Newsletter of the Auckland Province of the Green Party
April 2010
Undermining our
economy and
environment
Supercity Forum
Waihopai
MP Update - David
Clendon
Election action
Big Gay Out
Stand for election in
your community
Calendar of Events
Contacts
Thanks to everyone who
helps to get Te Rau Mata
to you :
Claire Hill – Associate
Editor
Rosemary Arnoux
Joyce Brown
Hugh Lusk
Jane Wells
David Cooke - Editor
Contribution deadline
Thursday 15 April
Contact
[email protected]
Authorised by Jon Field
73 Eden Street, Wellington
ISSN 1178-7333
Undermining our economy and environment
Government plans to facilitate
more mining on conservation land
have erupted into the news in past
weeks.
The Green Party MPs have been
doggedly pursuing this issue
ever since the Minister of Energy
and Resources, Gerry Brownlee,
announced his plans in August
2009.
Pressure from the Greens, the
environment movement and the
public has made a big difference
already: the Government
was considering wholesale
Stockton ‘rehabilitation’.
removal of protection for up to 500,000 hectares of National Park and other high-value
conservation land. Instead it has now proposed immediate protection removal from 7000
hectares, and further investigation into other areas.
Threats to the Coromandel will be met with intense protest from locals and Aucklanders
who have a close attachment to the area. The threat to Great Barrier Island is probably a
‘straw-man’ – a deliberately controversial proposal that the Government can back-down
from to look ‘reasonable’ and ‘balanced’. The threat to sections of Paparoa National Park is
a major concern – the 15-20 million tonnes of coal here would produce the equivalent of
half of New Zealand’s annual emissions, and destructive open-cast methods are likely to
be the only way to mine it.
The further investigation (surveys and
prospecting) is spread wide – from
Northland to Rakiura (Stewart Island). It
could lead to future battles or it could
be that public opposition to the current
proposals would render further mining
unpalatable to the Government. How we
– the green movement – mobilise the public
and stand-up to the Government now will
determine how large later threats become. A protest by members of Coromandel Watchdog against
It’s not just a matter of defending
expansion of mining in the Coromandel peninsula.
conservation from mining – the mining
agenda is part of a larger economic agenda that drags us backwards as a nation, and
entrenches environmentally-destructive and high-emission activity. And NZ’s natural
capital is effectively sold off cheap to foreign companies. Greenpeace describe this
approach as “rip, shit and bust”. It is in complete contrast to a Green New Deal approach
to economic activity. To fight the mining therefore is to take a stand for the Green Party’s
vision of a sustainable economy, a fair society and a health environment.
To stay in touch with developments, subscribe to the www.2precious2mine.org.nz
website. The Greens will be circulating a submission guide soon. In the meantime, please
write a letter to the editor of your local paper.
Quentin Duthie
Supercity Forum
Supercity contracts out democracy to the
private sector
The dangers in the ACT/National coalition agreement
are becoming clearer by the day.
The agreement goes well past maximising ACT’s
3.5% electoral support. As part of the arrangement,
ACT Leader Rodney Hide got himself one of the
most influential cabinet roles as Minister of Local
Government, ahead of the development of the socalled Auckland Supercity.
Consider ACT’s most audacious attack on local
democracy.
The new structure proposes seven CCOs (Council
Controlled Organisations) to run 75% of Auckland’s
local body services, leaving elected councillors to
twiddle their thumbs on the sidelines.
The directors of each CCO would be appointed, initially
at least, by none other than Rodney Hide himself.
These CCOs will control how the majority of ratepayers’
money is spent but without democratic accountability.
The proposed transport CCO for example, will spend
over half the new council’s ratepayer income without
even needing to publish minutes of its meetings, which
can be held behind closed doors. Despite what Rodney
Hide and Minister of Transport Stephen Joyce assert,
National Bash
National are using ACT as a battering ram to front the
Government’s agenda on the Supercity, says Aaryn Barlow
in a recent interview.
While National moves cosmetically to the centre for
its public profile, ACT is carrying out National’s real
purpose.
The Supercity, he says, is a massive blow to democracy.
It centralises corporate control of the city’s assets
through the CCOs, setting up a model for privatisation.
The new CCOs are less accountable than the existing
ones, which is accompanied by an overall loss in
representation through fewer councillors, who
will correspondingly have much larger numbers of
constituents to work for. Meanwhile, the proposed
community boards will have very little effective power.
The whole structure is hierarchical and top-down, in
which different sectors won’t know what the others
are doing. It’s out-dated and discredited elsewhere in
Te Rau Mata
there is at best only
nominal accountability
to ratepayers through
CCOs.
