GPJA #445 (Part 1/3): What’s On – Thurs 7pm – SUPPORT GI PEOPLE DEFENDING THEIR COMMUNITY FROM ETHNIC AND SOCIAL CLEANSING:

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 445, November 6, 2012

SUPPORT GLEN INNES PEOPLE DEFENDING THEIR COMMUNITY FROM ETHNIC AND SOCIAL CLEANSING:
THIS THURSDAY – from 7pm at 45 Apirana Ave, Glen Innes

We need lots of cameras to monitor police activity and keep people safe. We will be defending our rights to peaceful protest as the police attempt to escort more state houses from Glen Innes. Last Thursday 13 people were arrested following aggressive police mishandling of non-violent, passive resistance to the removal of state houses from GI.

The police have become increasingly violent in their handling of these protests but the Glen Innes community is not deterred. Protests will continue this coming Thursday at 7pm in Apirana Avenue, Glen Innes. The protests are calling for a moratorium on the proposed Glen Innes “redevelopment” so negotiations with the community can take place.

Labour, the Greens, Mana and New Zealand First all support the moratorium to provide a breathing space for negotiations with the community. Spread the word – we need as many people and cameras as possible this Thursday!!!

Delegation to Wellington:

In the meantime a delegation from GI will be joining with delegations from Maraenui in Napier and Pomare in Lower Hutt to take a petition to parliament on Wednesday demanding the following:

• All Housing New Zealand “urban renewal” programmes in Glen Innes, Maraenui, Pomare and other areas be halted so communities can discuss and negotiate the “renewals” with Housing New Zealand.

• All 90-day eviction notices for “urban renewal” programmes be withdrawn pending the outcome of community negotiations with affected communities.

• The criteria for access to a HNZ home revert to the requirements prior to July 2011.

• Vacant state houses in all NZ communities be immediately let to families in crisis.

• The company to oversee housing redevelopment in Tamaki – the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company – be disestablished immediately.

• Reopen all Housing New Zealand offices around the country.

• A major state-house building and renovation programme be started – aim to build 20,000 new state houses within two years.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Participation of marginalised groups has precedence over the preservation of a system which excludes them.” Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

HOUSING

March on Parliament to protest against housing crisis http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1211/S00055/march-on-parliament-to-protest-against-housing-crisis.htm

John Minto pleads not guilty to assault http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/john-minto-pleads-not-guilty-assault-5196090

13 in Court Today for Opposing Ethnic and Social Cleansing http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1211/S00058/13-in-court-today-for-opposing-ethnic-and-social-cleansing.htm

Glen Innes housing protest ‘biggest yet’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/7898556/Glen-Innes-housing-protest-biggest-yet

Housing Crisis: Members of Tu Tangata Maraenui, a community group formed around the housing crisis in Maraenui, Napier, are heading for Wellington to march on Parliament on 7th November to protest against the government’s social housing policy which … … http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1210/S00414/housing-crisis.htm

Private boarding house horrors http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/politics/private-boarding-house-horrors/

Thousands of state homes empty as waiting list grows http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/119036/thousands-of-state-homes-empty-as-waiting-list-grows

13 arrested during state housing demonstration in Glen Innes http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2012/11/13-more-arrests-defending-state-housing-in-glen-innes/

More Police Thuggery in Glen Innes- 13 arrested http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/more-police-thuggery-in-glen-innes-13.html

ANFS Street Party – John Minto Speaks

MANA wants a “Paula Bennett Housing Policy” http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1210/S00460/mana-wants-a-paula-bennett-housing-policy.htm

WHAT’S ON

Wednesday, November 7, 3-4.30pm, St Andrews on the Terrace, upstairs conference room, Wellington.
Wellington meeting of Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand.

