#338: How to continue getting this newsletter

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND
NEWSLETTER No. 338, July 13, 2010

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Hammer the Pokies
GPJA is still on the quest for 200 people willing to take part in a civil disobedience exercise whereby they register their hammers for a “hammer the pokies” protest. We have around 40 people registered so far but to be successful we need a lot more. There are over 20,000 pokie machines in local communities (non-casino pokies) which are sucking the lifeblood from low-income areas (over half the machines are in the poorest third of communities). Families coping with pokie addicts in the recession just adds to the misery of whole communities left behind by growing inequality. We’d like GPJA members to help spread the word. You can get a copy of the campaign flyer, register your hammer or for more information email johnminto or phone John at 8463173.

Wanted For Corporate Greed! Every Saturday, 1pm, JbHifi, Queen St, Auckland
Blockade and Boycott- Queen Street JB Hifi- please pass on to your networks. Friday 4 till 6pm then saturday 1 till 4pm. Support low paid workers fighting for a Living Wage. Week 8 of the Queen Street protest, and 5,000 customers have now signed the petition to boycoptt JB Hifi, until they pay the workers a 50c increase. Big Day of Action on JB Hifi this Friday and Saturday- invite your friends- appealing for everyone who can to come down. Bring drums, horns, vuvzelas, pots, pans, klaxons. its gonna be NOISY. Workers at JB Hi-Fi haven’t had a pay rise in 3 years, and now earn only 75c more than the new minimum wage. JB Hi-Fi is making record profits – up 29% this year to an estimated NZ$140 million. CEO Richard Euchtritz has dismissed the workers’ pay claim of a 50 cents per hour raise as "absurd" at the same time he has taken a NZ$1 million bonus, bringing his net pay to $4 million. The NZ workers pay claim amounts to just under $200,000 per year to the company. "Our manager told me that I would never get a pay rise if I stayed with the . There was a lot of pressure put on me to resign. Now they’ve cut down on the areas I used to sell on in our store. It’s unfair- I’m rejoining the union and striking to stand up for my rights," explained Unite member Jack Lucas.

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Saturday 17 July 3-30 Sunday 18 July 5-45 and Monday 19 July 1-30
Strange Birds in Paradise : A West Papuan story is on at the Film Festival Auckland. It sounds great: While the Indonesian army continues to dominate the indigenous inhabitants of West Papua, three friends gather in Melbourne to record outlawed folk songs with renowned Australian rock musicologist David Bridie. Donny Roem is a recent exile. With his two young brothers and 42 other refugees, he crossed the Arafura Sea to Australia in a homemade canoe. Jacob Rumbiak was a child soldier in the West Papuan resistance movement. His moving story is one of oppression, torture and escape. Charlie Hill-Smith, an Australian writer, cartoonist and comedian, is their friend. His passion for contact across cultures has led him to forge close friendships with the Melanesians and the Javanese families he met as a teenage exchange student. An extraordinary story of an imaginative, adaptable culture confronting tyranny with the joyful power of art, music and self-expression.

Monday, July 26, 7pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St Ponsonby, Auckland.
CPAG AGM: Child poverty and current politics: Looking ahead with Sue Bradford – Guest Speaker. 7:00 pm AGM business. 7:45 pm guest speaker. Plenty of parking is available on site. For further information contact Julie Timmins, CPAG Administrator admin or (09) 303-9260.

Wednesday, July 28, 6pm, Auckland University
DIY Independent Journalism Workshop. Interested in doing alternative media? Indymedia presents a professional workshop series on journalism for the masses. Spaces limited. Please RSVP to chris.zack for more information. http://www.indymedia.org.nz/

Thursday, July 29, 6pm, Gus Fisher Gallery, Kenneth Myers Centre, 74 Shortland Street Auckland.
The University of Auckland Dance Studies Programme proudly presents a public lecture and video screening on: "Dance and Political Identity in Palestine" By Dr. Nicholas Rowe. Nicholas Rowe will be presenting his illustrated book "Raising Dust: a cultural history of dance in Palestine" (2010, IB Tauris- see attached file). Join us for drinks and meze. Places limited, please register through- Frances Fernandez, f.fernandez Ph: 373 7599 ext.88705

Tuesday, August 10, 5.30pm, University of Auckland Business School
Reshaping the NZ economy – What will fix NZ’s econpomy? Seminar with Dr Rick Boven, Director of the NZ Institurte; Selwyn Pellet, CEO. Sponsor NZ Fabian Society http://www.fabians.org.nz