The proposed CCOs
will hold most of
the $28 billion of
Auckland’s local
community assets and
Auckland province
we can expect them to
work hard to prepare
these assets for privatisation. Auckland Regional
Council Chair Mike Lee says these CCOs could “set up
companies, sell assets and enter into major financial
commitments without the approval of Auckland
Council, even where the transactions may leave the
council with significant liabilities or commitments”.
All this would be done by unelected directors without
democratic accountability. The transport CCO for
example will have roads, roads and more roads as their
top three priorities while public transport will again be
sidelined.
Our local body democracy is being contracted out to
those who will do the bidding of business.
John Minto
the world, pushed by a sham process of consultation,
ending up rejecting most of the recommendations of
the Royal Commission. And very significantly, it denies
Maori representation on the new council, thereby
sidelining the Treaty.
The effects of the legislation are that people will
feel more disenfranchised from the power structure,
especially as privatisation kicks in, and disparities
between rich and poor become even more
pronounced.
Greens have proposed that instead of the Supercity,
it would be sufficient to strengthen the Auckland
Regional Council to provide continuity and
coordination of services. Now, the challenge facing
Greens, says Aaryn, is to show the connection between
National and ACT, and to create a city-wide combined
progressive ticket behind Len Brown in the coming
Supercity elections. Greens will need to encourage
people to register and vote, bearing in mind that 2014
is a date for review of the CCO model, and therefore a
chance to reverse the looming disaster.
Te Rau Mata is the newsletter of the Greater Auckland Province of the Green Party of
Aotearoa New Zealand. It does not purport to represent the Green Party. Opinions
expressed in any article published in this newsletter are those of the authors.
Contributions and Feedback
Are welcome from
all members of the Green Party.
Waihopai
Two years ago I was part of a protest outside the Waihopai
spybase and was pleasantly surprised to meet a dedicated
bunch of Catholic peace workers. They included a fellow
Aucklander, Peter Murnane, (who I’d worked with on
the Ahmed Zaoui case), Sam Land from Hokianga
and Adrian Leason from Otaki. Little did I know that
they were then thinking about a subsequent ‘Turning
Swords into Ploughshares’ action - namely the deflating
of the dome of one of the two satellite dishes at the
spybase.
I met them again when I dropped into the Court
early in their trial. Adrian’s down-to-earth honesty
clearly had an impact, wrong-footing the prosecution.
Asked why he hadn’t been petitioning instead, Adrian
explained how little impact such efforts had achieved.
My hope is that now the public will demand to know
more about what is happening at this base, whose
operations our government has cloaked in a blanket
of secrecy. So far the government hasn’t changed its
stance. On 18 March I asked in Parliament whether the
facility provides intelligence for the United States and
what it costs us. Bill English, answering for the PM,
replied that he was not “prepared to discuss operational
matters relating to the GCSB.”
The outcome of the trial wasn’t really a surprise. Over
nearly two weeks, the jury heard how the spybase
serves the US government’s interest rather than ours,
and how the global electronic spying network (of
which Waihopai is an integral part) assisted the US to
invade Iraq and cause so much death and destruction.
The fact that 11 ordinary Kiwis, after hearing all this,
came down with a not-guilty verdict shows why
those in power don’t want much about the base in
the public domain. However, there now is a lot more
public interest, as shown by the big turnout at a
Wellington public meeting held in the first week of the
trial. At it, I pointed out the almost complete lack of
public accountability of the GCSB for its operations at
Waihopai.
Keith Locke
Keith Locke
Freepost Parliament, Private Bag 18 888
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160
[email protected]
Unit 8, 1 Porters Ave, Eden Tce, Auckland
P O Box 1553, Shortland St, Auckland
(09) 303 0167 Fax (09) 303 0173
Te Rau Mata by email
Save the Green Party money and see
Te Rau Mata in glorious technicolour by
using the link edition, rather than the
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contact
Correction: The first line of the interview with Gareth Hughes in the
March edition should have read
“The economic returns on the white-elephant motorways that the
Government is intent on building don’t stack up against better public
transport options.”
[email protected]
MP Update - David Clendon
The so-called Supercity 3rd Bill has taken up a lot
of my time lately. We ran a very successful series of
public meetings, alongside Phil Twyford and other
Labour MPs, that attracted many hundreds of people,
motivating and informing a lot of submissions to the
select committee.
In the committee meetings held in Auckland, recurring
themes were that people feel disenfranchised, that
promises made by the government have not been
fulfilled, and that the (poorly) hidden agenda of selling
out our public assets is just unacceptable. Even in
areas that have traditionally been ‘true blue’ National
party strongholds, the sound of eroding majorities
is hopefully giving those MPs sitting on slim margins
pause for thought!
While it has at times been hard hearing the real pain
and fear that people are expressing on behalf of
themselves, their communities and their sector groups,
it has also provided a lot of information and insight that
Sue Kedgley and I will put to good use when the Bill is
next debated in the House.
