Archive
Farmers: “get govt off our backs!”
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16 July: Farmers mounted their “Groundswell” protest throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. “Thousands” supposedly participated, driving tractors, utes, vans, trucks and any other wheeled vehicle within reach. Despite being “people of the land”, not many appeared mounted on horse-back, judging by photos;
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The response from other New Zealanders to the farmers’ protest was less than enthusiastic and possibly did more to reinforce the perception of entitlement; refusal to accept reality, and sheer whinging, rather than any real grievance they might have.
As equity manager for 1,000-cow Canterbury dairy farm, Craig Hickman, put it, writing for Stuff media;
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Curiously, despite his criticism, Mr Hickman described the “Goundswell” protest as the “very first successful farmer protest“.
Mr Hickman went on to warn “I don’t know if the Government will take any notice. Maybe it should if Labour wants to return to power unencumbered by a coalition partner” – as if re-election should always be the number one priority for a government?
Where should survival for our civilisation, and future of our species rank, for Mr Hickman?
But Mr Hickman was correct in some respects. The protest certainly attracted it’s fair share of cranks. From the deluded;
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— to the bizarre;
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— to the outright racist;
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It was Open Field Day for the Cranks from both rural and urban communities.
One – spread widely through social media and promoted unwittingly by at least one right-wing blog – was fake;
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The image had been mis-appropriated; re-branded; and used to promote the “Groundswell” event. It was actually an image of a protest from The Netherlands, two years ago.
Unfortunately for those farmers taking part, Nature had other plans in store for us…
17 July: The wildest weather to hit the South Island (and felt throughout the North as well) struck the following day. The storm battered the West Coast; flooding the top of the South Island; states of emergency declared in Marlborough and Buller; Picton, Westport, Tākaka, Collingwood, Murchison, Springs Junction and Nelson were cut off; Spring Creek and Tuamarina townships evacuated; bridges damaged and destroyed, properties flooded.
The Metservice warning was unambiguous;
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… and the rest of the country would not be escaping either;
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The human toll became evident very quickly;
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25 July: It was against this backdrop that, nine days after the farmer protest and eight days after the storm that lashed the country, TVNZ’s Q+A current affairs programme interviewed NIWA’s principal Climate Scientist, Dr Sam Dean,
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Host/Interviewer, Jack Tame prologued the interview with a frightening litany of extreme weather events over the last two months;
- record rainfall and flooding in China;
- a heatwave in Siberia resulting in wildfires;
- record temperature of 34 degrees reached in Finland and Norway near the Arctic circle;
- Antarctica reached a new record – 18 degrees celsius;
- extreme flooding in Germany and Belgium resulting loss of life;
- over a thousand people were killed during a recent heatwave in the United States and smoke pollution from American forest fires on the West Coast sent a smoky haze over New York.,
- And torrential rain causing flooding throughout the South Island here in Aotearoa New Zealand…
Against this back-drop, Jack Tame asked Dr Dean the question to which most* of us already knew the answer to;
“How much of the damage and destruction can we directly attribute to climate change, and should scientists and the media be doing more to link climate disasters with human caused climate change?”
Dr Dean was candid with his answers; climate change was not a “something-in-the-future” for us – the effects were happening very here-and-now;
“…talking about how climate change has altered the world we live in already makes it more real for people.”
Jack Tame pointed out the irony of the farmers’ “Groundswell” protest – followed the next day by a severe weather event likely to be influenced by climate change.
Dr Dean did not mince his words in response referring to the crazy events. He pointed out that we all faced consequence to our actions. He called on farmers to lead or face the consequences of regulations.
“We need to stop burning coal. We need to stop burning oil… New Zealand is importing vast amounts of coal at the moment to generate electricity and we have to stop doing that. We have to stop burning coal and polluting the atmosphere.”
He admitted to being scared as human are doing crazy things ; the rate of change was beyond anything evolution has prepared us for.
Dr Dean referred to humanity facing an existential threat.
He warned that now was the chance to keep temperature increase below 2 degrees – and not just by planting trees. He explicitly stressed the need to reduce emissions.
Otherwise we would be experiencing more severe flooding and sea level rise by fifteen centimetres within twenty years.
He warned that a 2 degrees warming would be significant – using air conditioners to cool us in winter and not much snow. Aotearoa New Zealand, Dr Dean warned, would be a very different place.
He said the extreme temperatures in North America were very scary.
Dr Dean talked plainly. No jargon. Just plain common sense. Especially because – deep in our hearts – we already understood what he was telling us.
In many ways he reminds this blogger of that other well-known scientist and advocate, Dr Siouxsie Wiles.
We are fortunate to have the likes of scientists who share their knowledge, experience, and courage to become the public face of critical problems that confront us. They shed light on issues and problems we ignore at our peril.
Whether it is Dr Wiles cautioning and encouraging us to take covid19 seriously or Dr Dean warning us that climate change is no longer “something in the future” – they are the voices of reason we dare not casually dismiss.
Remember how, only three years ago, the Prime Minister’s chief science adviser Dr Peter Gluckman, mercilessly attacked and debunked the hysteria surrounding meth contamination in housing?
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The full interview with Dr Dean is only fourteen minutes long. It is well worth listening to.
And as Jack Tame and Dr Dean both pointed out, it put the farmers protest – especially over the so-called “ute tax” into perspective.
The hysteria over the “ute tax” was inexplicable considering how little actual impact it would have on farmers and tradespeoples’ pockets.
According to NZTA/Waka Kotahi, the maximum fees for dirty vehicles is set at $5,175 for new imports and $2,875 for used imports. As the NZTA/WK chart shows here;
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However…
Put into context, those fees are not as onerous as rural activists have been led to believe.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the average age of Aotearoa New Zealand’s vehicle fleet is considerable (something many of us already knew);
The average age of New Zealand’s light passenger vehicle fleet has increased from 11.7 years in 2000 to 14.4 years in 2017, which is older than that in the United States (11.6 years for cars and light trucks in 2016), Australia (10.1 years for all vehicles in 2016), Canada (9.3 years for light vehicles in 2014), and Europe (7.4 years for passenger cars in 2014).
The MoT graph is more descriptive;
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So, the average age for a heavy truck in 2019 was 17.8 years. The average age for a light commercial, 12.2 years.
Using some basic arithmetic, we arrive at how much, per week, a farmer or tradie would be spending over 18 years (rounded up) or 12 years (rounded down);
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So, depending on whether the imported vehicle was new or used, or light commercial or heavy truck, the cost per week for a purchaser would be an “astronomical”…
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$3.07 to $8.29 per week
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That is what “Groundswell” participants were protesting about:
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$3.07 to $8.29 per week
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The irony is that these people probably spent ten times that amount on fuel to put their vehicles on the roads to make their protests.
Meanwhile, as Dr Dean was telling us on Q+A, “climate change has altered the world we live in already”. And those effects are felt by none other than… farmers. They are amongst the first in queue pleading for state (ie, taxpayer) assistance when floods, droughts, storms pummel their land;
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Although not all were happy with government help;
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A levy on farmers’ utes would seem to be the least of their worries.
The irony is blindingly obvious. Farming is one of the main emitters (fancy term for polluter) – nearly half – in Aotearoa New Zealand. There is simply no escaping the continuing dumping of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into our atmosphere. The consequences of this pollution is becoming more apparent with each passing week, here and overseas.
And as the situation worsens, it is taxpayers who are expected to stump up with more and more cash to pay for the damage from each calamitous weather event.
The farmers who protested think nothing of the damage caused to our atmosphere by human activities. But they certainly have their hands out, to help pay for that damage to their farms.
They want the government to get out of their lives. Except when it comes time for government to come to their aid. It’s the “communism” that saves their rural backsides every time.
Remember this guy?
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But for how much longer can we afford to keep paying?