Tuesday, August 17, 6pm, Auckland Medical School, Park Road, Grafton (In the students study room behind Cafe 85 on the ground floor)
CHILD POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND • Are you 18 – 35 years old? • Do you want to learn more about child poverty in New Zealand? Child Poverty Action Group Aotearoa NZ is holding an evening to share information and for younger people to meet up and discuss issues. What: 6pm– Pizzas and drinks; 6.30- 7.30– Presentations; 7.30-9pm– Drinks and discussion. Enquiries: Julie Timmins admin 09 3039260. Kind Regards, Julie Timmins, www.cpag.org.nz

Wednesday, September 1, 8pm, St Kevins Arcade, K road
David Rovics returns to Auckland on Sept 1st 2010. Come check him out, along with special guests, at the Wine Cellar. Tickets on the door for $20. David Rovics grew up in a family of classical musicians in Wilton, Connecticut, and became a fan of populist regimes early on. By the early 90’s he was a full-time busker in the Boston subways and by the mid-90’s he was traveling the world as a professional flat-picking rabble-rouser. These days David lives with his family in Portland, Oregon and tours regularly on four continents, playing for audiences large and small at cafes, pubs, universities, churches, union halls and protest rallies. He has shared the stage with a veritable of who’s who of the left in two dozen countries, and has had his music featured on Democracy Now!, BBC, Al-Jazeera and other networks. His essays are published regularly on CounterPunch, and the 200+ songs he makes available for free on the web have been downloaded more than a million times. Most importantly, he’s really good. He will make you laugh, he will make you cry, he will make the revolution irresistible. http://www.davidrovics.com/

Friday, September 10 at the University of Auckland
Forum: Rethinking welfare for the 21st century: Beyond the terms of reference. Retirement Policy and Research Centre, the Department of Sociology, University of Auckland, and Child Poverty Action Group. The terms of reference for the government-appointed Welfare Working Group were narrow. Researchers from Australia will join with their New Zealand colleagues in moving beyond these restrictions in debating welfare in order to seek answers to the question:where to go from here? The aim is to explore workable social and economicsolutions to welfare issues, rather than to simply ‘make workpay’.

September 29-30, Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre, ManukauCity
JUST ACTION CONFERENCE: Just Action is for all those with a heart for TheSalvation Army’s mission to fight suffering in all its forms, to speakout and act against injustice, and to be a force for justice, faith and mercyin the world. Here’s some information to bring you up-to-date on plansfor next year’s Just Action Conference, ‘The Power toChange’, which is being held as part of Mission 2010, a combined congressof The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory. Full Conferencedetails and registration information will be available next year. For moreinformation, contact Major Ian Kilgour, The Salvation Army Social Policy andParliamentary Unit. p: (09) 261 0883 or e: ian_kilgour@nzf.salvationarmy.orgPlan to join us and explore how the Gospel can bring international, national,community and neighbourhood change. Plan to join us and explore how the Gospelcan bring international, national, community and neighbourhood change.SPEAKERS: Jim Wallis is a best-selling author, publictheologian, speaker, preacher and international commentator on religion andpublic life, faith and politics. He is President and Chief Executive Officer ofSojourners, where he is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine. DaveAndrews, Coordinator for training with the Community InitiativesResource Association, and educator-atlarge for TEAR Australia. Dave, his wifeAnge, and their family, have lived and worked in intentional communities withmarginalised groups of people in Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India andNepal for more than 30 years.

Thursday, November 4, 9am-5pm, Conference Room 1 – Copthorne HotelAuckland City 196 – 200 Quay Street
Globalisation and Labour in the Pacific: Re-evaluating the 1890 Maritime Strike9.00-5.30pm, Thursday 4 November 2010 SYMPOSIUM INVITATION Organised by theAuckland Labour History Group and the Labour History Project In associationwith the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History and NZWALMI. Paperswill be presented on the 1890 strike, its broader political and historicalimpact, the nature of Pacific Rim connections in the labour market and betweenlabour organisations, lessons for contemporary labour relations in the maritimeindustry in the Pacific, and the impact of globalisation generally in PacificRim labour relations. Attendance: All welcome. Fee: $40 includes lunch andrefreshments. All registrations to Ann Williamson at nzwalmi@aut.ac.nz Information subject tochange