Wednesday, November 7, 12noon at Civic Square, Wellington
Housing Crisis Action Day: March to Parliament. Groups from across the country are to coming to demand an end to evictions and sale of state houses, for Housing New Zealand to let all vacant state houses to families in crisis, a withdrawal of the draconian requirements to get a state house, a reopening of all HNZ offices and the construction of 20,000 new state homes. There will be bus/minivan transport from Auckland, Maraenui (Napier) and Pomare in Porirua and other centres – if you can help co-ordinate in your local area plea let us know asap. This is a big, important kaupapa and we need donations to print posters and leaflets. You can donate on-line to: Tamaki Housing Action Group. Kiwibank Glen Innes Account No: 38-9014-0147012-00 For more details see the facebook page “Housing Crisis Action Day: March to Parliament” or call Marion on 021 123 9252

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

Sunday, November 11, 12-4pm, Newtown Park Function Rooms Roy Street, Newtown, Wellington
MIA LATIN FESTIVAL 2012: – Live Music; – Tradional Food Stalls; – Craft Stalls; – Dancing!; – Raffles; – Face Painting. Entrance: $3p/p (children up to 7 free). Every entrance ticket is in for our gourmet pack raffle. We are Mujeres in Aotearoa (MIA) – Latin American Women’s Group Incorporated. We are a non-profit women’s group that works to maintain our Latin American Culture alive and share it with the rest of the Wellington community. One of our main activities for this year, and the one that will attract a larger audience is the MIA Latin Festival 2012. During the Festival we will celebrate our culture through live performances, art & crafts and traditional food stalls, games and children activities. We would like to invite you to be part of this initiative by helping us promote this event.

Tuesday, November 13, 7.30pm, GalatosLive, 17 Galatos Street, Auckland.
Sea Shepherd NZ Fundraiser 2012. Come and enjoy a night of fun, food and live music! We’ll be having silent and live auctions, prizes and speakers including Gareth Hughes and Captain Peter Hammarstedt from the M/Y Bob Barker who is on his eighth campaign to defend whales in Southern Ocean. Items for auction include a painting by Dean Buchannan. Doors open at 7.30pm, with the main event starting at 8:00 pm until 10:30 pm. Canapes provided free throughout evening. Bar at venue. Tickets are limited and now available online at www.seashepherd.org.nz *Note: ticket prices are $50 NZ approx. (charged at $40 AU). For more information about our donors and auction items go to www.seashepherdnzfundraiser.org.nz. If you or your business would like to participate as a sponsor or contribute item(s) for the fundraiser you can find out more information at the above link. If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to contribute at: www.seashepherd.org/donate/auckland

Wednesday, November 14, 5.30pm, Otahuhu Public Library, 12 High St, Otahuhu
You are invited to a book launch to celebrate the publication of “The Chain” a novel by James Robb. Speakers 6pm: Roger Steele, Steele Roberts publishing; Helen Mulrennan, one of the first women mutton butchers in NZ; james Robb will read an extract from his book. 6.30pm Social, with music from Oliver, Peter, and Luana Leupolu. RSVP James Robb Tel (09) 2709662 or jamesrobb

Wednesday, November 14, 7-8.30pm, Garden Room, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd, Auckland
All MANA members & supporters in the Auckland region are invited to attend our next: MANA AUCKLAND ACTION FORUM. This is a chance to catch up with activities and actions that MANA is involved with in our region and to share ideas about how we can build the MANA movement here, with the local body elections coming up next year and the general election in 2014. These meetings are not intended to replace local rohe branch meetings, but are a chance for those of us who support MANA to get together from across the whole Auckland region and share news, information and ideas.

Saturday, November 17, 9am-1pm, Western Springs Garden Community Hall, 956 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland.

Pacific Women’s Watch (New Zealand) Annual Half-Day Conference. “Driving Forward Equality for New Zealand Women”. PWW(NZ) Patron, Professor Marilyn Waring, Institute of Public Policy, AUT University, will make an opening statement on the conference theme to be followed by a panel:  Janet Fanslow, Associate Professor, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland: Research update  George Parker, Senior Policy Analyst, Women’s Health Action: Health and transgender issues.  Debbie Hager, Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children: Violence, especially impacts for disabled women.  Shila Nair, Senior Advisor, Shakti Community Council: Refugee and migrant issues.  Deborah Moran, International Director, Ministry of Women’s Affairs: Targets and benchmarks.
Heather Henare, Women’s Refuge New Zealand’s Chief Executive will present her keynote statement after morning tea break. Focus group discussions and a plenary report-back will complete the conference.

Friday, November 30, 7.30pm, TAPAC-the Auckland Performing Arts Centre, 100 Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland
Auckland Refugee Family Trust presents: ‘An evening of Hope & Light with Francois and Friends’. A fundraising event. General Admission $25 and Cabaret Table Seating $30. For bookings contact ARFT: email: jcarswel or phone 09 921 9367

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 gael.d for the full programme and any other questions.