Postscript1
This thin blue band is our atmosphere…
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“Earth’s atmosphere is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) thick, but most of it is within 10 miles (16 km) the surface… The troposphere is the layer closest to Earth’s surface. It is 4 to 12 miles (7 to 20 km) thick and contains half of Earth’s atmosphere.” – Tim Sharp, Space.Com
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Postscript2
Climate Summary for June 2021:
New Zealand’s warmest June on record
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Temperature |
It was New Zealand’s warmest June on record, with the nationwide average temperature 2.0°C above average. This is just the 13th occasion since 1909 that a month achieved an anomaly of >1.9˚C relative to the 1981-2010 average. Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) throughout the country. Twenty-four locations observed their warmest June on record. |
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Rainfall |
Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for eastern parts of Northland, inland Bay of Plenty, eastern Waikato, Wairarapa, northern Canterbury, southeastern Otago and western Southland. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for parts of Central Otago, South and Mid Canterbury, Nelson, Tasman, inland Whanganui, Gisborne and eastern Bay of Plenty. |
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Soil Moisture |
At the end of the month, soil moisture levels were lower than normal for inland parts of Otago. Soil moisture levels were higher than normal for eastern parts of Canterbury and Marlborough. Near normal soil moisture levels were typical for the remainder of the country. |
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Rainfall |
Rainfall was well above normal (>149% of normal) or above normal (120-149% of normal) for Northland, western Otago and inland parts of Southland. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for parts of all remaining North Island regions, and much of the northern, eastern and inland areas of the South Island. |
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Temperature |
Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or near average (±0.50°C of average) for most of the country. Above average temperatures were mostly observed in central and northwestern parts of the South Island, and northern, western and southern parts of the North Island. |
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Soil Moisture |
At the end of the month, soil moisture levels were lower than normal for eastern parts of Otago and Canterbury (south of Ashburton). Near normal soil moisture levels were typical for the remainder of the country. |
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* Climate change deniers need go no further. Suitable material here for those who refuse to accept reality.
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References
RNZ: Farmers protest across New Zealand against government regulations
NZ Herald: Opinion – Why farmers protested in NZ towns and cities
Stuff media: This might have been our first successful farmer protest
AAP FactCheck Social Media: Clogged Dutch motorway pic doesn’t show NZ farming protest
RNZ: Wild weather – What you need to know
Twitter: Metservice – storm warning – 10:29 AM · Jul 17, 2021
TVNZ: Q + A with Jack Tame – More needs to be done to reduce effects of climate change – NIWA scientist
Al Jazeera: Finland’s Arctic Lapland area swelters in record heatwave
NIWA: Dr Sam Dean
RNZ: Meth house contamination debunked by PM’s science advisor
NZTA/Waka Kotahi: What discount and fees apply from 2022? – Clean Car Programme 22
Ministry of Transport: Vehicle age – RD025 Average vehicle fleet age (years)
Beehive: Flood damage report 1 Mar 2004
GNS: June 2015 Floods
RNZ: Flood evacuations into the night – 2015
WINZ: Farmers affected by adverse events
IRD: Assistance to farmers affected by floods in the South Canterbury District
Stuff media: Flood-weary farmers want Government to stump up with more cash
NZ Herald: Canterbury flooding – $500,000 in support unlocked for farmers and growers
Beehive: Government commits $4 million additional support for flood-affected Canterbury farmers
NZ Herald: ‘Better off with M.bovis’: Flood-affected farmer relays concerns to Damien O’Connor
Ministry for the Environment: Agriculture emissions and climate change
Space.com: Earth’s Atmosphere – Composition, Climate & Weather
NIWA: Climate Summary for June 2021
Additional
Voxy: Govt commits $600k to flood recovery
NZ Herald: Westport weather – Government to provide relief fund for flood-affected regions
RNZ: Government announces financial aid for flood-hit Coasters, Marlborough
Newshub: Canterbury floods: Farmers hope $4 million Government payment is just the start
Driven: Ten things you need to know about the Clean Car Feebate scheme
Other Blogs
No Right Turn: A howl of ugliness
No Right Turn: The government needs to act on this warning
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Calling time on “leakage”
No Right Turn: Looking for more coal is indefensible
No Right Turn: Climate Change: The solution farmers don’t want us to talk about
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Just predatory delay again
The Jackalman: Some farmers are sick puppies
The Standard: Mother Nature gives Groundswell NZ the middle finger
Previous related blogposts
New Zealand – we’re in the sh*t
Investigation into what is happening in our water
Drinking river water – Tourism NZ puts visitors at risk
As predicted: National abandons climate-change responsibilities
ETS – National continues to fart around
National’s moving goalposts on climate change targets
An Advisory to the West Coast Regional Council
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* FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency (US)
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Or,
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Acknowledgement: Christ Slane
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Have your own thoughts? Leave a comment. (Trolls need not bother.)
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Protestors condemn Russian involvement in atrocities in Aleppo
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Wellington, NZ, 16 December – About three dozen people attended a rapidly organised protest outside the Russian Federation’s sprawling embassy in Messines Rd, Wellington.
The protest was organised by Syrian Solidarity New Zealand and supported by local members of International Socialist Organisation (ISO). The gathering soon doubled in size from a dozen people to around three dozen;
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Various signs gave a simple message, demanding an end to violence, killings, and support for refugees;
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Some made a pointed link between state-sponsored oppression in Syria and in Gaza;
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Behind an iron barricade, the flag of the Russian Federation fluttered from a pole that, a quarter of a century ago, was adorned with it’s Soviet predecessor;
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Flags may change, but super-power imperialism remains a stubborn constant.
Gayaal was the first speaker to address the protestors;
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Gayaal thanked people for attending the protest in front of what he called sovereign Russian territory;
“We have come here to remind Putin and to remind the Russian state that even if Aleppo falls, the Syrian revolution will not not be defeated. The people of Aleppo, who have already sacrificed so much heroically to maintain their freedoms, will never be the same.”
He said,
“We are here to send a message from people in New Zealand to the Russian government and to Putin and to al-Assad that the struggle will continue.”
He said the protest was called to show solidarity with the Syrian people in their darkest time in history. He led the protestors in chants that would have been heard throughout the Embassy buildings;
“Free Free Syria”
“Putin Putin you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide”
“Down Down Assad”
“Blood blood blood on your hands“
The next speaker was “Ani”;
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“We are here because the greatest refugee crisis this generation has ever seen has just got substantially worse… We’ve seen this extreme escalation of what’s happening in Aleppo, people wanting to evacuate but being held up at the same time by Iranian militias.”
Ani sheeted home blame to Russian adventurism,
“We need to be really clear that this is Russian imperialism that’s backing up al-Assad.”
Ani said that the US was “actually very marginal to what was happening in Syria”,
“If we want to talk about the US then we can talk about Iraq or Palestine. And we can certainly draw comparisons between Syria and Palestine. They are a besieged people. They are a people that are being exterminated and that extermination is backed up by an empire. But like the Palestinian people the Syrian people are revolutionary, they are fighting back. So even if Aleppo falls, the revolution will not fall.”
And added,
“We need to stand up with the Syrian people as revolutionaries… we need to stand with the Syrian people who are fighting for their rights.”
Ani said a collection of donations which would be passed on to the “White Helmets”, a community-based organisation in Syria who, under extreme conditions facing constant bombardment and gunfire, helped to dig people from the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Ani was followed by Daniel;
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Daniel accused Russian and Syrian government forces of indiscriminate attacks on civilians;
“As we know, Russia and al-Assad’s forces are known to target humanitarian facilities, hospitals, to bombardments so as to make the lives of the people of Aleppo unbearable. This is the largest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime, and possibly one of the greatest refugee crisis.”
Daniel said that a message should be sent to the New Zealand government;
“Refugees are streaming out of Syria, across the world. The West has a responsibility to open it’s doors to these people, having substantially caused the problems of imperialism that are now affecting these people’s lives. So New Zealand has a role to play to allow these refugees to re-settle and live among us here in peace.”
Daniel led a loud chant,
“Refugees are welcome, racists are not!”
Daniel accused (President) al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies of waging unremitting war against the people of Syria, to crush a popular uprising. He read from a a piece written by US socialist, ;
“They subjected Eastern Alleppo to a siege to starve the people and force them to flee.”
Daniel said that from a population of two million people, there were now only a quarter of that number remaining.
“In the past month, al-Assad’s forces moved in for the kill. Everything from the schools, to hospitals, to homes have been bombed.”
He accused al-Assad’s forces of killing not only so-called “terrorists” but untold numbers of civilians,
“His regime is responsible for the vast majority of the 400,000 of lives lost in the five years of warfare.”
Daniel said that five million refugees had been forced to flee to nearby countries for safety.
He said,
“al-Assad had to take to this kind of barbarism to crush the revolution that began in 2011. It was a popular, pro-democracy uprising. Just as legitimate as the other rebellions against the atrocities throughout the rest of the Middle East and North Africa collectively known as the Arab Spring. Syrians rose up against al-Assad’s dictatorship organising a tide non-sectarian, multi-ethnic demonstrations throughout the country. al-Assad responded to the the uprising by sending his police and military to fire on peaceful protests.”
He said that activists had been hunted down, arrested, and tortured in what he described as “Syria’s vast gulag of prisons”. Gayaal said that the regime’s slogan had been “Either al-Assad or we burn the country”. He said that instead of deterring the revolt, al-Assad’s opponants had been forced to take up arms in self-defence. He said that whole sections of the military had defected to form the Free Syrian Army.
