WHAT’S ON IN AOTEAROA – 31/8/2012

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 440, August 31 , 2012

WHAT’S ON

Friday & Saturday, August 31-September 1, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Our 2012 conference begins this Friday and continues over the weekend. We look forward to seeing you over the weekend at what we hope will be the premier conference of the radical left in Auckland this year. It’s a chance to critically assess the key international and national struggles of the last year – the Auckland ports dispute, the education cuts, the Arab Spring, the challenge to asset sales; to examine contemporary political issues – new struggles against oppression, tino rangatiratanga today, Latin America at the crossroads, social media and social movements; and to refresh our theory – Marxism, women’s liberation and socialist environmentalism. For new members and supporters this will be a fantastic introduction to the politics of Socialist Aotearoa. We look forward to seeing you this weekend. If you have questions about the weekend get in touch with us. With speakers including: Russel Mayn, Secretary of Maritime Union Local 13, Meredydd Barrar, Teacher and NZEI activist, Miriam Pieard, Aotearoa is Not for Sale, Steve Mustafa, Bahraini revolutionary, Jayson Gardiner, Mana Party candidate in Tauranga and NZ hip hop producer, Nicola Owen, anti-cuts activist, Mike Treen, Unite Union, Billy Hania, Palestinian activist, Paul Brown, socialist folk musician, Mohammed Hassan, Egyptian activist, Linda Miller, Occupy Auckland activist and many more.
Programme
Friday night: Auckland’s Movement of Movements. 7pm – 8.30pm Friday 31 August in the Downstairs Room. Join us Friday evening as we begin with speakers from the movements of the Winter of Dissent as they discuss the state of the struggle against National’s neo-liberalism. Miriam Pierard from Aotearoa is Not for Sale, Jimmy O’Dea from Glen Innes, Jai Bentley Paine and Stacey Henderson from student movement, Joe Carolan from Socialist Aotearoa.
Saturday 1 September: Conference day.
Downstairs Room. 9am-10am: Registration and welcome.
10-11am: Return of Marxism: Crisis Theory and the Communist Manifesto
11.15-12.45pm: Struggles Against Oppression: Disability, Women’s liberation, Tino rangatiratanga.
12.45-1.45pm: LUNCH
1.45-2.45pm Union struggles: MUNZ, Charter schools, Unite, Socialists in unions.
3-4pm Revolutionary Socialism: Revolution vs. reform, The Marxist tradition after Marx.
4.15-5.45pm: 2013 – Priorities for the radical left in the coming period

Upstairs Room
11.15-12pm: Latin American revolutionary struggles
12-12.45pm: Media & Technology: Social media and social movements, capitalism and the media, alternative media
12.45-1.45pm: LUNCH
1.45-2.45pm: Arab Spring: Palestine, Egypt, Bahrain, Syria
3-4pm: Environment: Fracking/mining, Climate Change
5.45-7.30pm: DINNER
7.30-9pm: Music of the Revolution: folk, punk and hiphop.
9-11pm: Socialist Aotearoa social.

Saturday, September 1, 1pm, Centre for Refugee Education, 251 Massey Road, Mangere East
AUT Centre for Refugee Education would like to invite you, your family and friends to an interesting and fun afternoon at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre. The event is a fundraiser with a small entry fee and is also an opportunity for guests to visit the Centre for Refugee Education and learn about the New Zealand refugee programme. We are inviting selected guests because of your interest and support for the Centre and refugee resettlement in this country. We hope that you can join us at this event. The fundraiser is to allow Ben Mugisho (former refugee, currently a law student at AUT and chairperson of the Congolese Association in New Zealand) to return to the Democratic of Congo to contribute towards a documentary which will seek to raise awareness and funding for education programmes in orphanages. The afternoon event will include a presentation by Ben and a movie informing about the conflict situation in the Congo which has caused massive disruption and devastation in the lives of millions of innocent people. There will also be cultural items and an instructive tour around the classrooms at Mangere. Pay at the venue $5.00 Families ~ $20.00 Enquiries / bookings ~ jcarswel Numbers Limited—Please Book Early (payment can be made on the day)

