What’s on in Aotearoa/NZ (21/09/15)

WHAT’S ON IN AOTEAROA

Monday, September 21 to Friday, september 25
We are delighted to invite you to our arpillera exhibition entitled “Women stitching lives in Wellington. An arpillera exhitibion” (see flyer attached)
The exhibition will be open to the public between Monday 21 and Friday 25 September (opening hours 11am to 5pm) at In Good Company Gallery (166A Cuba Street, upstairs).
As background information, arpilleras are hand-sewn tapestries made by women depicting powerful memories and the search for justice, that emerged in Chile in the 1970s and since then have travelled around the world.
This event is the result of a process that was started with the historic arpillera exhibition in 2013 (associated to the III International Visual Methods Conference). After the 2013 exhibition, a VUW research project involving myself, A Professor Sara Kindon and Katia Guiloff led to a group of Latin American Wellingtonian women to produce their/our own arpilleras. Thus, the exhibition emerges from and showcases our intimate and collective reflection around our migration experiences, identities and sense of home while sewing our own arpilleras.
The exhibiton will consist of the Wellington-based pieces plus two of historic arpilleras that have been kindly shared by international curator Roberta Bacic and the Tower Museum in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Looking forward seeing you there,

Marcela, Sara, Katia and the Wellington arpilleristas collective

Tuesday, September 22, 5.30-6.30pm, Medical School, School of General Practice, Floor F, Enter by main library and take lift, Mein Street, Newtown
HIKOI FOR HOMES – Everyone deserves a home. We’ve had the initial meeting and discussed holding an event to support the Auckland Hikoi for Homes. We brainstormed a number of options for an event to raise awareness and mobilise people around child poverty, and the broader issue of people’s right to housing that is safe, secure, and healthy. We believe there’s enough support in Wellington to move forward with an event to support CPAG Auckland’s Hikoi. We’d really love you to come to our next meeting to talk about how we can work together to make this event successful. Please RSVP to admin or call Susan 021 114 6996. Inadequate housing is a major Child Poverty issue. We hope that the Wellington event will engage a wider audience of supporters – not just supporters of CPAG – but others who are concerned about inequality, poverty, and the need for social justice. This engagement is seen as way of helping people who are on-line activists to become on-the-street activists; getting our supporters and others ‘passed "LIKE" on FACEBOOK. Looking forward to talking on Tuesday, 22nd of September, hope to see you there.

September 8-26, Whitespace, 12 Crummer Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland
Art exhibition by Bob Kerr: Bob Kerr is New Zealands leading history painter and the subject matter for this exhibition is Tim Armstrong who was jailed in Lyttelton Prison for sedition in WW1. Later in life he was the Labour MP for Christchurch East.

September 19 to October 3

“The Power of Song” New Zealand Tour : The Newcastle People’s Chorus was formed by delegates and friends from Newcastle Unions in 1988. The choir is formed labour movement activists. and supporters and are having a return New Zealand tour with gigs organised in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blackball and Christchurch. Influences on the repertoire include the traditional plus Flying Pickets, Billy Bragg, Pete Seeger. The choir will be performing with local union support acts in:

• Auckland – Sat 19th Sept. at 7pm Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road.
• Palmerston Nth – Wed 23rd Sept. at 7pm, Globe Theatre, 312 Main St.
• Wellington – Frid 25 Sept. at 5.30pm, St John’s Conference Centre – cnr of Dixon & Willis streets.
• Blackball – Wed, 30th Sept. at 7pm, Workers Club.
• Christchurch–Frid.2nd Oct.7pm,KnoxHall, cnr Bealey Ave & Victoria St.

Wednesday, September 23, 5.30pm, AUT City Campus,
Will you join us on the journey to a child labour free world. NZ Work Research Institure seminar.

Thursday, September 24, 7pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby, Auckland

Pax Christi invites you to the inaugural David Wakim Memorial Lecture on Who helped ISIS? How the West contributes to radicalism. Speaker: Joseph Wakim OAM.

Thursday, September 24, 6pm, Room 039, in the Old Arts Building, Princes Street, Auckland.