Daniel said that liberated areas of Syria had;
“The popular revolt and armed resistance liberated large areas of the country, where local co-ordination committees and regional local councils were set up to begin to re-elect democratic Syrian society democratically, from below.
Russia, with the aim of protecting itself as an imperial power in the region, deployed it’s air force targeting, not ISIS as it claimed, but Syrian revolutionaries. Indeed, 90% of Russian bombing runs were carried out against targets other than ISIS.”
Daniel pointed to a “bizarre division amongst the Left”,
“Where claiming that everything coming out of the mainstream media, because it’s controlled by the US, must be in the US imperialist’s interest. But instead, the response to this is to parrot Russian propaganda, al-Assad’s propaganda!”
He said that as soon as the rebellion had started, al-Assad had started claiming that the revolutionaries were puppets and funded by US imperialist interests.
Daniel dismissed that claim and insisted the uprising against al-Assad remained a popular cause.
Daniel also called on the government to increase New Zealand’s refugee quota, saying it remained the lowest in the world per head of capita. He said it was apalling that the number of refugees had been 750 for decades. He was disgusted that Australia, with it’s racist policies toward refugees, still accepted more refugees than New Zealand did.
Daniel concluded by saying,
“So we’re here to day to stand in solidarity with the people of Syria, with Aleppo, to call for a stop to the massacre of people of Aleppo, and to allow refugees free movement out of the country.”
The next speaker was “Karam”;
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Karam thanked people for coming to the protest to stand in solidarity with his country. He said that he was not only Syrian, but came from Aleppo;
“That’s Eastern Aleppo, the part that has fallen recently under attacks from the regime.”
Karam said,
“I do believe we are protesting in front of the right place. Although there are so many other places we need to protest in front. It’s Russia that started in September 2015 bombing civilians and bombing moderate opposition [rebels] while claiming to be targeting terrorists. While in fact all they have been doing is supporting Assad to stay in power.”
Karam made the point of differentiating the roles played by imperial super powers in Middle East affairs,
“We might be protesting in front of the American embassy, but not for the Syrian issue. Maybe for the Iraqi issue. But for what’s taking place in Syria, it’s Russia. Solely, basically, the one [Russia] that’s killing civilians and the one that’s supporting a dictator who has been ruling this country for sixteen years, who inherited it from his father, who ruled the country for thirty years!”
He described how Bashir al-Assad had assumed power in Syria, even to the point of the country’s constitution being amended to permit 34 year old al-Assad to become President. The constitution specifically forbade anyone under 40 from assuming that role. That criteria was changed overnight from “40” to “34”. [See also: Bashar Al Assad – Ten years later ]
Karam was derisory of the gangsters ruling his country calling them “dirty thugs”.
“Shomi” from International Socialist Organisation then addressed the protestors;
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Shomi said that the Russian Embassy had blood on their hands and said;
“This popular up-rising was that close to actually over-throwing Assad and it was only with the military backing of Russia that prompted Assad to make a comeback. That’s how close the revolutionaries were to actually succeeding in Syria.”
Shomi described the massacres we were seeing today in Aleppo “as an absolute outrage” and condemned the New Zealand government for it’s inaction;
“Here, in Aotearoa, we need to be quite firm in saying that the New Zealand government, whilst they’re quite happy to talk about this in the United Nations forum, have done absolutely nothing to actually condemn Assad.
I think the New Zealand government has been absolutely atrocious. We need to be putting the pressure on the government here to be increasing, not doubling, but quadrupling the refugee quota, if that’s that it takes. Because they have a played a hand in being silent about the massacre that’s been happening Syria.”
Shomi criticised the Left parties for being silent on Syria, saying;
“Where are the Left parties? We’d like to see more condemnation of what is happening Syria. We need to have a huge anti-war movement globally, to show we stand in solidarity with the people of Syria!”
Shomi read out graffiti that was left on a wall in Aleppo;
“This is graffiti as people were being bombed by Assad, by Russia, and by Iran as well. Here is the graffiti that was left;
‘We will return, Aleppo. Our destroyed buildings are witness of our resistance and you criminality!’
And that is why it is so important that we’re standing here outside the Russian. They are war criminals and they have blood on their hands!”
Shomi concluded with another round of loud anti-Assad, anti-Russian chants.
Phil was the last speaker to address the protest;
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Phil said he was a member of the NZ Labour Party, and said that this demonstration would have “huge support from the public in general”. He said that his daughter had been collecting for UNICEF for Syria and the public had expressed their support for the Syrian peoples’ struggle. He pointed out that more people would have attended the protest, had it not been called at such short notice.
Phil referred to the Arab Spring coming to “some fruition” in five countries in the Middle East and said that it”can’t simply be attributed to terrorists”.
He said it was a “huge lie to describe the opposition to Bashir al-Assad as simply terrorist opposition”.
The protest concluded with loud chants;
“Russia out of Syria!”
Toward the end of the protest, a lone policeman arrived in a police stationwagon to talk with ISO organisers,
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There was a short, amiable conversation with “Ani”, who assured the constable that the protest was peaceful. The constable’s main concern that the driveway remain clear should vehicles passing through the Embassy gates;
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As with previous protests, it was regrettable that the constable was seen to be carrying a weapon – a yellow taser;
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The presence of the policeman was fortunate, as one of the protesters collapsed through sudden ill-health. He assessed the situation, and it was decided that a friend would drive the woman directly to hospital rather than wait for an ambulance.
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Note1: Thanks to Daniel for follow-up information. (Some corrections to factual errors have been made on 20 December 2016)
Note2: Vehicle license plates and the face of one person who declined consent to be photographed, have been obscured.
Note3: Certain names have been changed to protect people from potential repercussions.
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References
Socialist Worker: The counterrevolution crushes Aleppo
Al Arabiya: Bashar Al Assad – Ten years later
Additional
Facebook: Syrian Solidarity New Zealand
Facebook: International Socialist Organisation, NZ
Facebook: Fightback – Aotearoa/NZ
Other Blogs & media
The Wireless: ‘Tomorrow, I am going to leave my homeland’
Green blog: The Atrocity of Syria – What to do?
The Daily Blog: The war machine rolls on while children beg for blankets
Redline: Syria – regime change from above or revolution from below?
Previous related blogposts
Citizens march against TPPA in Wellington: Did Police hide tasers at TPPA march?
Dear Michael Cullen: the GCSB is not International Rescue!
What do Hungary and New Zealand have in common?
Media stories of the Week: ISIS revealed by Middle East expert
Coming soon: A terror alert near you!
Copyright (c) Notice
All images stamped ‘fmacskasy.wordpress.com’ are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
» Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
» Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to the Syrian White Helmets relief org or Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
» At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
» Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 19 December 2016.
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NZ Herald – self censors?
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In a curious twist to the old problem of the media sensationalising some stories, the New Zealand Herald this year took upon itself the decision not to report protests at Waitangi;
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Both images above courtesy of The Daily Blog.
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One has to ask if it is the role of the media to be self-censoring stories of events occurring in this country? If central government issued an edict banning the Herald (or other media) from covering a political protest – the media would be furious. There would be editorials up and down the country, insisting that the media was obligated to report the news, and not hold back because something might may people “uncomfortable”.
If the Herald wanted to place a small protest or scuffle or shouted abuse into context, the item could easily be placed on page 6, as a small “side-bar” news item.That would be appropriate context.
Not reporting the news raises the spectre of self-censorship. But more important – what else is the NZ Herald withholding from the public? What else have editors, managers, Board Directors, etc, decided that we should not see?
Are we children, to be spared the hurt of something that might possibly upset us?!
Interestingly, the Herald had no hesitation in reporting this non-story about the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, at the Waitangi Marae;
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Interesting – there was no scuffle according to the Governor-General. He even tweeted as such earlier in the day,
“My being jostled at Waitangi is news to me. I’m enjoying the scenery, the people and the day so far! Visiting HMNZS Wellington tonight.”
But that did not stop the Herald from using the mis-leading headline,
Waitangi celebrations start with scuffle
Even as the Governor-General was tweeting that it never occurred, it didn’t stop the Herald from quoting Dear Leader, who jumped into the fictional story with undue haste, without first checking the facts;
“Having a few protesters or radicals effectively jostling the Governor-General is undignified, it’s unwarranted and, frankly, outright wrong.
Most people go to Waitangi to have a great time but there are one or two people that go to cause trouble and use the media to advance their own causes and their own issues.”
So there we have it. The Herald is only too happy to publish a story focused on an fictional event that never took place, complete with an utterly misleading headline.
But not so keen to report real events and the background to what is motivating protesters.
A bit of a double standard there, NZ Herald.