ANNOUNCEMENTS

JUSTICE AND LIBERATION: THE ROAD TO PEACE – FILIPINO PROGRESSIVELEADERS TO TOUR NZ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
Luis Jalandoni is the International Representative of the National DemocraticFront of the Philippines (NDF), a post that he has held since 1977, and since1994 he has been the Chairperson of the NDF’s Negotiating Panel for peacetalks with the Government of the Philippines. The NDF is the coalition ofseveral underground groups, including the Communist Party of the Philippinesand its New People’s Army, which has been waging a war of liberationthroughout the Philippines for more than 40 years, making it one of the longestrunning armed struggles in the world. The country desperately needs peace withjustice and security, so resolving this people’s war is central to that.Luis (who previously toured New Zealand in 1987) will undertake a nationalspeaking tour between October 24 and November 14. His tour is beingcollectively organised and hosted by PSNA, Auckland Philippines Solidarity andWellington Kiwi Pinoy. His topic will be: Justice And Liberation: The Road ToPeace In The Philippines. He will visit: Christchurch, Blenheim, Wellington,Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Auckland and Whangarei. See below foritinerary.
Luis will be accompanied by his wife Coni Ledesma, who will also be speaking.She is a member of the NDF Negotiating Panel for peace talks; and is theInternational Spokesperson of MAKIBAKA, a revolutionary women’s groupwhich belongs to the NDF. This is the first time we’ve had two speakerstogether, let alone such high powered ones. Luis and Coni are both veteranleading figures in the Philippine revolutionary Left. He was a Catholic priestin the 1960s and she was a nun. Both were founders of Christians for NationalLiberation, a member group of the NDF. When Ferdinand Marcos declared martiallaw in 1972, both went underground. They were both arrested and spent time aspolitical prisoners. They left the clergy, and got married in 1974. They havelived in The Netherlands since 1976; they were the first Filipinos to apply forand receive political asylum there. They hold Dutch passports and travelextensively as NDF representatives.
We are appealing for funds. PSNA will underwrite the tour, but we definitelyneed financial help because we are hosting two people. The amount needed is$10,000. The two international fares from Europe is the biggest cost, at$6,000. We will keep their domestic travel and accommodation costs as cheap aspossible.
Luis Jalandoni and Coni Ledesma’s tour presents a unique opportunity tohear firsthand about a four decades long war, and accompanying peace process,in our own backyard that is almost totally unknown to New Zealanders. Pleasehelp make this exciting tour possible.
Please make cheques to PSNA, Box 2450, Christchurch, with a note saying that itis for the Jalandoni tour. Or, we will supply our bank account details uponrequest.
ITINERARY
Tuesday October 26 – Christchurch: Public Meeting – 7.30 p.m. KnoxPresbyterian Church Lounge, 28 Bealey Avenue. Contact: Murray Horton, 0274307742 cafca@chch.planet.org.nz
Wednesday October 27 – Blenheim: Contact: Steffan Browning, 021 725655 greeny25@xtra.co.nz
Thursday October 28 & Friday 29 – Wellington: Public Meeting –7.30 p.m. Thursday 28, St John’s Hall, corner Willis & Dixon Streets.Contact: Rod Prosser 021 0744992 communitymedia@paradise.net.nz
Monday November 1 – Palmerston North: Public Meeting – 7.30 p.m.,1st Floor, PSA House, 49 King Street. Contact: Dion Martin (06) 3569658 (w),021 776029 Dion.Martin@ndu.org.nz
Tuesday November 2 & Wednesday 3 – New Plymouth: Public Meeting– 6.30 p.m. Wednesday 3rd, Govett Brewster Art Gallery, 42 Queen Street.Contact: Fiona Clark (06) 7547014; fionaclark@clear.net.nz
Thursday November 4 – Hamilton: Public Meeting – 7.30 p.m., WaikatoTrade Union Centre, 34 Harwood Street. Contact: Bob Anderson, (07) 8297882, 021776023; ban
Friday November 5 to Friday November 12: Auckland & Whangarei. AucklandContact: Dennis Maga (09) 8276059, 022 6073918 dennis.maga@xtra.co.nz. WhangareiContact: Tim Howard 027 3089216 the-farm@ihug.co.nz
We thank the many organisations and individuals whose generosity has made thistour possible. Our budget is $10,000 and money is still needed. Please makecheques to PSNA, Box 2450, Christchurch, with a note saying that it is for theJalandoni Tour. PSNA bank account details available upon request. This tour iscollectively organised by Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa (PSNA),Auckland Philippines Solidarity and Wellington Kiwi Pinoy