Monday, September 3, Central Park Monument, Corner Great South Rd & Wood St – Papakura
HOUSING PROTEST RALLY Join the protest against Housing New Zealand’s new policies and the sell off of state houses. Everyone is welcome to our banner painting + BBQ. PIKORUA COMMUNITY HOUSE – SMITHS AVE Sunday 2nd September from 2pm. Organised by SOUTH AUCKLAND SOCIAL JUSTICE NETWORK

Friday, September 7, 7.30pm, Muriwai Fire Station, Muriwai
Seabed mining – in our waters and on our shores. Internationally there is unprecedented economic interest in minerals embedded in the seafloor. Consents have been issued for huge amounts of seabed mineral prospecting and extraction on our West Coast, with Greenpeace warning global seabed mining could cover the widest area of all human destruction. Mining and prospecting includes drilling and sucking, plus a range of seismic and sonic testing. Already, Rio Tinto are prospecting for minerals off Auckland’s West Coast, covering an area of over 540 km2, and Australian company TransTasman Resources (TTR) is preparing for their first seabed mining consent sometime in the next couple of months. There’s also already sand mining occurring within and outside the Kaipara Harbour. All these activities have impacts on marine life, especially dangerous for Maui’s dolphins who cannot sustain a single human induced death. Seabed mining affects surf breaks, coastal land forms and other marine life too. Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) is committed to informing the NZ public of this issue, so if you want to know more join us at Muriwai Fire Station at 7.30, Wednesday 5 September. Everyone welcome, this is a really important issue for Muriwai and anyone who loves our beaches and surf breaks, please pass this on to friends and family.

Tuesday, September 11, 2-4pm, Northey Lecture Theatre, Law School, 9 Eden Crescent, University of Auckland.
The New Zealand Centre for Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, presents a free public lecture by Carl Chenery: “Rights of Nature & the New Zealand Constitutional review”. Acknowledging the Rights of Nature represents a departure from current western legal thinking that attributes all the rights to humans. It instead recognises that ecosystems and natural communities are not merely property that can be owned, but are entities that have an independent right to exist and flourish. Ecuador was the first country in the world to recognise the rights of nature within its constitution in 2008. Since then it has been used in one test case which resulted in a roading construction project being halted through an ecologically sensitive area. Carl will share the context, work & implications of what happened within Ecuador, discuss the current review of Constitutional arrangements in New Zealand, and the potential connection between them. Carl Chenery is a sustainability strategist, and has contributed to a range of local and national initiatives including 350 Aotearoa, Intersect, Awakening the Dreamer Aotearoa and ReGeneration Networks. He has recently returned from Ecuador, the first country that has incorporated the Rights of Nature within its constitution. Carl is an Alumni of the University of Auckland, was North & South Magazine Young Achiever for 2011, and finalist in Kiwibank Young New Zealander of the Year in 2011.

Wednesday, September 19, 12.30pm, Auckland Suffrage Memorial, Khartoum Pl (off Lorne Street in the Auckland CBD).
Suffrage Day celebrations. Commencing Wednesday the 19th of September, 12.30pm, rain or shine! Hosted by National Council of Women Auckland Branch. A range of speakers, entertainment, activities, bagpipes and camelias. We have a fabulous mezzo-soprano Mary Newman-Pound who will sing. We also invite organisations to bring along your banners to hold for display. Facebook event here if you are so inclined: gina.giordani

Wednesday, September 19, 5.15pm, YouthLaw offices, Level 1, 219 Federal St, Auckland CBD
Youth Law Invites you to attend our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Catherine Delahunty MP will speak about the Green Party’s response to our recent report “Out of School, Out of Mind: The Need for an Independent Education Review Tribunal” , and the important ongoing role of Community Law Centres. Drinks and nibbles to celebrate our 25 th year of existence. Please RSVP by Thursday 6 September for catering purposes. Please also advise us of any accessibility requirements. To RSVP please contact Karen on (09) 306 7590 or email karen