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References
NZ Herald: Waitangi celebrations start with scuffle
Waikato Times: PM’s comments called overblown
Twitter: Governor-General NZ @GovGeneralNZ
Previous related blogpost
Dear Leader – shoots from the lip. Again
Other blogs
The Daily Blog: Dear NZ Herald – a protest free newspaper is an abdication of responsibility
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Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part toru)
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Continued from: Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part rua)
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NZ, Wellington, 27 July – The peaceful protest march had arrived at Parliament without incident, and people were in good spirits.
The way that democracy is under threat in New Zealand (see: Defence rates investigative journalists as threat), this protester had a point;
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The numbers swelled on Parliament’s grassy grounds;
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Protest organiser, Ariana, welcomed people and explained why the GCSB Bill (and it’s sister Bill, the Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Amendment Bill) were a threat to our free, open, and democratic way of life in this country;
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A simple appeal from a New Zealander to the government; please don’t spy on me;
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Question – when did we arrive at a state in our affairs when we have to plead for privacy from our own government?
When you think about it, the image below is spot-on. It is more than a little pervy for the State to be spying on it’s citizens and reading all manner of intimate emails, and other electronic communications;
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Young people who wanted their message seen;
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The flags of Mana and The Greens, fluttering in the unseasonably warm July breeze;
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Mick’s telescope, set up to peer up at the Ninth Floor of the Beehive;
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Were there really on “500” people attending, as the media (except TVNZ) claimed? Look for yourself;
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Is that a statue of Lenin holding the red flag?!
And another shot of the rally numbers ;
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That looks a tad more than “500” to me. My guesstimate – between 3,000 to 5,000 people.
Green Party co-Leader addressed the rally. He said that when National MPs sneer at you, remember that they are frightened of you.
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With a wry grin, and semi-seriously, Russell also suggested that everyone submit OIA requests to the GCSB asking how many had attended the rallies around the country. He said it might be fun to tie them up so they could not spy on us.
He finished of by repeating that “we should reject mass surveillance and reject this Bill“.
Billy McKee, from the Green Cross, then addressed the rally, vowing that he would lead an occupation to oppose this Bill;
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Organiser, Ariana, interviewed by a TV1 News team;
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Ploughshares Aotearoa Peace campaigner, Adrian Leason, who along with two other activists, entered the Waihopai spy base and deflated one of the domes, addressed the rally;
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He encouraged concerned citizens everywhere to “disarm the plastic covers on the spybase” and put the facility out of operation. He said the Waihopai base spied on the United Nations, including diplomats and staff.
Adrian told the rally that Warner Bros had requested the GCSB to spy on Kim Dotcom. He said that worrying about the loss of our privacy was only “one piece of the bigger puzzle”.
His address was warmly received by the rally.
Civil liberties campaigner/Tech Liberty co-founder, Thomas Beagle, followed;
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Thomas said that the GCSB bill was about “mass surveillance” and expanding the power of the State,
“It’s about spying on everyone, no matter what they’ve done, no matter what they’re going to do. This sort of mass surveillance changes the balance of power in our society away from the people and towards the state.
I believe in the right to privacy, I believe in the right to sit in my house and call my friends on the phone without the Government listening.
I believe in freedom of expression and freedom of association, for people not being scared into silence because they are being watched by Government spies.”
[Blogger’s note: actual quote taken from msm.]
The next speaker was veteran peace and social justice campaigner, Valerie Morse;
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Valerie read out a long list of legislation that successive governments had passed over the last decade that had, in some way, taken away some aspect of our civil liberties; increased the power of the State; or elevated the primacy of corporate power over our own rights.
She condemned the GCSB’s close links to American spy agencies, saying that we “do not need our every movement logged by the NSA“.
Valerie said that the greatest struggle was to protect our freedoms. She said,
“Enough, we will not take any more. The struggle goes on for a free society.”
It was an amazing turnout for Wellington, Valerie said; “we are winning!”
Following Valerie, CTU President, Helen Kelly addressed the rally;
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Helen said that this government was becoming a bully. She said, “Don’t buy into ‘nothing to fear so have nothing to hide. We all have things we want to hide and keep to ourselves“. That was called privacy, she said.
Helen reminded the rally that this government has been abusing its power by persecuting beneficiaries and has only recently tried to access a journalist’s records in the Peter Dunne case,
“Peter Dunne – who did not want his emails read!”
Following Helen was Rimutaka Labour MP, Chris Hipkins;
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Chris said that there was a fundamental principle that we all have a right to privacy. He criticised Ohariu MP, Peter Dunne as “wrong to sell his vote“.
Chris then announced the following policy statement,
“We will work to have it repealed!”
Chris’s policy pledge echoes that of Labour MP, David Cunliffe, who announced at an anti GCSB Bill public meeting in Auckland on Friday 26 July,
“The Labour Party has a proud tradition of taking on evil and inequitous legislation whether it’s apartheid or nuclear weapons or other things of that nature. Our leader has committed to a thourough review of this legislation and based upon what’ve have heard tonight, I personally, and I’m sure my caucus colleagues, will be of the view that this legislation must not, will not, and cannot stand!”
See previous blogpost: David Cunliffe announces Labour Govt will repeal GCSB Bill!! **Updated**
This is another clear indication that Labour is committed to repealing this damnable piece of legislation, should it lead the next government.
We will hold them to that promise.
In which case, what does it profit National, and it’s smile and wave leader, to pass unpopular legislation, knowing that it will not survive a change of government?
In Kiwi parlance, the Nats are on a hiding to nowhere.
Time to give it up, Mr Key.
Brief vid of Wellington street march
Source: Youtube – Chris Russell
Blogger’s Postscript
Ironically, it is Peter Dunne who will not release his email correspondence between himself and Fairfax journalist, Andrea Vance, insisting on his privacy – or “Parliamentary privilege”, as he calls it.
Dunne insists on maintaining his privacy (whilst voting away ours). When Inquiry head, David Henry, requested Parliamentary Service access to Andrea Vance’s internal office telephone records, he was indignant,
“They went far too far. It’s now clear he didn’t have the authority to do what he claimed to do. The fact that a journalist’s records were sought without her approval is a significant impingement on her rights and freedoms.”
I hope Parliament’s air-conditioning is working properly. The stench of hypocrisy must be over-powering.
Meanwhile, from South Korea, Dear Leader Key responded to Saturday’s nationwide street marches,
“I accept there are some that will always feel a bit nervous about privacy and their own rights, but I can give you the best assurance I can that we’re very careful and cautious about what we do as a state. But in the end we do have to protect the interests in New Zealanders.”
Source: NZ Herald – Protest marches against GCSB bill across NZ
The public though – or at least a considerable majority – do not trust Key as much as he would believe,
A 3News Reid Research poll released on Thursday night asked 1000 voters who they believed – 52 per cent said Dotcom, 34 per cent said John Key, and the rest didn’t know or didn’t care.
Source: MSN News – Kiwis don’t believe Key over Dotcom
If I were Key, I would not be so smug and arrogant as to think that we trust him to “protect the interests in New Zealanders”.
Spying on New Zealanders is not “protecting our interests”. More likely, it suggests how much he fears us.
This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 29 July 2013.
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More images
Facebook: Alastair Foster
Media References
MSN News: Kiwis don’t believe Key over Dotcom
Dominion Post: Thousands join rally against GSCB
NZ herald: Protest marches against GCSB bill across NZ
TV3: Protesters turn out to oppose GCSB bill
TVNZ: Thousands of GCSB Bill protesters hit the streets
Radio NZ: Protests in Auckland, Wellington against security bill
Newstalk ZB: Anti-GCSB feelings growing – Norman
Copyright (c) Notice
All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
- Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
- Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
- At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
- Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part rua)
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Continued from: Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part tahi)
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NZ, Wellington, 27 July – Wellingtonians (and from further afield) met downtown in Cuba Mall, to protest National’s planned GCSB Bill.
Placards ranged from professionally printed;
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– to the artistic and decorative;
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To a simple, single, word;
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Green Party co-leader, Russell Norman, walking in the midst of other marchers,
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This shy young lad, eleven years old, made his own protest placard from scratch, downloading and pasting images from the internet. This was his first protest march;
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A message that should strike anxiety the the fear of god into the hearts of politicians; losing votes when they piss people off;
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Who says that young people aren’t interested in politics or political issues any more?
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More young folk, with a very wise message to our elected representatives, Alex with his home-made placard;
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Alex and his hastily-crafted placard
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At the intersection of Lambton Quay, Bowen St, and Whitmore St, one of the protest march organisers, Ariana (with loud-hailer), led an impromptu sit-down;
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Valerie, taking pics of the event;
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After about five or ten minutes, as the march was moving again to the gates of Parliament, this lone chap decided to yell out “retards” and other expletives at the protesters. His name is Eddie;
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Eddie
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I went up to Eddie and asked his why he called the protesters “retards”.