NZ ON SCREEN MARKS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RAINBOW WARRIORSINKING
Saturday (10th July) is the 25th anniversary of the Rainbow Warrior bombing inAuckland Harbour. There are several titles on NZ On Screen exploringanti-nuclear protest and the politics of New Zealand’s ‘nonukes’ stand. The material can be watched online, for free. It has beenmade available to provide greater access to New Zealand film and televisionprogrammes – the links (or in some cases clips can be embedded) are availablefor public use on websites, e-newsletters and other electronicmedia.
When a Warrior Dies – a documentary on the aftermath of the bombingand the efforts by Greenpeace and sculptor Chris Booth to create a remembrancemonument. Television, 1991 (Full Length): "The capture and release of theFrench agents who bombed the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior was not the endof the affair. This film documents the circumstances of the crime, but isfocused on efforts by Greenpeace, and artist Chris Booth to create a sense ofemotional closure. Booth worked with the Ngati Kura people of Matauri Bay tocreate a sculpture marking the Warrior’s last resting place. The filminterweaves the back story of the bombing with sequences showing the efforts tofinish the sculpture in time for commemorations." http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/when-a-warrior-dies-1991
Fallout – excerpts from award-winning Tom Scott and GregMcGee-scripted mini series dramatising events leading to NZ’s 80s‘No Nukes’ stand. Television, 1994: "Written by Tom Scott and GregMcGee, South Pacific Pictures-produced Fallout was an award-winning two-partmini-series dramatising events leading up to NZ’s 80s anti-nuclear stand.PM Robert Muldoon (Ian Mune) calls a snap election when his MP Marilyn Waringcrosses the floor on the ‘no nukes’ bill, but his gamble fails, andDavid Lange’s Labour Party is elected. Lange (played by Australian actor MarkMitchell) is pressured from all sides (including a bullish US administration)to take a firm stance on his anti-nuclear platform. He finally accepts there isno middle ground." http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/fallout-1994/series
Mururoa 1973 – a landmark Alister Barry doco about protest flotillawho risked their lives travelling to French nuclear testing zone at Mururoa.Television, 1973 (Documentary): "In 1973 Alister Barry joined the crew of aprotest boat (The Fri) to Mururoa Atoll, where the French Government weretesting nuclear weapons. Barry records the assembly of the crew, the longjourney from Northland, and their reception in the test zone; when The Fri wasboarded and impounded by French military he had to hide his camera in a barrelof oranges. The Fri was a key part of activism that was formative forenvironmental group Greenpeace, and anti-nuclear sentiment in NZ. Barry’s debutfilm screened primetime on NZ TV and gained international attention." – http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/mururoa-1973
A Nuclear Free Pasific – documentary on the long struggle for a treatyto declare the South Pacific free of nuclear arms. Film, 1988 (Documentary):"This documentary travels to nine Pacific nations, including New Zealand, tochronicle the long struggle to create a regional nuclear arms free zone.Interviews with politicians, activists, radiation victims and American andFrench admirals are counterpointed. When hopes of a treaty are dashed at aSouth Pacific Forum meet, it is pointed out that the David Lange-trumpetedindependence of NZ’s nuclear free policy is evidently "not for export". Localmusic scores the doco, including Australia’s Midnight Oil, whose lead singer(future MP Peter Garrett) is interviewed." – http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/a-nuclear-free-pacific–niuklia-fri-pasifik-1988

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST JANUARY 21-23, 2011
The Waihopai spybase was subjected to unprecedented public attention by theMarch 2010 trial and acquittal of the three Ploughshares peace activists whopenetrated its high security in 2008 and deflated one of the two domesconcealing its satellite dishes from the NZ public. The Anti-Bases Campaign washappy to support this non-violent direct action anti-war activity, from startto finish. The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally isthe NZ military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s mostsignificant contribution to that, and other American wars, including the one inIraq, is the Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base, located in theWaihopai Valley, near Blenheim. It is controlled by the US, with New Zealand(including Parliament and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea whatgoes on there, let alone any control. Join us for the weekend of anti-warprotest at this spybase. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. Weprovide the food (we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to bring theirown). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eatingutensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) to cover costs. Noopen fires. How to find our camp at Whites Bay: turn off SH1 at Tuamarina (9kmnorth of Blenheim or 20 km south of Picton) and drive to Rarangi on the coast.Follow the steep Port Underwood Road over the hilltop before descending to theWhites Bay turnoff. There is a DoC public camp at the bay with basicfacilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per head. This will be the firstWaihopai spybase protest since the Domebusters’ acquittal on all chargesarising from their courageous citizens’ deflation action. Waihopai doesnot operate in the interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. Basically itis a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’swars.
CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW! Organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign, P.O. Box2258, Christchurch. E-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz http://www.converge.org.nz/abc Make allcheques to ABC..