Sunday, September 23, 2pm, Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace, Auckland
Human Rights Network (Auckland) invites you to PUBLIC FORUM – 2012: "Human Rights and International Development”. Panelists include: Chris Mahony, Centre for Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice, University of Auckland; Marama Davidson, Human Rights Commission; Rev Uesefili Unasa, Auckland University Chaplain; Prof Jane Kelsey, Auckland Law School; followed by an open discussion, chair: Sue Elliott For more information, details of topics, speakers etc, contact: Joan Macdonald phone: 360 8001 email: Beverley Turner info Please display this flyer and share this open invitation with your friends, colleagues and organizations to which you belong – we look forward to seeing you there.

Sunday, September 23, 5pm, Room Four Art Space, 336 St Asaph St, Christchurch
The Art of a Political Prisoner – Humor From My Pen – a one-week exhibition of the political cartoons of Gerardo Hernández, one of the Cuban Five, incarcerated in the U.S. for fighting terrorism. Opening 5.00pm, Sunday September 23rd. Cuban music • snacks • address by Cuban Ambassador. Thereafter Daily from: 10.00 am to 4.00pm Monday to Wednesday; 10.00 am to 7.00pm Thursday to Friday, Room Four Art Space, 336 St Asaph St Christchurch (Room Four is in the same building as The Darkroom and Galaxy Records). Humor From My Pen On the web Humor From My Pen On Facebook Please forward to all you those you think may be interested. You have been sent this message because you appear on one of our contact lists – if you no longer wish to remain in the list please let us know.

Saturday, September 29, Te Tira Hou Marae, Cnr Tripoli and Caen Rds, Panmure, Auckland.
Garage Sale to raise funds to support Tame Iti and Rangi Kemara. Organised by Numia Ponika-Rangi (on behalf of Rangi whanau and Ponika whanau). Full notice: E aku rangatira, e aku whaea, tuakana, teina,
he panui tenei mo tetahi karaati hokohoko (he garage sale!) ka tu ki te Tira Hou marae a te 29 o Mahuru (September) hei kohi putea awhina I te tono piira a Tame raua ko Te Rangikaiwhiria, heoi he whakaaro tenei I toko ake mo enei uri kua herea e nga ture a tauiwi mo te kore noa iho. He kaupapa hei whakatu I te tino ia o tenei kupu a Tuhoe te Matemateaone. Tenei ano te inoi kia koutou e hiahia ana ki te tautoko I te kaupapa, mena he taputapu a koutou hei koha mai mo te take nei ahakoa iti, ahakoa rahi, ahakoa he aha, tena koa mauria atu ki te Tira Hou I roto I nga wiki e heke mai nei. He mihi moata tenei kia koutou katoa,
naaku noa,
Numia.
Heaha? Karaati Hokohoko
Keihea? Te Tira Hou Marae
Cnr Tripoli and Caen Rds, Panmure
Ahea? 29 September 2012
Kaupapa? Tame and Te Rangikaiwhiria appeal
Kaiwhakahaere? Numia Ponika-Rangi (on behalf of Rangi whanau and Ponika whanau)

September 27 to October 8, NZ-Venezuela
SOLIDARITY BRIGADE TO VENEZUELA: HALF-PRICE FLIGHTS AVAILABLE FROM AUCKLAND: Join the 2012 Presidential elections brigade to Venezuela. Register now to witness the final election campaign for President Hugo Chavez and observe first-hand a living people’s power revolution. Brigade dates: September 27th – October 8th, 2012. Half-price flights Sydney-Auckland-Venezuela return are currently available through Aerolineas Argentina. The 2012 brigade is the 13th study tour organised by the AVSN. Reports from previous brigades are posted at: brigades or phone Jim McIlroy 0423 741 734, Roberto Jorquera 0425 182 994 or Lisa Macdonald 0413 031 108.