Eddie was upset that buses had stopped moving up Lambton Quay and he was worried that the chicken he had bought at the supermarket would develop salmonella. He said the protesters should be marching along the footpath and not the road. I asked Eddie how 3,000 to 5,000 people could fit onto a footpath.
He had no response. He said the protest should have taken place when people weren’t at work. I suggested to him that a protest march of this size would be less of a nuisance to traffic on a Saturday afternoon than had been held during the week. I then asked him if he knew what the issues surrounding the GCSB Bill were, and that maybe it was important enough to warrant a temporary, minor inconvenience.
At first Eddie denied knowing anything about the issue. When asked again, he admitted knowing that the GCSB’s powers were to be expanded “to spy on us all”.
When I asked him if that was an important issue of public concern he muttered something and walked off.
I hope he enjoys his chicken.
Meanwhile, those with more pressing issues on their minds had reached the entrance to Parliament – only to find that the main gate had been locked. Only two side-gates, which were barely wide enough to allow passage for one or two people at a time, were open.
Undeterred, those who were fit, young, and with enthusiastic energy went over the gates as well as around;
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Not quite the storming of the Bastille – but their hearts were in the right place;
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A note to the smart-arse news-editors on TV3 who quipped that protesters climbed over the main gate “even though there was another gate open right next to them” – mis-representing an event does not inspire confidence in your ability to be accurate and fair in your reporting.
Try getting 3,000-plus people through a small gap in any meaningful period of time. The entrance-way in question is to the right of the main gate in the image below;
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Very disappointing that TV3 chose to make such a cheap shot.
As people squeezed through the side entrances, others continued to climb the barrier. The symbolism was obvious;
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This young woman – with the sign “We are NZ!!! Not USA!” – climbed the gate and grinned with satisfaction;
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Once through (or over) the gates, New Zealand citizens made their way up the road through Parliament grounds;
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More people arrived. In this shot, you can clearly see the bottleneck at the front gates;
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Parliament’s grounds were once again in the possession of the People.
To be continued: Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part toru)
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Copyright (c) Notice
All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
- Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
- Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
- At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
- Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part tahi)
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NZ, Wellington, 27 July – Between 3,000 to 5,000 people (not the “500” estimated by the Dominion Post, NZ Herald, and TV3) took part in a march in Wellington on a bright, warm Saturday afternoon.
People assembled in Cuba Mall near the Bucket fountain, and when we arrived there were already at least a thousand people in attendence.
This shot looks south; the crowd extends all the way to the Cuba Mall/Ghuznee Street intersection;
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Cuba Mall – looking south
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The rest of the crowd, looking northward, from my same vantage point (on the Bucket Fountain’s wall);
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Cuba Mall was effectively packed with people who had joined the protest march. Only TV1 got the numbers right (see: Thousands of GCSB Bill protesters hit the streets)
There were people from all walks of life; all ages; all races; all demographics. Families like this one;
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L-R: Rebecca, Karl, Charley, and Alida
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I was reliably informed that Rebecca’s tongue-poking was directed at Dear Leader, and not at myself. But one cannot be 100% certain…
Many of the signs carried messages on both sides, like Mick’s;
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People’s messages were often witty and well thought out;
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Dillon and Tanya
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Other’s got straight to the point – stop stealing our human right to privacy;
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Paul and Bev from the Ohariu electorate both expressed their disgust at Peter Dunne’s behaviour. Neither would be voting for him again, they both said;
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Their signs had messages on both sides as well – typical ingenuity from New Zealander’s famed “no 8 fencing wire” can-do attitude;
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Dunne must be either brave or foolish to be alienating his voters in this fashion.
Shortly after we arrived, the march took off, headed to Parliament. By this time, numbers had swelled and more people would join as the march moved along Wellington’s streets;
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Politicians should take note – the protesters weren’t just radicals, activists, and suchlike – these were ordinary New Zealanders who rarely take to the streets.
What some placards lacked in political rhetoric and ideology, they more than made up in straight Kiwi talk;
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And some folk have just had a gutsful of this increasingly autocratic government and want a chance to change things at the ballot box;
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Many of the placards were obviously home-made, by ordinary citizens. Not exactly the “rent a mob” that Key and other Tories have claimed in the past, whenever they dismiss protest movements;
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And some were downright creative in their style and message;
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Home-made or pre-printed, the messages were crystal clear; people do not want the GCSB spying on us;
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And some were pretty ‘earthy’ in their wording – but I think most fair minded folk can empathise with the passion behind the message;
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More creativity;
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Even businesspeople like Helen and Chelfyn were out on the street to protest. They found a simple, but novel way to spoof the threat of many eyes watching us,
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To be continued: Wellington protests against the Surveillance State (part rua)
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Copyright (c) Notice
All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
- Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
- Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
- At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
- Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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Horizon Polling on Criminalising sea-going protests – Part Rua
Continued from: Horizon Polling on Criminalising sea-going protests
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Note: this header-image above was not partof the Polling Questionnaire in any way, shape, or form. Are you paying attention, Slater? Step awaaaaay from the computer terminal…
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The results for the Horizon Research Poll*, on criminalising sea-protests via the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Amendment Bill;
79% want sea protest law change reviewed or stopped
16 Apr 13
Credit: Element Magazine
Surveys finds New Zealanders uncomfortable with sea protest law changeOverall 79% of New Zealanders, regardless of their political alignment, believe a bill restricting rights to protest at sea should now go back to a Parliamentary Select Committee for more thorough scrutiny and public submissions or be dropped.
The Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Amendment Bill is due to go through its third and final reading at Parliament today (April 16).
The Horizon Research survey of 1,308 New Zealanders aged 18+, between 12:26 pm on 13 April 2013 and 10:30am on 15 April 2013, finds:
- Overall, 51.4% oppose a proposed new law which would make some currently lawful protest activities against petroleum and minerals activities at sea unlawful
- Support for the law change is 30.5% while the remainder are neutral or undecided.
The changes were introduced to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Amendment Bill 2012 in Supplementary Order Paper No 205 (SOP No 205). The proposals contained in SOP No. 205 were first outlined in a media release on 31 March 2013 and the Supplementary Order Paper itself was released on 2 April 2013 by Hon Simon Bridges – Minister of Energy and Resources.
Meeting as a Committee of the Whole on April 11, the changes won support by 61 votes to 59 in the Parliament. The bill is now set down for its final reading on Parliament’s next sitting day, Tuesday April 16, 2013.
The Horizon survey finds
- 49% of respondents were not aware and 51% were aware of the proposed law changes before doing the survey
- Overall, 60% think the law change process has been undertaken too quickly, and
- 52.3% believe the bill should be sent back to the Select Committee. A majority of those who support parties who voted for the change think that the bill should be sent back to the Select Committee
- Overall, 79% support either sending the bill back to the Select Committee or withdrawing it entirely.
The National, Act and United Future parties voted for the SOP in the House on April 12, Labour, Green, Maori and Mana parties against.
Q7. Thinking about the proposed law change, which of the following actions would you support? TOTAL
Supporters of:
Parties who voted for the SOP
Parties who voted against the SOP
The bill should become law immediately 20.1%
37.1%
6.0%
The bill should be sent back to select committee for more thorough scrutiny and public submissions 52.3%
51.6%
52.2%
The bill should be withdrawn and not passed into law 29.7%
13.5%
42.2%
Something else should happen 7.3%
2.0%
7.4%
Support and opposition to the changes proposed to the bill are strongly aligned to support for political parties. Support comes primarily from those who support the parties that voted for the changes; opposition largely from those who support the parties who voted against the changes.
Overall, however, a majority of respondents, regardless of their political alignment, believe the bill should now go back to the Select Committee for more thorough scrutiny and public submissions.
There is general acknowledgement that many important environmental protection initiatives arose from protests at sea, including the moratorium on commercial whaling, the bans on dumping nuclear waste at sea and on using of driftnets, New Zealand’s nuclear free status and the end of French atmospheric nuclear tests in the Pacific. While that acknowledgement is stronger among the opposition, a majority of supporters of the change feel that way as well.
Opinion on the harshness or otherwise of the change and associated penalties is again politically aligned.
There is also an indication that more discussion and better information about the change may lead to people being less neutral about it. While support remained a minority overall, respondents were a little more supportive at the end of the survey that at the beginning. Similarly, more opposed the change at the end of the survey than at the beginning.
A Horizon Research report on the survey can be downloaded here.
* Reprinted in full from Horizon email-out to respondents.
