WHAT’S ON IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND – 18/9/12

SPECIAL GPJA MEETING: 7.30pm on Monday 24 September at Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd.
Countdown to the TPPA round in December: It’s just been announced that the next round of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations will be in Auckland from 3rd to 15th December. That gives us about 10 weeks to plan and educate. As a first step Global Peace and Justice Auckland is holding a meeting at 7.30pm on Monday 24 September at Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd. Speakers will be:
Deb Gleeson, an Australian public health expert on the TPPA who has been brought over here by the unions. Deb will talk about the threat of the US-driven TPP agenda to public health, especially Big Pharma’s attack on affordable medicines and the tobacco industry assault on Australia’s plain packaging laws.
Jane Kelsey will provide an overview of the state of the TPPA negotiations and highlight the issues that have the potential to bring the negotiations to a grinding halt.
Followed by discussion about what to do between now and December. Please come, armed with energy and ideas.

WHAT’S ON

Wednesday, September 19, 7-9am, Parnell Trust Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd, Parnell, Auckland.
Women’s Health Action’s annual Suffrage Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, September 19th at the Parnell Trust Jubilee Building, in Parnell, Auckland. This year’s Suffrage Breakfast is titled ‘Getting health off the scales: Moving women’s health beyond weight obsessed culture’. Human Development Lecturer and Fat Studies Researcher, Dr Cat Pausé will consider the impact of our weight obsessed culture on the physical and mental health of women and girls, and propose new ways of moving forward as we advocate for health without encouraging body shame and hatred. Tickets are $30 each or $280 for a table of ten. For more details, please see the attached flyer. Register online at http://www.womens-health..info, or on 09 520-5295.

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, 3-5pm, St Andrews’ on the Terrace (Hall), 30 the Terrace, Wgtn. CBD
Wellington Living Wage follow-up meeting: Thank you everyone who worked hard to make the Wellington launch of Aotearoa New Zealand a success and thank you for coming along on the day and making sure it was a success. This is reminder of the follow-up meeting, to establish the Wellington Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand movement. This meeting is very important in deciding the future of our exciting new movement to address poverty and inequality by lifting low pay. I hope we will see you there! John Ryall, National Secretary, Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota.

Wednesday, September 19, 5pm, Outside the Amora Hotel, Wakefield St, Wellington.
Ka Nui! Enough! Protest the NZ Petroleum Summit. frances.mountier Please see the text above for ideas for wording.

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

Thursday, September 20, 2-4pm, Auckland Women’s Centre (4 Warnock St, Grey Lynn), Auckland
Do you want to be part of a delegation to Auckland City Local Boards about the need for a Living Wage? We will be making 5 minute presentations to local boards from the end of September through October. Join the delegation to the local Board in the area you are resident. Come along to a briefing meeting about this soon. Briefing for Local Board delegations. Do you need transport? Please respond to this email or ring/text 027 2046340 and leave a message for Annie.

Saturday, September 22, 11am, Victoria Bridge on Bridge Street in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton
MIGHTY RIVER POWER PROTEST – Hands Across the Bridge, Saturday, September 22. There will be a ‘Hand’s across the Bridge’ symbolic action at Victoria Bridge on Bridge Street in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton. The action will be done to draw attention to our continued opposition to all asset sales and Mighty River Power in particular. This symbolic action is initiated by MANA Hauraki-Waikato but they ask all organisations, groups, and individuals opposed to the sale to attend and wave their colours. We want to link up from one side of the bridge to the other to show our opposition to the sale. 11am-12 Noon at Victoria bridge on Bridge Street, Hamilton, September 22. For more info or any queries please reply to this email or contact Alvina (027-221-6864) or Jared (029-4949-863)

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; Sue Elliott, ECPAT / Child Alert Trustee, international development practitioner, Unitec lecturer; Rev Uesefili Unasa, Auckland University Chaplain; Prof Jane Kelsey, Auckland Law School; followed by an open discussion, chair: Edwina Hughes, Peace Movement Aotearoa. For more information, details of topics, speakers etc, contact: Joan Macdonald phone: 360 8001 email: Beverley Turner info

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.