Wednesday, October 31
2012 Jesson Lecture

November 9-11. Waihi
REMEMBER WAIHI 9-11 NOV 2012. It will be the 1912 Waihi Gold Miners’ Strike Centenary and Commemoration of the death of Fred Evans. The phrase “Remember Waihi” was used for many years by the union movement to refer to the 1912 Waihi strike. It expressed anger at the death of striker Fred Evans, who was beaten by death by strikebreakers while the police stood by. It also expressed caution at confronting the combined might of the government, big employers and the police. The Labour History Project is remembering Waihi with a weekend-long historical seminar and memorial service in Waihi this November. It’s one of the ways we research, record and celebrate New Zealanders’ working lives, and draw on the past for inspiration and guidance for the future. A program and registration form for the "Remember Waihi" weekend is in this brochure: markderby37 Phone 04 973 8900

December 27 to January 18, NZ-Cuba

XXX SOUTHERN CROSS BRIGADE TO CUBA: Receive warm greetings from Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP), that every year receives, with great satisfaction, all friends that spontaneously decide to join us in the Southern Cross Brigade of voluntary work and solidarity with Cuba. Main objectives of the brigade are to provide a great deal of knowledge about Cuban reality so that the visitors could understand it as well as to work voluntarily in the agricultural fields in order to help in the development and productivity of the country. The program of the brigade includes visits to historical, cultural and social places. Participants will receive lectures on national and international topics and will also interact with representatives of Cuban organizations and people in general. Each brigade member, at the moment of the arrival, is committed to follow the program and schedule, and also to have a proper behaviour, discipline and social interaction not only in CIJAM but also all over the country. For further communication: Phone numbers (53 7) 838-24 30 / 8335372 / 830-1220 / 834-4544 ext. 15 and Emails: asia.norte , director.dao and amiventas We would be pleased to have you in the XXX Southern Cross Brigade, a beautiful project that ICAP and Australia/New Zealand – Cuba Friendship Societies have proudly maintained since 1983, which has allow to show Cuban reality to more than one thousand people who have taken part in previous brigades as well as to receive their support and deep solidarity. This year program and brigade has a special aim and it is to commemorate 55 anniversary of the triumph of Cuban revolution on January 1st, 2013 and also to celebrate with every participant coming the 30 anniversary of the Southern Cross Brigade visit to Cuba. This is a formal invitation to join the brigade in order to strengthen brotherhood between our peoples. Sincerely yours, Asia and Pacific Division, Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples NZ Participants: Email Ina Lawrence inashina for the full programme and any other questions.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT
Would you kindly spread this to friends, enemies and everyone in between? I have just put up a new Facebook page called, “We Are Better Than That”, my latest effort to bury this awful, proposed asylum detention bill. Would you kindly ask folks to ‘Like’ the page and then share it with their friends? I have also directed and wrote a short spot [:90] with some well known Kiwis [Oscar Kightley, Dave
Dobbin, etc.] that will be going up on YouTube next Monday, also called “We Are Better Than That”. When that goes live, I will also ask that you spread the word like crazy, if I may. If you are unfamiliar with the proposed law– for the first time, New Zealand is considering locking up boat arriving asylum seekers, similar to a disastrous detention policy they have had for years in Australia. The irony—in modern history, we have never had a boat arrival of asylum seekers. I am also speaking about the topic at the Devonport Library on Thursday, September 6th at 7:30pm if want to learn more. Gentle hecklers welcome. Even forwarding this email to friends would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help. This is the link to ‘Like’ for the Facebook page: Tracey.Barnett Website: www.traceybarnett.co.nz

CPAG CHARITY AUCTION
What a prize these cartoons are for collectors – they could be yours! Tom Scott has kindly donated these cartoons to Child Poverty Action Group to help raise funds towards our 2012 Appeal: A fair go for all Kiwi Kids. Tom with sign each cartoon once the auction has been won, personalising them for the lucky winner. Help CPAG continue to fight for the rights of New Zealand’s poorest children. One in five children in poverty cannot be our future. To make a donation directly to the Appeal, please click here. Let all your family, friends, work colleagues and wider networks know too! As always, your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Nga mihi, Marianna Munting, CHiLD POVERTY ACTION GROUP Coordinator.