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References
NZ Herald: Protester law avoids public submissions and Bill of Rights vetting (3 April 2013)
Previous related blogpost
To be followed up at The Daily Blog
See upcoming blogpost: National’s disdain for democracy and dissent
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Horizon Polling on Criminalising sea-going protests
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Note: this header-image above was not partof the Polling Questionnaire in any way, shape, or form. Are you paying attention, Slater? Step awaaaaay from the computer terminal…
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As the proposed amendment to the Crown Minerals Bill – which will criminalise sea-going protests – nears enactment, Horizon Research this week conducted a brief poll on the issue.
The questions – and this blogger’s answers – were as follows…
Firstly, Horizon Research presented a summary of facts which was reasonably impartial and gave the respondent a fairly clear idea as to the issues,
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The first two questions were fairly straight forward, and I gave my answer as “Strongly Opposed” to the proposed law changes.
For me, the amendments to the Crown Minerals bill can be summed up as,
- procedurally flawed, as National ministers make no allowance for public submissions so that people can air their views,
- undemocractic in the extreme,
- draconian in content, and more reminiscent of Putin-era Russia, than a liberal democracy,
- hastily-enacted, making laws that are inevitably flawed.
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Horizon then asked me to explain why I opposed the proposed legislative amendment. (Bad mistake – I’m not shy in expressing my views)
Thankfully there was no word limit in the field. I responded accordingly,
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The next question was fairly complex, with multiple options for answers. I had to pick each option carefully,
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The following question was easy to answer,
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The next question was a follow-up with a request to explain my previous response,
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This one was obvious,
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Also a straight forward question,
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And this question really allowed me to ‘let rip’ with my thoughts on this issue,
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An incoming Labour-Green government will have a full legislative agenda, repealing many of National’s undemocratic laws. As with the “Hobbit Law” (which Labour has pledged to repeal – see: Labour vows to repeal Hobbit Law), there are many pieces of legislation which have no place in a liberal democracy, and should be binned as soon as Labour Ministers are sworn into office.
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It would be interesting to learn who the client (if any) was for this poll.
Continuede at: Horizon Polling on Criminalising sea-going protests – Part Rua
Addendum
In what has been one of the fastest pieces of law-making in New Zealand’s history, the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament at 4.30pm today (16 April) by 61 votes to 59. Next step; the Bill will proceed to the Governor General for assent and become law.
This ain’t democracy, folks. This is government-by-decree.
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References
NZ Herald: Protester law avoids public submissions and Bill of Rights vetting (3 April 2013)
Previous related blogpost
To be followed up at The Daily Blog
See upcoming blogpost: National’s disdain for democracy and dissent
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5 October: Protest against Govt harrassment of the unemployed and solo-mums
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NZ, Wellington, 5 October 2012 – Today marked a National Day Of Action Against Welfare “Reforms” around the country against National’s ongoing harassment and demonisation of unemployed, solo-mothers (but never solo-dads), and others receiving welfare assistance.
Dunedin: ODT – 150 protest welfare reforms in Dunedin
Christchurch: The Press – Protesters angry at benefit moves
Auckland: NZ Herald – Welfare protestors march on MP’s office
Hamilton: Waikato Times – Solutions sought to poverty
Wellington: Dominion Post – nil coverage
Radio NZ: Welfare reform protests held throughout country
The protest in Wellington was held outside the WINZ offices in Upper Willis St, on a cold, blustery day, and was attended by around 100 people,
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The protest was joined by members of the CTU, who had been at a Conference, nearby,
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The crowd swelled from around thirty, up to about 100,
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Radio NZ and TV1 media were present to cover the event, and several folk were interviewed by the RNZ journalist (not in picture),
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Heleyni and Michelle, voluntary advocate-at-large, addressed the gathering. Michelle had come from Napier on business, and had been keen to join the picket in support of beneficiaries.
Michelle was particularly scathing about National singling out welfare recipients with demands to undertake various “social obligations”,
“They should be reaching out to every parent. If they [National] want to interfere in our lives it should be across the board and be fair about it. So I’m here to support any beneficiary that’s having a headache with this department. But it’s the politicians that need to get a clear message in their heads.”
Bennett has never answered a simple question; if social obligations (such as compulsory early childhood education; school participation; enrollment at a doctor’s clinic) is such an excellent idea for beneficiaries – why has this policy not been rolled out for all New Zealand families? Why not have compulsion for everyone?
The answer, I submit, is fairly obvious.
Michelle said that she had kept Jenny Shipley’s “Code of Social Responsibility” booklet that National had mailed out to every household in the country in 1998. Michelle drew parallels with that taxpayer funded exercise to smear welfare recipients as the cause of society’s social problems – with current policies to achieve similar ends.
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“On a current case that I’m advocating for in my home town, is a young guy who was the top apprentice in the course; was working; his boss laid him off, and it’s taken 13 weeks to get his unemployment benefit on. In the meantime he’s had no money; he’s absolutely depressed , he did all that training, he did everything right, and he ended up in the dole queue where he’d never been before actually.
And he is absolutely distraught because there are not enough jobs, let alone qualified ones around.
It’s jobs that the government need to be held to account to create. That’s the problem. It’s not about fault with WINZ. I did eleven years on DPB, worked part time, took me that bloody long to get of my benefit . I trained my way out of it and I’m really lucky now that I never have to go back to it. Who’s to say that one day I might not have to though. And that’s why our government needs to hear that we need the safety net and we need to have everybody treated with respect.“
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Michelle
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David shared his experiences with WINZ, with this blogger. His WINZ caseworker suggested that his mental disability was not a true disability, even though he “had been in and out of the mental health system since the age of 13”. He had been hospitalised four times for overdoses, and has self-harmed.
David showed me the angry-red scars on his wrists.
He described how the mental health system had let him down, and his subsequent contact with police and the justice system. (Unfortunately, David’s story is not that uncommon. See: Radio NZ – Suicides amongst mental health callouts – police )
David said he was worried about being taken off his invalid’s benefit and not having his mental condition taken seriously,
” Basically, because I was able to bike down to the WINZ appointment, my mental health is not that severe…
She saw me on one of my good days. She said because I’d been job hunting; because I do one paper a semester at University; which actually is part of my care-package to keep me going, and keep me engaged, instead of stagnating, then she looked at those two things and how I presented and wrote it all of.”
He added,
“They are looking at taking me of my invalid’s benefit.”
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David
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This gentleman arrived at the protest well prepared. He carried ‘urine’ samples to present to WINZ,
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If the contant tooting of passing traffic car horns was anything to go by, there was strong support from the public for the protestors. Perhaps the public are starting to weary of constant job redundancies, rising unemployment, lack of movement on job creation – and in the meantime, National blaming beneficiaries for poor economic performance and indicators.
A government can fool people for only so long…
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Green MP, Jan Logie, addressed the protest and cited National ‘s failure to create the jobs that unemployed needed to get of benefits,
“Kia Ora katou, I’m Jan Logie, I’m the Green Party spokesperson for income support. And I’ve gotta say it’s great to see the crowd out today, people who are in paid work, and those of you who are brave enough not to be in paid work and be out here today, because I know [wind noise].
I’m here because the Green Party believes in a society that we can all participate in. And this government is creating a society that is actively excluding many of our most important people; our parents, our thinkers, our artists, the soul of our society, which is you and every other person accepting income support. I’ve been on income support, most people in this country have been on income support at some stage in their life. And this government which is in deep denial, is creating a perception that it is only slackers and losers who are in need of any government support. Well, shame on them! [car honking background noise]
The chances are, the way they’re setting up the world, they’re going to have enough money to be able support their families for generations. Because they’re creating a divided country where the rich are getting so much wealthier and everyone else is just being bloody well left out. And that’s not a country I was brought up to believe I was part off. That’s a country that I looked at overseas and thought, ‘you poor people, to have a government that treats people and excludes people like that’. That is not the country I know, and that’s not a country I want to be part of.
So I’m so glad that this is a start of a fightback, a start of a fightback for a society we can all be part of. Kia ora katou.”
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This woman had her own story to share with the crowd,
“Due to circumstance in our lives – I’m partnered – we had to ask for benefits. Just for two months as it turned out, my partner go a job. But when I came to ask for benefits, we asked not for a free hand out, but for a loan . A loan of $200 to buy our brand new baby clothes. You know what I was told? – “No”.
D’you know why? Because they said my baby wasn’t born yet and just in case something happens, that … what would the loan be for? [wind noise] They did not give me the loan. So this is the kind of system that is systematically telling us that our children aren’t worth anything, our lives are not worth anything. Anything can happen to you and fundamentally “we do not care”.
So this is what I’m standing against. I’m standing for human rights and against people who say “you don’t matter”, “your unborn child does not matter”… I’m standing against that; my child matters [car & wind noise] So thanks very much for nothing, Mr John Key.”
