electoral Commission. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Registration summary". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Electoral Commission | Approved Applications" (PDF). www.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  22. ^ "View registration – The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  23. ^ Ashcroft, Esme (18 May 2017). "Jodian Rodgers – Money Free Party candidate for Bristol West in general election". bristolpost. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  24. ^ "Bristol West parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  25. ^ "Money free party U.S.A (Steve Saylor)". Storm is Here. 26 May 2019.