CALL FOR JESSON PRIZE NOMINATIONS
The Bruce Jesson Foundation was established in 1999 to commemorate one of New Zealand’s greatest political journalists, the late Bruce Jesson, by promoting “vigorous political, social and economic investigation, debate, analysis and reporting in New Zealand”. To this end, the Foundation holds an Annual Lecture and awards two journalism prizes:
• The Senior Journalism Prize which is self-nominated by the journalists themselves and involves an emolument of up to NZ$4,000 to assist them to produce the kind of critical and analytical journalism exemplified by Jesson’s work.
• The Emerging Journalism Prize which has a fixed emolument of $1,000 and is designed to recognise “outstanding recent work by New Zealand print journalism students.” It is nominated by the heads of New Zealand journalism schools or journalism programme leaders for published work by student journalists.
Nominations for the 2012 Bruce Jesson Journalism Prizes are hereby sought both from self-nominating senior journalists and the Heads of New Zealand journalism schools respectively. Nominees’ work will be assessed by members of the Foundation’s Journalism Subcommittee: Camille Guy (convener), Joe Atkinson, Simon Collins, Jon Stephenson, and Geoff Kemp.
Nominations together with copies of nominated work (preferably in electronic form) can be entered electronically on the Foundation website or mailed to Dr Anita Lacey, Secretary of the Bruce Jesson Foundation, C/- Political Studies Department, University of Auckland, PB 92019, AUCKLAND. The DEADLINE for receipt of nominations is extended to Friday, September 14, 2012.

ECONOMIST PROF STEVE KEEN WILL VISIT NEW ZEALAND 6-10 SEPTEMBER
Professor Steve Keen, author of Debunking Economics, and recently heard on Radio NZ National with Kim Hill, is visiting New Zealand in September to present 3 seminars. He is Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Western Sydney. A long-time critic of conventional economic theory, Professor Keen includes all relevant real world data in his economic modelling and so was able to give fore-warning of the current global financial crisis. In each seminar he will examine conventional economic theory and the alternatives, the failures of monetary economics, why the current economic situation cannot be solved with current methods. He will provide a comprehensive overview of Hyman Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis. He will discuss the subjects listed below and there will also be an analysis of issues in New Zealand (housing markets, high debt levels, ownership of assets) that affect our nation’s economic well-being. Auckland seminar dates: Friday 7th and Saturday 8th September.Wellington seminar date: Monday 10th September. Further details at www.talks.co.nz

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 organised by CAFCA and GATT Watchdog, both Christchurch-based groups. The judges have awarded prizes for runners up, continuity and collaborators. 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. Winners of previous awards and judges’ reports can be seen below. New Nominations are open for the 2012 Award. The nomination form with details of the criteria and how to make a nomination is available in Word or PDF format. Criteria are also below. Nominations close on 31 October 2012.
The judges for 2012 are: Christina Stringer, a Senior Lecturer in International Business at the University of Auckland; John Maynard , from Wellington, President of the Postal Workers Union of Aotearoa, spokesperson for People’s Power Ohariu and founding member of the Brass Razoo Solidarity Band; Paul Maunder, cultural worker, curator of Blackball Museum of Working Class History and a founding member of Unite!; Sam Mahon, an artist, author and activist from North Canterbury; and Wayne Hope, Associate Professor, Communications Studies, Auckland University of Technology. They will be given a shortlist of finalists. The winner(s) will be announced at a Wellington event in early 2013. For more information http://can