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Solo-mum and Parliamentarian, Jan Logie (green scarf). The contrast between Ms Logie and Welfare Minister Paula Bennett is stark.
Considering Bennett’s own background as an ex welfare beneficiary, when will she stand with the unemployed, powerless, and dispossessed, on protest lines like these?
Bennett enjoyed full access to state social services; DPB, free tertiary education paid with the Training Incentive Allowance (which Bennett closed down), and even bought a house using WINZ assistance.
The people here today simply want what Bennett received, to get out of the poverty trap as she did,
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Others had the opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts on issues surrounding beneficiary-bashing, lack of jobs, and Paula Bennett’s behaviour,
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This protestor knew precisely where to sheet home responsibility for ongoing economic problems,
“There’s a lot of talk right now about debt and financial burden… This is actually scapegoating. The bulk of debt in this country is private debt, it’s not government debt…. By attacking beneficiaries, the poorest people, it’s a way of actually making people insecure and making people blame those who aren’t causing this problem. The people who are causing this problem are capitalists and banks. .. and we should not blame beneficiaries for causing this problem.”
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A petition was passed around. It made a simple request,
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This woman demanded to know how she could meet Bennett’s “obligations” to find work when employers preferred to hire able-bodied people rather than someone with a disability.
She said she couldn’t even speak to some at WINZ’s reception, at eye-level, because her line of sight was blocked by the reception-counter,
“I’ve been to this WINZ office.And I went up to the Counter. And unfortunately it was the Counter I saw. Because it is so inaccessible. I couldn’t see the staff – I could see the counter. I think it is disgraceful that Work and Income is so inaccessible … and that is discrimination. Do they not deal with disabled people? Perhaps some disabled people might be on a, I don’t know, an in-valid benefit. Perhaps they might be on a sickness benefit. Perhaps they might be receiving super. I don’t know… there may be the occassional disabled person coming to work at Work & Income And yet, it is inaccessible!”
She added,
“Social responsibility does go both ways. And this government must must get it’s act together.”
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Protestors enjoyed a moment of spontaneous entertainment and humour when a streaker from the nearby university hostel, ‘Ustay’, ran across the street; back again; through the protestors; and back into the hostel-building.
He had guts (and lots of skin). The wind that blew up and down the street was bitterly cold.
Unfortunately, he was too quick to catch on-camera (his streaking was suitable for the Olympic 100m dash), but the reaction from the crowd is plain to see,
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This particular sign perhaps says it all; whilst National demands that unemployed, solo-mums, etc meet certain “obligations” – where is National’s obligation to create the 170,000 new jobs they promised us during last year’s general elections?
Are obligations a one-way street?
Has National abrogated it’s obligations, and thrust responsibility for their job-creation policy-failures, onto the unemployed?
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And finally, this shot of WINZ’s interior says a lot. It is emptly, save for the security guard lucky enough to have a job,
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The reason that unemployed are not queuing up at WINZ offices is mind-numbingly simple; there are no jobs to be had at WINZ.
Instead, the unemployed, solo-mums, and other beneficiaries queue where the jobs are,
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See: Employment-Unemployment Fact Sheet #1: Queues for Vacancies
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Addendum 1
More images of the Protest action here.
Addendum 2
Right wing blogger; ex ACT candidate; critic of solo-mothers; and self-proclaimed “expert” on New Zealand’s welfare system, Lindsay Mitchell, had this to to write about today’s day-of-action,
” WELFARE REFORM PROTESTS ALARM BENEFICIARIES
Friday, October 5, 2012
The language protesters are using to describe ongoing welfare reforms is unnecessarily frightening people on benefits, according to welfare commentator Lindsay Mitchell.
“Welfare reforms are being described as ‘cruel’, ‘punitive’, ‘brutal’, ‘vicious’ and ‘violent’ prompting beneficiaries to fear the worst – that they will lose their income. “
See: Welfare reform protests alarm beneficiaries
Mitchell did not name the mysterious people being “unnecessarily frightened”. Of course not. Mitchell does not move in circles where she would come into contact with the unemployed, solo-mums, and other such “riff-raff”.
She was merely interviewing her own keyboard. Making it up.
Mitchell went on to write,
” The reforms are focussed on getting more people into work and on creating better outcomes for children.”
Mitchell is deluding herself. The reforms are not “ focussed on getting more people into work“. The “reforms” will not create one single job. That is not the purpose of said “reforms” – which she well knows.
The actual purpose is to push people of welfare and make unemployment stats look better for National.
National has no policy on job creation and has stated on numerous occassions that it believes that only the private sector can create jobs – not government,
“Nothing creates jobs and boosts incomes better than business growth. For New Zealand to build a more productive and competitive economy, we need more innovative companies out there selling their products on the world stage.” – John Key, 24 August 2012
Now in her dotage, Mitchell is little more than an apologist for National’s nasty beneficiary-bashing agenda. Her views on social welfare are stated with crystal clarity on her blog,
” This blog intends to debunk the myths surrounding the welfare state. The government is not caring and compassionate. It cannot replace families and community. The welfare state is unsustainable economically, socially and morally. “
Yeah, far better to let people sleep in alleyways and die in gutters. If it’s good enough for the slum-dwellers of Mumbai and Soweto…
Interestingly, the one response she had on her blogpost was an Invalid Beneficiary who was unashamedly honest in demolishing Mitchell’s bullshit.
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*
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Other blogs
Leftwing
The Standard: National Day of action against Bennett’s welfare reforms
Rightwing
Lindsay Mitchell: Welfare reform protests alarm beneficiaries
Copyright (c) Notice
All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
- Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
- Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
- For non-commercial use, images may be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals.
- Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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= fs =
These people are HEROES!!!
In every society and in every age, there is a minority of human beings who reject injustice and put themselves on the line to make a point,
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These people are heroes. Every one of them. They make a stand where others sit idly by, accepting without a second thought, the actions of an increasingly desperate and hopeless government.
What National has failed to understand is that if you push people hard enough, they will eventually push back. Demonising a group of people will eventually result in anger, frustration, and will boil over into a reaction.
New Zealanders take stock of what you are seeing; these people are protesting because they want jobs. And they are protesting because they resent being blamed for a stagnant economy and high unemployment they had no hand in making.
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Those New Zealanders who side with National on this issue should realise that they too, may one day find themselves out of a job.
It is a shameful thing that we are witnessing here; young people having to protest at a lack of jobs – and having to protest against a government that is effectively waging an undeclared war on the unemployed.
Is this what John Key had in mind for his “Bright New Future”?
Good lord, what is happening to this country?
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= fs =
February 7 (Part Toru)
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Continued from February 7 (Part Rua).
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With the main Party speakers finished, others from the rally had an opportunity to make their views known. It was open, transparent and democratic (take note, National Government),
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Madd Hatter spoke of the danger to the environment caused by fracking – including contamination of underground water-tables which has caused extensive pollution in the United States,
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And the thing is? She’s 100% right. Fracking uses toxic chemicals which contaminates water tables – water which people use for drinking, cooking, feeding to farm stock, etc. Doesn’t it strike governments as somewhat daft that we’re poisoning ourselves?
Hell, why not just cut out the middle-men (oil drilling companies) and issue every citizen with a litre of disulphides, benzene, xylenes, methane, and naphthalene to drink?
Meanwhile, the crowd listened, continuing to hold signs that expressed our collective disgust at what this shabby government was intending to foist upon us,
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And the media continued to record the event,
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The protest continued, making their point peacefully,
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A sentiment 99% of us would whole-heartedly agree with,
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Mana’s flag flew proudly in the chill breeze,
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The red and black Tino Rangatiratanga flag flew proudly as well. This flag is quickly becoming the de facto syymbol for the poor, the dis-possesed, and the alienated in our society. It is the flag of resistance that corporate interests and their political cronies do not want to see,
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Dawn Shapira came from Huntly specifically to join the Rally. She rode all the way on the back of a motorbike – and says that she felt it. (Her return trip will be done in better comfort, in a bus.) That’s dedication. That’s committment. And 80% of New Zealanders share her anger at John Key’s planned asset sales,
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(L) Dawn Shapira and (R) Tania Tewiata
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Finally, the most important folk at this protest were not the politicians; nor the media; nor the organisers. Instead, the VIPs were the children – they are the ones who will inherit the society that we build (or sell off) for them. Will we leave them a mess, or success?
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***
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Media reporting
- Radio NZ reported 30 to 40 people in their audio report, but increasing the number to 60 on their website. This is a somewhat conservative estimate, and I put the number somewhere around 100 to 150.