Monday, September 24, 7.30pm, WEA, 59 Gloucester Street, Christchurch
CAFCA AGM. 1/ 2011 minutes; 2/ Presentation of CAFCA accounts; 3/ Annual report of CAFCA/ABC Organiser Account; 4/ Election of officers; 5/ Murray Horton’s annual Organiser’s Report; 6/ General business. DVDS ON TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. A fascinating 25 minute panel discussion on the TPPA, broadcast on TV3’s Think Tank in June. Facilitated by the show’s host, former Labour MP John Tamihere, the panel is: Professor Jane Kelsey, NZ’s foremost critic of the TPPA and a world expert on globalisation; Mike Smith, a veteran activist opponent of globalisation for decades; and Syd Keepa, Maori Vice President of the Council of Trade Unions. Tamihere makes clear that he invited Tim Groser, the Minister for Trade Negotiations, to appear but Groser declined. The discussion ranges from an analysis of the TPPA and its innumerable fish hooks through to discussion of solutions and alternatives. & TOBACCO TNCS’ MACHINATIONS IN NZ. “Smoke Screen”, broadcast on TV3’s 60 Minutes in July, is a revealing 20 minute programme about the machinations of the tobacco transnational corporations in NZ. Faced with a Government policy of making NZ smokefree by 2025; already denied public displays in shops; and facing the imposition of plain packaging, the merchants of death and addiction are fighting back, issuing threats of court action using NZ’s existing trade deals and the proposed TPPA as their weapons (as they are already doing in Australia). Tens of thousands of internal documents from their NZ subsidiaries (released as a result of US court action) show what they’ve got up to in NZ in the past 20 years, what they think of the public health system, and the contempt in which they hold their customers (50% of whom die from smoking–related causes). A must see!

Wednesday, September 26, 7.30pm, Piha Bowling Club, Piha
The implications of mining the west coast seabed: Public meeting. Film, presentation, discussion, refreshments. All welcome.

Friday, September 28, 1-3pm, 59B Mahunga Drive (next to KUMFS Shoes), Mangere Bridge, Auckland
An open meeting for all communities on the Living Wage will be held (an agenda will be sent out soon). Regards, Fala Haulangi fala.haulangi

Saturday, September 29, Te Tira Hou Marae, Cnr Tripoli and Caen Rds, Panmure, Auckland.
GARAGE SALE: 7am Start. Nau mai, Haere mai!! “Support the appeal for the imprisoned Te Urewera 2”. Household items, appliances, furniture, toys, bric-a-brac, clothes, bbq.. etc etc, open mic/open stage from 12pm-2pm. CONTACT: NUMIA – mob 021326613

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.

Monday, October 1, 6:30pm, in Case Room 3, Level 0, Auckland University Businees School, Owen Glenn Building, Grafton Street Auckland.
“Social democracy Aotearoa: Problems and Prospects”. A Fabian Society event with Dr Peter Davis. Peter will discuss the following ideas: What does social democracy have to offer in addressing our current discontents (loss of sovereignty, emigration of some of our best and brightest, commodity-dependent standard of living, structural deficit, inability to retain our key assets, solidifying underclass)? Kiwi social democracy in the 2000s produced some “big ideas” – Working For Families, Early Childhood Education, New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Kiwisaver, tax credits for R&D. Internationally, the Nordic model of social democracy is attractive – open and competitive economies, active labour market policy, enabling State, solid social underpinning. But there are plenty more ideas – from across the Tasman, from the OECD and (yes!) Davos, and from the UK Fabians. These provide a strong platform for a social democratic agenda. Please register here if you would like to attend this event.

Wednesday, October 31, 6.30pm, Maidment Theatre, University of Auckland. (Bar open from 5.30pm )This year’s Bruce Jesson Lecture will focus on New Zealand’s need for investigative journalism – by someone once described as “New Zealand’s leading investigative journalist”. Nicky Hager, who will present the lecture at Auckland University on 31 October, has been a fulltime writer for more than 20 years and is the sole New Zealand member of the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

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

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST WELFARE REFORM OCTOBER 5 2012
Beneficiaries who have had enough of the attacks on them by this government will be picketing WINZ offices across the country in a national day of action. The National Day Of Action Against Welfare Reform is being called for on Friday October 5 by the Facebook group ‘Occupy WINZ’. The group is coordinating with people and organisations across NZ who oppose the government’s agenda for welfare reform and are calling for people to join in protests on the day. Details of events are being coordinated in towns and cities throughout the country and will be posted on the National Day Of Action Against Welfare Reforms page as they are organised. Olive Mc Rae of the Occupy WINZ group says “It needs pointing out that what we are facing is a war on the poor. We have working poor now, on minimum wage needing food parcels from food bank. We need to really plug a united front. It’s not just beneficiaries, it’s all of us, low-paid workers included.”

“Poverty doesn’t exist as an individual problem, and anyone of us could find themselves at some point needing to go on a benefit especially within this economic climate. I urge all people to stand in solidarity with and show support for the people struggling to provide the basic needs for their families and those being targeted and attacked in these latest reforms. Work and Income NZ is already systematically abusive and time wasting; it is designed to make those who need help feel like untrustworthy criminals in need of interrogation more than care and support, and the policies the Nats and ACT are pushing through are only going to make it worse by creating a defunct and inaccessible welfare system. We need to fight these reforms for all of us; whether you are a beneficiary or not this affects us all.” said Joanna Wildish, Chch activist and organiser.

