GPJA #465 (2 of 3): Palestine conference this weekend / News from Aotearoa

NOT TO BE MISSED EVENT – PLEASE SHARE THIS NOTICE – FREE ADMISSION – BRING YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY:

WHAT’S ON IN AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND Tuesday, June 18, 6.40pm, Paula Bennett’s office, 429 Great North Road, Henderson. PICKET: AAAP will be picketing outside of Paula Bennett’s office, 429 Great North Road, in Henderson. Paula will be holding a public meeting entitled “Safer Communities”. We will be highlighting the hypocrisy of this public meeting, pointing out that our communities would be safer without Paula Bennett and her welfare reforms. For more info you can check out the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/493726590695830/ Wednesday, June 19, 6-8pm, AAAP offices, 86 Princes Street, Onehunga. UBI WORKSHOP: Sue Bradford will be facilitating a workshop on the concept of the Universal Basic Income, at the AAAP offices, 86 Princes Street, Onehunga. We will look at what a UBI is and consider what a progressive version of a UBI might look like in 2013. This workshop is not academic, it is open to everyone who is interested in jobs and welfare activism. Snacks and drinks will be offered from 5:40 pm, with the workshop itself running from 6-8 pm. If you plan on attending please register by emailing contact if you have not already done so. For more info you can check out the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/177014682465724/ Friday, June 21, 6.30pm, People’s Cinema, 57 Manners St, Wellington City Wellington’s Freedom Shop will mark World Refugee Day with a film screening and discussion evening on Friday, 21 June at the People’s Cinema. On June 13, parliament passed the Immigration Amendment Bill into law – just in time for World Refugee Day on June 20. The new law allows the mass detention of groups of asylum seekers, should they ever manage to arrive in here. The Bill has drawn harsh criticism from the UNHCR, Amnesty International and a range of refugee organisations. The changes bring New Zealand in line with Australia’s much condemned mandatory offshore detention regime. On top of that, earlier this year John Key signed an agreement with Julia Gillard to take 150 asylum seekers off Australia, further reducing New Zealand’s already small annual quota of 750 UN refugees and making New Zealand complicit in Australia’s human rights violations. In order to show what mass detention looks like, Wellington’s anarchist bookshop, The Freedom Shop, will screen the April 2013 documentary “No Advantage: Inside Australia’s Offshore Processing Centres”, which exposes the conditions inside the detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island. Links: http://freedomshopaotearoa.blogspot.co.nz/ – https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesCinema – http://www.indymedia.org.nz/ Entry by Koha Saturday, June 22, 11.30am, Friends Meeting House, 113 Mt Eden Road, Auckland Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Tamaki Makaurau – Invitation to Matariki/Winter Solstice Lunch. You are cordially invited to attend the annual lunch to be held on Saturday 22 June 2013. The speaker will be Dr Pat Neuwelt, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Te Kupenga Haora Maori, School of Population Health, University of Auckland. The topic “Is Health a Common Good”. Could WILPF members please bring food for lunch. Please invite your friends- all welcome. Please RSVP to Joan email joanmac or phone 360 8001 Saturday, June 22, 5.30pm, Algie Lecture Theatre, 2nd Floor, 9 Eden Crescent, The University of Auckland Amnesty International and the New Zealand Centre for Law, Policy and Practice at Auckland University invite you to an exclusive screening of ‘No Fire Zone,’ a new cutting edge documentary looking at what happened in the last few months of Sri Lanka’s civil war. We are excited to announce that Callum Macrae, the documentary’s director, will be visiting New Zealand especially for our screenings of No Fire Zone and will be available for a question and answer session after the screening. No Fire Zone is a meticulous and chilling exposè of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity – told through some of the most dramatic and disturbing video evidence ever recorded by those present during the violence. Do not miss out on this opportunity to learn what really happened in the last few months of Sri Lanka’s 26 year long civil war. Cost: Koha, entry by donation. June 