HISTORICAL PEACE RESEARCHERS NOW ONLINE
Peace Researcher is the journal of the Anti-Bases Campaign. Heartfelt thanksare owed to ABC committee member Lynda Boyd, who has laboured long and hard toupload a complete set of historical issues of Peace Researchers, covering theyears 1983-2000 inclusive (PR went online in 2001 and issues from that yearonwards can be read at http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/prfront.htmlwhich is part of the Anti-Bases Campaign Website http://www.converge.org.nz/abc Toaccess these oldies but goodies, click on: http://www.historicalpeaceresearcher.blogspot.com/And if you want to go further back, into the predecessors of both ABC and PR,then I refer you to http://www.historicalwatchdog.blogspot.com/, the site set up for historic issues of Foreign Control Watchdog. This wasalso set up by Lynda Boyd, who is on the committee of the Campaign AgainstForeign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA). That site contains more than 100 issues ofWatchdog, spanning 1974-99 inclusive – issues since 1999 are available at http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog- and is full of material about the early anti-bases campaign (many yearsbefore there was an actual Anti-Bases Campaign). Taken together, these sites ofhistoric PRs and Watchdogs are a treasure trove. Enjo!. Murray Horton, Editor,Peace Researcher.

KIA ORA GAZA – KIWI AID TO GAZA
Gaza’s 1.5 million people are imprisoned by the state of Israel in agiant concentration camp. The Israeli military enforces a blockade of essentialsupplies. There is terrible suffering, especially among the children. Thecitizens of Gaza face collective punishment, which is illegal underinternational law. On 31 May 2010, a Gaza aid flotilla was hijacked on the opensea by Israel’s military. Nine civilian aid workers were shot to death.To break the siege of Gaza, on 12th September mass aid convoys will set offfrom London by sea and land. We want to see Kiwi volunteers and aid go withthem. Kia Ora Gaza is raising funds to make this possible. Please give yoursupport. Write a cheque for ‘Kia Ora Gaza’ and post to:• KiaOra Gaza, PO Box 59-007, Auckland. Or make a payment directly into our bankaccount:• Kia Ora Gaza, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank, Onehungabranch. Encourage your family and friends to make a personal donation. Appealto • organisations you are involved with to make an institutionaldonation. All funds raised by Kia Ora Gaza will be audited by a professionalwho is independent of our bank trustees. Email: grantmorgan@paradise.net.nz

BE MORE THAN JUST A TOURIST! JOIN THE SOUTHERN CROSS BRIGADE TOCUBA: DEC 27, 2010 TO JAN 20, 2011
Join the 28th Southern Cross Brigade and support Cuba in the mostdirect manner by working alongside Cubans, visiting unions, schools, hospitals,cultural sites, performances & urban agriculture projects, learning thesalsa, meeting Cubans, fraternising with other international guests and havingfree time in Havana. You will experience at first hand the cultural, politicaland social conditions in socialist Cuba. This year’s program will giveparticipants an opportunity to join in the celebration of ICAPs (Cuba Institutefor Friendship With The Peoples Of The World) 50th anniversary & theongoing success of the Cuban Revolution. Find out more at http://www.cubasolidarity.org.nz;register at wkcultur(03 7324010) or Ina at inashina@clearnet.net.nz ((093031755). Cost: $1100 (after July 31st, $1200) – excluding airfare, taxes andhealth insurance.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN CAMP FOR CLIMATE ACTION 2010?
Hello Climate Campers, Over the next few weeks, folks all around the countrywill be meeting up to discuss an exciting proposal for a 2010 Climate CampGathering. If you would like to get involved; please get in touch by sending anemail to your closest contact point…
Auckland: auckland.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org
Wellington: wellington.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org
Christchurch: christchurch.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org
Dunedin: dunedin.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org
Taranaki: taranaki.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org
Whangarei: whangarei.climatecampnz@lists.coactivate.org