- TV3’s news item, though, was deplorable – with Dunan Garner referring to the protest rally as “rent a mob”. This description was not only offensive to those folk who attended – but contrasted sharply with a later news story on another protest rally in Kapiti, which was more respectful. The Kapiti protesters were not referred to as “rent a mob”. Not very professional, TV3. Lift your game, please.
Copyright (c) Notice
All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,
- Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
- Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Russell School Breakfast Club is requested.
- For non-commercial use, images may be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals.
- Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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February 7 (Part Rua)
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Continued from February 7 (Part Tahi).
A security guard from a private security firm had attempted to stop me from photographing the protest rally from a vantage point that was near other media personnel. I explained I was a blogger; was merely taking photos to record the event; and that I had a right to be standing where I was.
The guard refused to step out of my way, and blocked me from the rally. I became vocal, and insisted that he step out of my way; let me do my job; and then I would return to the crowd.
The media took an immediate interest in what seemed to be an escalating fracas, and started filming us.
At that point, the security guard’s superviser intervened. He demanded I leave. I insisted on my right to stand peacefully in a spot shared by other media. I gestured at the cameras pointed at us and reiterated; “let me take my photos, and I will leave peacefully. You do not want to make a ‘scene’ in front of all these cameras“.
Some in the crowd began shouting, “Leave him alone!” and “Let him take his photos!”
Obviously I was not carrying weapons of mass destruction (or even light destruction)(maybe an unbent paper-clip in my pocket), and he agreed to allow me to proceed. I thanked him, and the security guard (who was only doing his job).
It seems a sign of the times that here in New Zealand, a small crowd of (mostly) middle-aged protestors required the presence of security guards; barriers; and half a dozen police to contain the situation.
What are our elected representatives so afraid of?
With the situation de-fused, the media returned their attention to the actual protest rally,
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Some of the signs held aloft by ordinary folk who have no desire to see our public assets sold off. This one has an “air of truth” about it,
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Possibly because it reminds me of this, from the late 1990s,
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The Promise of cheaper power...
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Back to the rally, and one of our best known activists and expert on our energy industry, attended the protest,
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Molly Melhuish, Energy Campaigner
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This gentleman insisted he was not a member or supporter of NZ First – but still shared the sentiment expressed on the placard,
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This photo, to me, speaks volumes. These two elderly gentlemen represent an age from when New Zealanders worked hard to build the state assets which we now enjoy. It must grieve them to see their foolish children auction them off, so casually, without considering the true worth of what is being given away.
To me, it feels akin to a betrayal of what our parents and grandparents left us,
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Amazing isn’t it – that ordinary kiwis understand the true ramifications of asset sales. Our elected representatives (or rather, some of them) seem to take us for fools. But we understand economic realities only too well,
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This image alone, should wipe the smirk of John Key’s face. Contrary to his little “teapot chat” with John Banks, elderly voters are not “dying off”. In fact, I think they’ve postponed any impending “coach-tour to the Pearly Gates”, so as to vote in 2014. They have a “date” with the ballot box in three years hence, and have no intention on missing it.
Take note, Mr Key; you are annoying the voters,
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Perhaps one of the guttsiest people at the rally had to be ” Madd Hatter “, who convened the Rally. Make no mistake about the weather – it was wet and cold. Yet, covered in “oil” (a mixture of mollasses and other stuff ) she braved the Wellington weather to make a point about fracking and deep-sea oil drilling of our coastline.
With the cost of the ‘Rena‘ clean-up now estimated at $130 million, it seems that some of our elected representatives are still entertaining lunatic notions that could result in the polluting of our underground water-table (“fracking“) or endanger our coastline with deep-sea drilling. (See previous blog-piece here, on this issue.)
Cheers, “Madd Hatter” – you deserve to be in Parliament. (And I say that in a nice way.)
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"Madd Hatter"
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And addressing the rally,
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Jonathan then advised us that various Party leaders would address the Rally,
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From the Labour Party, Charles Chauvel (L) and Deputy Leader, Grant Robertson (R). Note the media-scrum around them, and successive Parliamentary speakers,
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Green Party co-leader, Russell Norman. For some unfathomable reason, Norman attracted derisory calls from one (possibly two?) individuals in the crowd. Like, who can possibly dislike the Greens? (As our mums kept reminding us; Greens are good for us! Very wise, our mums!)
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Hone Harawira recieved the loudest applause – and not without good reason. Leaving the Maori Party – that is now so closely wedded to National – has cemented his credentials as an opponant of Right Wing ideology. In these times of myriad shades of gray and ambiguity, I think it fair to say that we know where Hone stands,
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When it came Winston Peter’s turn to speak, there was a briref, two-minute vocal exchange between him And Jonathan Elliott. Regardless of who was in the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, we need to remember that the media will report on such ‘exchanges’ rather than the full message of the protest rally,
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Sometimes, we just need to bite our collective tongues, and on message. Otherwise, certain folk on the Ninth Floor will simply rub their hands with glee at our dis-unity. When Peters spoke, it was… vintage Winston,
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(Damn, I wish I had his hair.)
Following the main political speakers, came Katherine Raue, from Transparency nz. It is unfortunate that as Katherine took the microphone, the media pack melted away,
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Despite losing the interest of the media (who can be seen in the background, interviewing one of the politicians – Winston Peters, I believe), Katherine spoke eloquently on John Key’s broken promises – especially the impact broken promises has had on the families of the Pike River miner’s families.
Katherine made a strong, impassioned plea for Key to honour his promises to recover the bodies of the 29 dead miners. As we can all recall, John Key was highly prominent on the West Coast soon after the disaster. He made reassuring noises, promises, and committments – saying all the things that the dead miners’ families wanted to hear.
None of which came to pass.
In case anyone thinks that this protest-rally was “side lined by irrelevent issues” – think again. The committments that our elected representatives make – whether to recover dead miners, or create jobs, or to make government transparent – is something that impacts on us all.
Even if we believe that something that government does doesn’t affect us – it does. Well done, Katherine – we need more Kiwis like you,
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Katherine was followed by Green MPs Catherine Delahunty and Gareth Huges. Both spoke well, though again, the media pack had deserted the area,
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Then it was Molly’s turn. Molly Melhuish is a long-time energy campaigner. She has seen decades of change, from the Muldoon era of the Electricity Department – to post-Rogernomics electricity corporatidsation. What she doesn’t know about the industry probably isn’t worth knowing,
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From L to R; Peter Redfern, Molly Melhuish, and Betty Redfern
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Greypower, more than any other group of New Zealanders understand only too well the severe impact that privatisation of our electricity will have on our elderly. For many, the price of electricity is a matter of life and death.
Note the policemen in the background. They were posted to guard the steps of Parliament in case Greypower decided to storm the House of Representatives. Good show, chaps – democracy is safe.
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February 7 (Part Tahi)
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– the beginning of public reaction and action against the planned partial state-asset sales…
A small group assembled at the front of the Art Gallery in Wellington’s Civic Square. Though raining, the group was in high spirits, and it was pointed out – quite rightly – that we were representing 80% of the country who opposed state asset sales,
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“Occupy Wellington” co-ordinator, Jonathan Elliot (in yellow t-shirt), helping to focus the assembly,
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The media were present, to report on the event,
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… including Radio New Zealand,
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And we were off, with Jonathan being interviewed by the Radio NZ journo,
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A simple message, to respect and honour the Treaty, via Section 9 of the State Owned Enterprises Act 1986. Section 9 is not a particularly complicated or onerous piece of legislation,
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In fact, the Treaty may save our state assets from being flogged of.
“Ordinary” New Zealanders, marching along Mercer St, Willis St, and along Lambton Quay. The slogans were simple; “No asset sales!”. As the rally moved along the streets, more people joined us,
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Kay Gubbins was quite clear in pushing the message,
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Did Wellington’s most ardent and well-recognised street evangelist, exhort John Key to repent and cancel the planned asset sales?
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The media, recording the march,
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Past Bowen House – good kiwi folk making their way to Parliament. Whilst Wellingtonians looked-on , there were no hecklers. Those watching understood what we were on about,
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And through the gates of Parliament – the People’s House of Representatives. (Ok, just kidding. Currently occupied by National, ACT, United Future, and various moneyed vested-interests, and assorted right wing ‘groupies’.)
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… and joining another group already in the grounds,
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Note “Mad Hatter” – who convened the rally – covered in mock-oil. on the far left of the pic below. More on her later,
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I moved away, past the barriers; around a low-stone wall; onto the higher part of the grounds, to take better pictures of the assembled protesters,
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Where I encountered a somewhat over-zealous security guard who tried to remove me from the higher ground,
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He was persistant. I was insistant. We had a “frank exchange of views“. All of which attracted (predictably enough) the attention of the media,
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What happened next?
To be continued Part Rua (so as not to overload this page with too many images).
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