The National Office of the NZIIA has invited Professor Sahar Amer to visit New Zealand, to provide a perspective on relations between Europe and the Islamic world. This is a very current topic, with the sudden irruption of Syrian refugees into the German-speaking world. Educated in the USA and based in Australia, Professor Amer is an expert in Arabic Studies at the University of Sydney. Her scholarly interests extend to the significance of Muslim women’s head covering. The veil and similar head coverings continue to be a point of difference for the growing Islamic communities in various parts of Europe. Those communities have an increasing influence over domestic policies on international affairs. Professor Amer will be speaking at various cities on both Islands. She will give an address in Auckland on Muslim Women’s Rights in Post-Colonial Europe, which no doubt will include some reference to the vexed topic of veils under French law. The Committee has decided to engender a greater sense of sociability among members of the audience. To that end, those who wish may gather from 5 p.m for a drink beforehand, on a “no-host” basis. The venue will be the foyer bar of the Pullman Hotel, on the corner of Waterloo Quadrant and Princes Street. Look for the Chairman. A drink may provide the opportunity to meet other people

Wednesday, September 30, 6pm, 039, Old Arts Building, Princes Street, Auckland.
Prof Jane Kelsey Speaks on TPPA. The New Zealand Government has proven adept at initiating, negotiating and concluding Trade Agreements, on both a bilateral and a multilateral basis. The Agreement with the Peoples Republic of China is a shining example. Senior Government officials are heavily involved in the current negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Within New Zealand, and in other nations involved in the TPPA negotiations, individual citizens have voiced objections to the TPPA, in its entirety or as to significant parts. Professor Jane Kelsey has established a reputation as an academic, a scholar, an author, a participant, and an activist in the area of Trade Agreements generally, and the TPPA in particular. She has agreed to give an address at 6 p.m. on 30 September 2015, under the aegis of the NZIIA and the International Law Association. To promote sociability among members of the audience, we can gather from 5 p.m. for a drink beforehand, on a “no-host” basis. The venue will be the foyer bar of the Pullman Hotel, on the corner of Waterloo Quadrant and Princes Street.

Saturday, October 3, 2-3pm, Downtown shopping centre, Cnr Queen and Customs Streets, Auckland

Rally for Palestine. Add your presence and make a difference at the only regular public display of support for Palestine in Auckland!
Monthly Rally at Downtown Shopping Centre 2pm to 3pm, 4 July 2015 and every first Saturday of each month

Saturday, October 3, 7pm, Quad 2 lecture theatre, Otago University, Dunedin

Bryan Bruce child poverty talks in Auckland and Dunedin. In 2015 the Quakers have been hosting events around the country with Bryan Bruce speaking on child poverty. Bryan Bruce is the author and maker of documentaries such as Inside Child Poverty and Mind the Gap. He will discuss the growing inequality in NZ society and how it impacts on our children. Bryan Bruce will be talking in both Auckland and Dunedin over August and October.

October 5-10
HAIKU FOR THE HIDDEN HOMELESS
Auckland’s Housing Call to Action group has chosen to highlight the plight of “the hidden homeless” during Spotlight on Housing week from 5 – 10 October 2015 by launching a poetry competition this week.
Spotlight on Housing 2015 Poetry Competition
Write a HAIKU poem based on the Spotlight on Housing 2015 theme “The hidden homeless” and illustrate it with an image.
To enter: Post both the image and the poem onto the Housing Call to Action Facebook page facebook.com/housingcalltoaction
Tag it using the hashtag #thehiddenhomeless and email it with your age and contact details to hiddenhomelessnz
Note: The image must be in JPG format and be less than 500kb file size.
Haiku (俳句 high-koo) are short poems (3 lines long) that use sensory language to capture a feeling or image. They are often inspired by an element of nature, a moment of beauty or a poignant experience. The first and last lines of the poem must have 5 syllables and the middle line must have 7 syllables. Haiku poetry was originally developed by Japanese poets, and the form was adapted to English and other languages by poets in other countries.
Advice on how to write a Haiku poem can be found here: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Haiku-Poem
Categories:
Age 10 and under – 1st prize: $50 Paper Plus voucher
Age 11-16 – 1st prize: $50 Paper Plus voucher
Age 17 up and adult – 1st prize: Dinner for 2 at Tony’s Henderson ($70 voucher for 2x $35 3-course special)
Supreme Prize (1 winner will be judged across all categories) – 2 night’s accommodation in an Auckland Council Regional Park Bach.
The supreme prize has been kindly provided by Auckland Council Regional Parks who care for the wonderful Auckland Regional Parks environment that we all enjoy. These unique holiday baches are available all year around to book at affordable holiday prices – check out the website http://regionalparks.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/bookable-sites/Bach
The competition opens on Monday 21 September and runs until midnight Saturday 10 October 2015 and the judge will be published poet, writer, teacher and retired Family Court Judge John Adams.
The winner will be notified by email. No correspondence will be entered into. All entries remain the property of The Housing Call to Action and may be used for promotional purposes.
Spotlight on Housing week comprises a series of events, activities and competitions with the aim of raising the profile of housing and homelessness as important issues for New Zealand society. Events and activities for Spotlight on Housing week can be found on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/housingcalltoaction and start from 21 September. These include story gathering displays in public libraries around West Auckland where people can anonymously share information about the situation in which they are living and what housing means for them.
The hidden homeless are those people living in cars, in garages, sleep-outs, couch surfing or in overcrowded homes, often with several families sharing a dwelling. Recent census data suggest there could be up to 20,000 people living in these conditions currently in Auckland.
ENDS
Contact:
Lee Hickey, Convenor Housing Call to Action. Ph 0273 438546