THE ROGER AWARD – NOMINATIONS OPEN
The Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation operating in NewZealand has run annually since 1997. There are no prizes for guessing whom itis named after. It is organised by CAFCA and GATT Watchdog, bothChristchurch-based groups. New The winner(s) of the 2009 Roger Award wereannounced at a Wellington event on Thursday 11 March 2010. The winner of theRoger Award was the bank ANZ. "ANZ has succeeded in winning the 2009 RogerAward because the ING funds fiasco is simply and plainly ‘pure greedcapitalism’ at its worst" said the Judges’ Statement. Auckland CityCouncil and its officials won the Accomplice Award for “helping tocontract out Auckland’s waste management to Transpacific and thereforeacting as a template for future transference of public assets into privatehands”. A background to the Roger Award was given at the event by MurrayHorton, CAFCA secretary/organiser. The judges for 2009 were: Paul Corliss, fromChristchurch, a life member of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union; ChristineDann, from Banks Peninsula, a writer and researcher; Bryan Gould, from Bay ofPlenty, a former Waikato University Vice-Chancellor; Joce Jesson, a SeniorLecturer in Critical Studies in Education, University of Auckland and anactivist in various community organisations; and Wayne Hope, AssociateProfessor, Communications Studies, Auckland University of Technology. They weregiven a shortlist of finalists. For the record, the nomination form, whichincludes criteria and details of how to make a nomination, is available here inWord(54 KB) or PDFformat (164KB). Criteria are also below. The judges have awarded prizes forrunners up, continuity and collaborators over the years. The Award hasattracted considerable interest since its inception (even from the corporatemedia), and has had a succession of distinguished and completely voluntaryjudges. The events to announce the winners have become highly memorable intheir own right.
http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Roger/index.html

DAVID ROVICK TOUR OF NZ: AUG 20 – SEPT 1
Friday, August 20th, Canterbury University, Christchurch
Saturday, August 21st, Sammy’s, Dunedin.
Sunday, August 22nd, 8 pm, Venue Dux de Lux, Christchurch
Wednesday, August 25th, The Brigand, Takaka
Thursday, August 26th, Riverside Community and Cultural Centre, Motueka
Saturday, August 28th, Newtown Community Centre, Wellington. Don Franks will bedoing an opening set
Sunday, August 29th, Poverty Bay Club, Gisborne
Tuesday, August 31st, Biddy Mulligans Irish Bar, Victoria Street, Hamilton
Wednesday, September 1st, The Wine Cellar, Auckland

JOIN THE 2010 NATIONAL ELECTIONS BRIGADE TO VENEZUELA SEPTEMBER 17 -28, 2010
The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network’s brigades to Venezuela are aonce-in-a-lifetime experience – the opportunity to see first-hand an unfoldingrevolution that is not only radically transforming the lives of Venezuelans,but challenging the greed, exploitation and destructiveness of globalcapitalism by showing that a better world is possible. A special feature of theSeptember 2010 brigade will be observing Venezuela’s vigorous democracyin action. The brigade will coincide with Venezuela’s next NationalAssembly elections, on September 26th, enabling brigadistas to observe the lastweek of campaigning – including the traditionally huge election ralliesheld on the weekend before – and polling day itself. As well as observingthe national elections, brigade participants will experience Venezuela’sparticipatory democracy at work, with visits to communal councils and communes.They will also visit worker-run factories and cooperatives; free, high-qualitypublic health and education services; Indigenous-run sustainable developmentprograms; and community controlled media stations. During the 10 days,brigadistas will have the opportunity to speak to a wide range of grassrootsorganisations, community activists, trade unions and government representativesabout the radical changes being implemented by the Venezuelan people. The 2010national elections brigade is the 11th solidarity tour to Venezuela organisedby the AVSN. Reports and photos from previous AVSN brigades are posted athttp://www.venezuelasolidarity.org. We are also happy to put you in touch withpeople who have participated in AVSN brigades, if you would like to find outmore.
Brigade registration and costs
The deadline for registering for the 2010 National Elections brigadeis July 1, 2010. To express interest in participating and obtain a registrationform, please contact brigades@venezuelasolidarity.orgParticipants will need to book their own international airfares, but the AVSNcan help with advice. Accommodation, transport and English-Spanish translationwithin Venezuela will be organised for all brigade participants. You will needto budget for a total cost of approximately $4000. This will cover:international return airfares and taxes (approximately $2500 from Sydney);accommodation (twin-share basis); transport and basic food while you are inVenezuela; and the brigade registration fee ($500 for workers, $300 forstudents or pensioners). For more information, email brigades@venezuelasolidarity.orgor phone Lisa Macdonald +61 413 031 108, Jim McIlroy +61 423 741 734 or RobertoJorquera +61 425 182 994.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"It is when power is wedded to chronic fear that it becomes formidable":Eric Hoffer

"You see what power is