22-23, Day 1 – Leys Institute, Day 2 – Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall. National Conference on Palestine: Come along to the Conference on Palestine, Auckland Town Hall with author MIKO PELED from 6.30pm Sunday 23 June. FREE ADMISSION – ALL SESSIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – KOHA WELCOME. ALSO: a special screening of Oscar-nominated documentary ‘5 Broken Cameras’ at 4pm, & Palestinian speaker, Yousef Aljamal – direct from Gaza. Check out the website: www.conferenceonpalestine.co.nz for more details. Bring your friends & family. “Palestine is still the issue”. Monday, June 24, 9.15am-10am, Employment Court, Cnr Federal and Wyndham Sts, Auckland City On 24 June, SFWU member, Kristine Bartlett goes to the Employment Court, for a landmark Equal Pay case. Kristine, a Wellington caregiver, is the named worker in an important case, which will test the Equal Pay Act. Although Kristine is taking the stand, this is a courageous step on behalf of caregivers and all women. Show Kristine she is not alone. Support rally outside the Employment Court at 9.15am sharp. Monday, June 24, 5.30-7pm, SFWU Office, 35 Geoge St, Kingsland A Party for Equal Pay! You are invited to celebrate Kristine’s stand for equal pay (see above). BEST ON THE WEB NEW ZEALAND John Minto: Easier to build racist stereotypes http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/8775550/Easier-to-build-racist-stereotypes Protesters dig in for forestry occupation http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/137059/protesters-dig-in-for-forestry-occupation Asylum laws ‘fail for human rights’ – Amnesty International http://www.3news.co.nz/Asylum-laws-fail-for-human-rights–Amnesty-International/tabid/1607/articleID/301417/Default.aspx#ixzz2WASrboG9 Impractical and Undesirable: How New Zealanders were taught to despise public housing By Chris Trotter http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/06/impractical-and-undesirable-how-new-zealanders-were-taught-to-despise-public-housing/ Hone on feeding the kids http://mana.net.nz/2013/06/11-june-2013-ae-marika-hone-harawira/ Ode to Phil Twyford by Helen Kelly – I was impressed by Phil Twyford’s analysis of the Government’s housing policies announced in the budget. I thought his best point was that only this Government could announce a housing affordability policy with the eviction of 3000 state housing tenants as its centre piece! http://thestandard.org.nz/ode-to-phil-twyford/ Criticism of sensible sentencing trust deleted from wikipedia http://brookingblog.com/2013/06/07/criticism-of-sensible-sentencing-trust-deleted-from-wikipedia/ Save our schools – Radio Live interview with Marcus Lush http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Christchurch-groups-vow-to-fight-quake-school-closures/tabid/506/articleID/35842/Default.aspx Our petition to save our schools here in CHCH http://taikorea.co.nz/SB/ChCh_closures_petition.pdf Sky City: Future Governments not bound by current deal – lawyer http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/print.cfm?objectid=10888335&pnum=1 Another Act of Betrayal By the Maori Party http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00035/another-act-of-betrayal-by-the-maori-party.htm Law of the jungle’ verdict on Govt’s changes http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10888889 Willie Jackson: Racial stereotypes pervade http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Racial-stereotypes-pervade/tabid/428/articleID/35973/Default.aspx Having It All, Doing It All – More women are earning more than their spouses, and doing more housework/childcare at the same time by Gordon Campbell http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/06/having-it-all/ Our constitution and crony capitalism http://www.stephenfranks.co.nz/our-constitution-and-crony-capitalism/ Why Pokie Machines Should Be the First Victims of the Revolution By Chris Trotter http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/14/why-pokie-machines-should-be-the-first-victims-of-the-revolution/#sthash.oTD1izqs.dpuf Celebrate World Refugee Day By Michael Timmins http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/15/celebrate-world-refugee-day/ GCSB The GCSB is the enemy, not our protector by John Minto http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/12/the-gcsb-is-the-enemy-not-our-protector/#sthash.3RldKntS.dpuf Unprecedented spying powers revealed in the US and how NZ’s GCSB Bill could be far worse