Saturday, October 10, 10am-12noon, Garden Room. Grey Lynn Community Centre 510 Richmond Road, Auckland
Auckland Refugee Council Inc. AGM Discussion: ASYLUM SEEKERS; Human Rights Obligations Domestically & Internationally. Speakers: Dame Susan Devoy, Race Relations Commissioner
Amanda Brydon, Advocacy & Government Relations Manager – Amnesty International. For catering purposes, would you please be so kind and RSVP at the following address: arci.refugee

October 12-17
National speaking tour

Tuesday, October 13, 12 noon, Civic Square

Friday, October 16, 1.30-3pm, Carisbrook Primary School Hall, 217 South Rd, Caversham (Come in the main archway gates and veer left to the hall)

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) would like to warmly invite you to attend a Dunedin CPAG talk on: Healthy and affordable housing: local and national issues. This community event is for anyone with an interest in housing and poverty. Come along and learn about the links between poverty, housing, health and fuel, and hear about solutions. Featuring – the beautiful artwork of the children of Carisbrook School on the theme of: ‘What makes a good house?’
Speakers: Fatima McKague – PhD candidate, Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago – "Voices of the fuel poor: the cold truth – Understanding energy hardship in New Zealand"; Nicola Liebergreen
– Assistant Research Fellow, University of Otago – "Out in the cold"; Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull – the Cosy Homes Project. This event is linked with CPAG’s 2015 August campaign, Healthy and Affordable Homes – calling on the government urgently to improve quality of and access to rental accommodation for families. The campaign received a groundswell of public support and strong media coverage.

For more information about the campaign please check out the the admin / 09 302 5260

Friday, October, 16, 6-8.30pm, Sir Paul Reeves Building, AUT University, City Campus
SEMINAR: EFLIDA BAUTISTA OF PEOPLE SEARCH PHILIPPINES
Eflida will be addressing issues relating to disaster relief in the Philippines, in particular associating it with the misdirection of funds provided for relief purposes and corruption at various levels of government. Given the rise in the frequency of such events, almost certainly related to climate change, this is a topic very relevant to civil society groups who are often heavily engaged in relief efforts. Organised by the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Coalition (APHRC). Supported by the Pacific Media Centre

Save the date: Hikoi for homes – 28th November
On Saturday 21st November CPAG will join with grassroots housing and other organisations to hold a Hikoi from Glen Innes to to Britomart as a protest against the terrible housing situation the most vulnerable New Zealanders are facing right now. More details on the Hikoi will be coming soon.

Monday, November 30, to Tuesday, December 1
We’re going through an age of disruption. Everything we considered “normal” for the last 100 years is going through some kind of disruption. From media and journalism, to tertiary education, to the future of jobs as we know it. As progressives, we have a choice, to continue to defend a status quo that isn’t working or challenge ourselves and inspire people with bold new ideas for the future.
Disruptive Discussions are going to be a major theme at Step it Up 2015. Here’s a taster of what and who to expect when you grab your ticket.
On education: Young people today are taking on more and more debt for something that has diminishing value. And they know it. But what are the alternatives to our current Tertiary education system? Luckily we have the brilliant Michelle Dickinson (aka Nanogirl), Rory McCourt (from NZUSA) and Joshua Vial from Enspiral Academy with some challenging ideas.

On the news media: The structural problems with mainstream media and journalism go a lot deeper than just the axing of Campbell Live and Dirty Politics. The industry is going to massive disruption and nobody’s quite sure what the future will look like. But everyone has a piece of the puzzle, so we’re having a special side event called Journathon, that will bring together senior journalists and influences in the industry with our most creative tech entrepreneurs. And the good news is that you get the option of free entry with your Step it Up 2015 ticket.

On the economy: The neoliberal experiment has failed, spectacularly so in the Global Financial Crisis of 2007, and yet it’s core ideas still go unchallenged by the media and political elites. To challenge this bias we need more than grassroots activism, we need our own ideas for a progressive economy. Luckily we have a growing list of forward thinkers like Shamubeel Eaqub, and journalists Max Rashbrooke and Catriona MacLennan to spark that conversation. Watch this space for even more interesting speakers.
Register for Step it Up 2015 now, and join the discussion on the future of progressive ideas for society. (We have a September Special on ticket prices, so get in quick).