Against Welfare Reforms http://againstwelfarereforms.wordpress.com/
CHRISTCHURCH http://www.facebook.com/events/359769487433655/
WELLINGTON kylebowater
HAMILTON http://www.facebook.com/events/406160476105876/
DUNEDIN https://www.facebook.com/events/284916358279500/

If you can support this action, please respond as soon as possible. Regards, Olive McRae. Email: olive.mcrae Phone: 0272579218

NICKY HAGER TO GIVE THIS YEAR’S BRUCE JESSON LECTURE
Maidment Theatre, University of Auckland. Wed 31 October, 6.30pm. Bar open from 5.30pm
This year’s Bruce Jesson Lecture will focus on New Zealand’s need for investigative journalism – by someone once described as “New Zealand’s leading investigative journalist”. Nicky Hager, who will present the lecture at Auckland University on 31 October, has been a fulltime writer for more than 20 years and is the sole New Zealand member of the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
His first book, Secret Power (1996), exposed New Zealand’s role in the international surveillance network Echelon.
Seeds of Distrust, on how Helen Clark’s Government covered up the contamination of corn crops by genetically modified seeds, created a political storm when it came out just before the 2002 election.
The Hollow Men (2006), detailing thousands of internal emails and meetings in the National Party before the 2005 election, precipitated Don Brash’s resignation as National leader.
His latest book, Other People’s Wars (2011), uses leaked military and intelligence documents and interviews with key players to reveal the true extent of New Zealand’s involvement in the US-led “War on Terror”.
Hager’s Jesson lecture, “Investigative journalism in the age of media meltdown: from National Party Headquarters to Afghanistan”, will look at “why New Zealand needs investigative journalism, how it is done, and what it will take to have more of it”.
“I am keen to use the opportunity of this lecture to talk widely about the state of politics in New Zealand today, bringing together ideas that have been underlying and running through what I’ve been writing about New Zealand and politics for years,” he says.
“My belief is that we don’t talk enough about why things are like they are and a Bruce Jesson lecture is an ideal opportunity for this.”
“I will then look at the role and potential of investigative journalism, in the context of considering what is needed to improve politics in this country.”
The annual Bruce Jesson Lecture is organised by the Bruce Jesson Foundation in memory of Bruce Jesson (1944-99), another great investigative journalist who, like Hager, worked mainly as an independent writer without any regular wage or salary for most of his life.
The lecture will be at Auckland University’s Maidment Theatre at 6.30pm on Wednesday 31 October. Admission by donation, bar open from 5.30pm. More details: www.brucejesson.com

COME TO WAIHOPAI SPY BASE PROTEST: JANUARY 18-20
2012 has seen the Government get New Zealand back into ANZUS in all but name. For the first time since the 1980s, American troops have trained here; NZ troops have trained in the US; and NZ warships have taken part in US-led naval exercises. How ironic that all this was happening at the same time as the country was celebrating the 25th anniversary of our nuclear free law.
The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant contribution to the global American warfighting machine is, and has been for more than 20 years, the Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base, located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. It is controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea what goes on there, let alone any control.
First announced in 1987, Waihopai is operated by New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped together in the super-secret UKUSA Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its satellite interception dishes intercept a huge volume of civilian telephone calls, telexes, faxes, e-mail and computer data communications.
It spies on our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards the material on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement, specifically the US National Security Agency (NSA). Its targets are international civilian communications involving New Zealanders, including the interception of international phone calls.
Post- 9/11 the GCSB and Waihopai now spy further afield, to those regions where the US is waging wars. The codename for this – Echelon – has become notorious worldwide as the vast scope of its spying has become public. New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior, part of a global spying network, a network that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent agencies, not governments, and certainly not citizens.
Join us for the weekend of anti-war protest at this spy base. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. We provide the food (we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) to cover costs. No open fires.
How to find our camp at Whites Bay: turn off SH1 at Tuamarina (9km north 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 the Whites Bay turnoff. There is a DoC public camp at the bay with basic facilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per head.
Waihopai does not operate in the interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spy base on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed.
Email abc for further registration information.

THE TIGERS OF WRATH (are wiser than the horses of instruction). NOV 3 – DEC 1
PEKING, 1974. Trish is ex-St Cuth’s, Pauline is ex-Onehunga High; they’re dykes and Maoists and members of the Auckland PYM. Oliver is from Wellington, writes for Salient and is a member of MiLO. All three are on an NZUSA trip to Red China. HERNE BAY, 1994. Trish is now Labour MP for New Lynn and Opposition spokesperson on education. Oliver has given up writing to become an immigration lawyer. MANGERE BRIDGE, 2009. Oliver’s being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. Pauline’s cleaning the South Auckland toilets of the BNZ. Trish is a TV current affairs host and the mother of the nation. THE TIGERS OF WRATH. A story of NZ from the recession of the mid-1970s to the crash of 2008-09. This is us. Circa Theatre, Wellington, Nov 3 – Dec 1. Cheap preview night Nov 2. Written by: Dean Parker, Directed by: Jane Waddell