http://www.idealog.co.nz/blog/2013/06/unprecedented-levels-spying-revealed-us-and-how-nzs-gscb-bill-could-be-far-worse Locke to fight Kiwi spooks http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8776974/Locke-to-fight-Kiwi-spooks The United States of Surveillance? http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/the-united-states-of-surveillance/ Keith Locke: US spy agency may be passing info on Kiwis to GCSB http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10889457 Behind the Silicon Curtain http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/behind-silicon-curtain.html?spref=fb Interviews with Kim Dotcom, his lawyer Ira Rothken and Eric Goldman by Gordon Campbell http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/06/talking-dotcom/ Gehan Gunasekara: Orwell’s worst nightmares looming large http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10889616 The corruption of democracy http://thestandard.org.nz/the-corruption-of-democracy/ Spies and lies – can anyone trust Key? http://thestandard.org.nz/spies-and-lies-can-anyone-trust-key/ Peter O’Connor: Schools about more than passing exams http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10890099 Kim Dotcom – The RAID POVERTY AND INEQUALITY Trials of a first-time beneficiary http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/share-your-news-and-views/8777932/Trials-of-a-first-time-beneficiary Brian Gaynor; Wealth gap a growing problem worldwide http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10889131 Degrees of Separation By Wayne Hope http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/10/degrees-of-separation/ Household crowding a health risk – study http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10889014 House overcrowding disease fears http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8768249/House-overcrowding-disease-fears CPAG: Government failing to solve child abuse http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00111/government-failing-to-solve-child-abuse.htm CPAG: Key to Healthy Kids Is Free Accessible Primary Health Care http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00095/key-to-healthy-kids-is-free-accessible-primary-health-care.htm Q+A: The panel on child poverty http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/panel-child-poverty-5454010 Another face of child poverty http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8747243/Another-face-of-child-poverty Do it properly: Extend free food at school http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/8747198/Do-it-properly-Extend-free-food-at-school Varieties of poverty in New Zealand http://www.thepoliticalscientist.org/?p=1325 Let’s explore and act for hungry children http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/opinion/comment/derek-burrows/8756778/Lets-explore-and-act-for-hungry-children The June issue of the NZCCSS newsletter Kete Kupu is now online. http://www.nzccss.org.nz/uploads/publications/KeteKupu%2027%20(web).pdf Child poverty: Are we that heartless? http://thestandard.org.nz/child-poverty-are-we-that-heartless/ NZ ECONOMY John Minto: Capital gains tax the ‘most important step’ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10890114 Unions back opposition manufacturing plan http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8675775/unions-back-opposition-manufacturing-plan What went wrong in Iceland? By Prof Jane Kelsey http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/17/what-went-wrong-in-iceland/ Mike Treen: How to stop the rich thieving off us http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/07/how-to-stop-the-rich-thieving-off-us/ John Minto: Capital gains tax the ‘most important step’ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10890114 Quickfisk: Youth Unemployment http://publicaddress.net/onpoint/quickfisk-youth-unemployment/ Why can’t the Right face the manufacturing crisis? http://thestandard.org.nz/why-cant-the-right-face-the-manufacturing-crisis/ Manufacturing report ‘urgent call to action’ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10891066 MCD’S ON STRIKE Strike report: Bunny Street McDonalds, Wellington http://fightback.org.nz/2013/06/14/strike-report-bunny-street-mcdonalds-wellington/ Two McDonald’s stores hit as McStrikes spread to West Auckland http://unitenews.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/two-mcdonalds-stores-hit-as-mcstrikes-spread-to-west-auckland/ Is McDonald’s New Zealand a tax cheat? http://unitenews.