To complement these bold ideas, we’ve also got some of the Aotearoa’s best organisers and campaigners who know a thing or two about winning campaigns. Like Amiria Puia-Taylor and Torranice Campel from Otahuhu-Mangere Youth Group, and Qiane Matata-Sipu, Roger Fowler and Jasmine Kovach from the #SaveOurUniqueLandscape (SOUL) campaign. Or if digital is more your thing, we’ve got Shawn Moodie from NZ Human Rights Commission, and Leroy Beckett and Rosalee Jenkin fromGeneration Zero. Plus many many more. Thanks for all that you do, and hope to see you at Step it Up 2015!

Come To Waihopai Spy Base Protest, January 22-24, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reminder: Entries are Open for 2015 Jesson Journalism Awards

Have you got a journalistic project that you want to complete, but can’t get enough money or time to do it? If so, a Bruce Jesson journalism award may be able to help. Applications for the 2015 awards are now open, and close on Friday 18 September. There are two awards, a senior one to fund a planned journalistic project and a journalism student award for work that has already been published. The senior award is unique in New Zealand because it funds time and research costs of up to $4000 in advance for projects that could be newspaper or magazine articles, reports on the internet, books, films, radio or TV documentaries or “any other publication which is aimed at, and accessible by, the general public of New Zealand or any part of New Zealand”.
Projects must be “critical, informed, analytical and creative journalism or writing which will contribute to public debate in New Zealand on an important issue or issues”. Past winners have included Nicky Hager, Max Rashbrooke and Rebecca Macfie for books; Jon Stephenson, Amy Richardson and Peter Malcouronne for magazine articles; Tina McIvor for a research report; and Alister Barry for his 2014 film on New Zealand’s climate change policies, Hot Air. Applicants should submit an outline of their proposed project and explain how it meets the criteria set out on the foundation’s website www.brucejessson.com. It is usual to submit references and/or examples of previous work, and a budget for the project.
The Emerging Journalism Prize for student journalists offers $1000 for “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 work by student journalists published between the closing date of last year’s award, 26 Sept 2014, and this year’s closing date 18 Sept 2015. Entries for both awards will be assessed by members of the Foundation’s Journalism Sub-committee: Geoff Kemp (convenor), Camille Guy, Joe Atkinson and Simon Collins.
Applications and nominations can be submitted online, or mailed to the foundation’s secretary Dr Anita Lacey, c/- Political Studies Department, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (a.lacey). The deadline is 5pm, Friday 18 September 2015.
Contacts: Dr Geoff Kemp, 021 445 721; Camille Guy, 021 299 2995; Dr Joe Atkinson, 021 320 069; Simon Collins, 021 612 423

The Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation Operating In Aotearoa/New Zealand in 2015
Here is the link to the 2015 Roger Award online nomination form
http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/roger-award-2015-form.html You can also download the hard copy nomination form from there.

Campaign Bootcamp NZ – For people between 18 – 30 years – Campaign Bootcamp NZ

Learn how to effect change. Our aim is to empower the next generation of campaigners in New Zealand to accelerate the pace of change. Campaign Bootcamp NZ gets the best campaigners in New Zealand to deliver a one week intensive training to 30 young people from September. The bootcamp will run over six days, and will involve participants learning a complete set of skills to run campaigns, as well as simulating campaigns throughout the course of the training. Follow-up will involve four group follow-up days throughout the year, and a connection with a mentor who will be expected to meet four times with the individual or group to provide support. Additionally, there will be a newsletter for community updates, ongoing support and work opportunities, and if the project is successful, participants will be invited to be trainers and mentors in the subsequent Bootcamps. The boot camp will run over six days. Each day will have a specific focus. For each day we’ll bring in an expert in the relevant field who has been creating change for over a decade.

DVDs Available For Sale Of CAFCA’s 40th Anniversary Speakers

Sam Miller filmed all of CAFCA’s 40th anniversary celebration event, held in Christchurch on May 2. He advises that DVDs are available of the five speakers – myself, Bill Rosenberg, Warren Thomson, Jane Kelsey and Robert Reid. Details of cost and from where to order them are below. Please communicate directly with Sam Miller about this, not with CAFCA. Best wishes, Murray, CAFCA 40th Anniversary speakers’ DVDs available $20 for twin disc 3h 45m set inc postage/packaging and Jewel Case. Individual 2x speakers single DVD’s available for $10 on application. Orders: samuel or 021 147 4019 – payment by Internet Transfer or Cheque.