The Roger Award

The Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation operating in New Zealand has run annually since 1997. There are no prizes for guessing whom it is named after. It is organized by the CAFCA (Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa) and GATT Watchdog, both Christchurch-based groups, who rotate the annual organization. The criteria are explained on the nomination form.

The winners have been:

  • Tranz Rail (1997)
  • Monsanto (1998)
  • TransAlta (1999)
  • Tranz Rail again (2000)
  • Carter Holt Harvey (2001)
  • Tranzrail (2002 - 3 strikes!)
  • Juken Nissho (2004) and
  • BNZ & WestPac (jointly) (2005)
  • Given its ignoble record, Tranz Rail has been shunted into the Roger Award's Hall of Infamy, a sort of "permanent winner" of the Roger Award, to allow some others to have a chance.

    The judges have also awarded prizes for runners up, continuity and collaborators over the years. The Award has attracted considerable interest since its inception (even from the corporate media), and has had a succession of distinguished and completely voluntary judges. The events to announce the winners have become highly memorable in their own right.

    2006 Award

    Roger Award Winner Announced
    Roger Award Nominations Now Open
    2006 Roger Award Finalists Chosen

    2005 Award

    2005 Roger Award Winners Announced - CAFCA/GATT Watchdog
    Roger Award On-line Nomination Form - CAFCA/Gatt Watchdog

    2004 Award

    Jim Anderton - Multinational Mouthpiece - Muray Horton, CAFCA
    Telecom Wins Roger Award - CAFCA/GATT Watchdog Media Release
    Roger Award Winners Announcement Details - CAFCA Media Release
    Roger Award Nominations Now Open - CAFCA/GATT Watchdog Media Release

    2003 Award

    2003 Judges announced - CAFCA Media Release
    Roger Goes to Dunedin - Media Release from CAFCA
    Tranz Rail Shunted Into Hall of Shame: Roger Award organizers decide to let somebody else have a go. (Media Release from Award Organizers)
    And the 2003 Winner is ... Media Release from the organizers
    Roger Award Questions Winners Finances - Murray Horton, CAFCA & GATT Watchdog

    2002 Award

    2002 Judges Named - Gatt Watchdog News release
    Finalists Named - GATT Watchdog News Release
    2002 Roger Award Event - Auckland, May 2 - Media Release from CAFCA & GATT Watchdog
    And the 2002 Winner is ... Media Release from the organizers

    2001 Award

    Awarded 12 April 2002 to: 

    Carter Holt Harvey

    Judges, Finalists Named

    Pre-Award Media release

    Tranz Rail Worried - Pre-Award Release #2

    Award Announced - Post Award Media Release

    Judges Report - All the details
    And the 2001 Award Goes to ... - Aziz Choudry reports from the ceremony for ZNet

    2000 Award

    The 2000 Roger Award for the worst Transnational operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand judges' report. (A PDF file.) Find out who won, who came close and why.