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/is-mcdonalds-new-zealand-a-tax-cheat/ Why McDonalds workers are fighting http://unitenews.wordpress.com/category/quick-service-restaurants/mcdonalds/ Flying Squad and Lightning McStrike used against McD’s http://unitenews.wordpress.com/category/quick-service-restaurants/mcdonalds/ “When Migrant workers are under attack- stand up, fight back!” http://unitenews.wordpress.com/category/quick-service-restaurants/mcdonalds/ UNITE JOINS GLOBAL ACTION AGAINST MCDONALD’S FOR MIGRANT WORKER ABUSE http://unitenews.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/unite-joins-global-action-against-mcdonalds-for-migrant-worker-abuse/ German woman told to leave http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/german-woman-told-to-leave/1900227/ McDonald’s union membership dives http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/261170/mcdonalds-union-membership-dives WORKRIGHTS NZ Wellington to be a living wage capital http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/8787413/Wellington-to-be-a-living-wage-capital Workers, Unions and Class Struggle Today http://fightback.org.nz/2013/06/14/workers-unions-and-class-struggle-today/ Mean bid to deny a basic right by Kerre McIvor http://www.nzherald.co.nz/kerre-mcivor/news/article.cfm?a_id=176&objectid=10890771 Ramifications of National’s new scab law http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/14/ramifications-of-nationals-new-scab-law/ Key to support ‘strike-breaking’ bill http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/key-support-strike-breaking-bill-5463396 Jami-Lee Ross MP, unions and scabs http://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/jami-lee-ross-mp-unions-and-scabs/ ILO told that NZ is no longer the international ‘good guy’ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00146/ilo-told-that-nz-is-no-longer-the-international-good-guy.htm Your Rights At Work Under Threat http://iso.org.nz/2013/06/10/your-rights-at-work-under-threat/ Reducing workers’ rights http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/8772189/Reducing-workers-rights Bill to cut workers’ pay in Parliament http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00027/bill-to-cut-workers-pay-in-parliament.htm Nothing moderate about National’s employment changes http://thestandard.org.nz/nothing-moderate-about-nationals-employment-changes/ Government’s Employment law to come under international scrutiny http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00070/govts-employment-law-to-come-under-international-scrutiny.htm Fierce opposition to labour law changes http://www.3news.co.nz/Fierce-opposition-to-labour-law-changes/tabid/1607/articleID/300422/Default.aspx Union alarm at talk of longer work trial http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8760947/Union-alarm-at-talk-of-longer-work-trial EPMU: National’s Employment Changes Mean a Low Wage Future For NZ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00055/nationals-employment-changes-mean-a-low-wage-future-for-nz.htm Employment bill ‘bad medicine’ – nurses organisation http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/employment-bill-bad-medicine-nurses-organisation-5457214 Changes to migrant worker protections needed http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00191/changes-to-migrant-worker-protections-needed.htm Australian jobs ‘near-shoring’ to NZ as companies cut costs http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2013-06-13/australian-jobs-nearshoring-to-nz-as-companies-cut-costs/1145662 Nothing moderate about National’s employment changes http://thestandard.org.nz/nothing-moderate-about-nationals-employment-changes/ Air NZ subsidiary to cut 84 jobs http://www.3news.co.nz/Air-NZ-subsidiary-to-cut-84-jobs/tabid/369/articleID/301461/Default.aspx Negotiations continue in ports debate http://www.3news.co.nz/Negotiations-continue-in-ports-debate/tabid/421/articleID/301470/Default.aspx STATS OF THE WEEK LAND, LABOUR & THE ENVIRONMENT Every Kiwi should see this, John Wathen’s eyewitness account of the Gulf of Mexico disaster Mining Below The Floorboards – An unprecedented proposal to mine underneath residential homes in Waihi raises the question: Is there anywhere it’s not OK to mine? by Alison McCulloch http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/06/mining-below-the-floorboards/ CULTURAL DISSENT Revolting! The Sound of Protest in Aotearoa http://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/revolting-the-sound-of-protest-in-aotearoa/