I was able to escape the hearings briefly to be in the
House when Gareth Hughes gave a superb maiden
speech. It was thoughtful, challenging, delivered with
real passion, and I’m sure it will resonate with a lot of
young and indeed not so young people.
Other good news is that my Smart Meters (Consumer
Choice) private members Bill has been drawn from the
ballot. The Bill was originally drafted by Jeanette, ably
assisted by our very own Rick Leckinger with his energy
Election action
“I am a frog, I live under a spell. I live at the bottom of a
green well.” Stevie Smith
In December last year we wrote about opportunities
for the coming year - the year before a General Election
and a crucial referendum on MMP.
2010 is the last time before election year to persuade,
prioritise and get the Green message across to people
who haven’t heard our views. Next year we will be back
to full-on campaigning. This year has started well: Summer policy conference
has taken place, with an “Open Space” session where
any topic under the sun could be offered as spark
for debate. One participant said that the common
theme of the offerings in “Open Space” was the issue
of the Green Party itself - how does it tick, who holds
the power, how do you get on - all good stuff and
something we need to remember to keep doing for our
new members.
Reports from the Branches indicate that fundraising
is becoming a priority. Branches have to raise money
for election tithes according to their total number
of members, to help pay for campaign materials. We
have 1000 members in Greater Auckland so between
adviser hat on. I am really excited to see if we can get
support to pass the Bill, which would require power
companies to install genuinely ‘smart’ meters in homes,
and offer variable rate tariffs.
Those two quite simple and very low-cost moves would
give consumers much more ability to manage and
control their electricity bills, collectively reducing peak
demand and enhancing our energy security.
Kia kaha!
David Clendon
David Clendon
Freepost Parliament, Private Bag 18 888
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160
[email protected]
Unit 8, 1 Porters Ave, Eden Tce, Auckland
P O Box 1553, Shortland St, Auckland
(09) 303 0167 Fax (09) 303 0173
us, we will be able to raise the
funds. 2010 is the time to fund, as
we need to avoid fundraising in
an election year.
Have your heard from your
Branch convenor or membership
secretary? They have
opportunities available for you
to volunteer in the Branch. You will enjoy learning new
skills and taking up leadership roles. It’s healthy for
the party to involve new people to undergo a renewal
- did you get the call? We see 2010 as an opportunity to
train and upskill volunteers in time for the next election
cycle in 2011.
Next month is the Province AGM - Monday, 26 April,
7.15pm at Grey Lynn Community Centre. This is an
opportunity to check that we have the right people and
structures in place. It’s your party. We would love to see
you there.
For the happy ending, read Stevie Smith’s poem, “The
Frog Prince”. A quiet life as a Green will only take us so
far!
Karen and Matthew
Big Gay Out
Big Gay Out is one of the most well-known events
for the benefit of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender) community in New Zealand. It
is celebrated in Auckland around Saint Valentine’s
Day and aims to generate a creative and supportive
environment for this community, their families, friends,
and public in general. Organized by the New Zealand
AIDS Foundation, its main objectives are to develop
sexual education campaigns and celebrate tolerance
across the societal spectrum through music, shows and
outdoor activities.
Aucklanders of all ages and from all walks of life helped
create the friendly, and activity-filled environment that
is Big Gay Out.
The Green Party had a colourful stand. The laid-back
feel of the Green stand helped to attract many initially
reluctant party-goers to discuss the important issues
facing New Zealanders. A fun quiz testing gay trivia was
a very useful tool for attracting people to the stand and
encouraging them to have some fun. Furthermore the
quiz helped to spark interest in Green Party activities,
policies and leaders such as Kevin Hague, while also
helping to build a database of potential new greens.
MP Kevin Hague attended showing solidarity with the
community, delivering a speech. Hague emphasised
the need for the community members to support each
other and participate in NZ policy-making. He also
stressed his commitment as their representative in the
Parliament to seek equality, progress and development.
Kevin was interviewed by Maori TV, which is an
important way to keep the leaders in touch with the
entire population. John Key attended the event as well;
Stand for election in your community
We live in interesting times and the first term of
the Supercity will be very interesting indeed. We
do have Green Party members across the region
who are involved as councillors and community
board members but this is a call to get more Greens
– particularly Young Greens - involved. You’ll get
electioneering experience and if elected, get a solid
training in politics, working with people from all
political backgrounds while you promote Green
policies at a local level.
There’s no doubt that the haste and undemocratic
nature of the creation of a Supercity for the Auckland
region has been devastating. While there’s still a lot
of detail missing from what the new Supercity will be
like, we do know that there will be 20 councillors across
the region and at least 19 local boards. The Province is
working with community and political organisations to
ensure we get good candidates, so now’s the time to
put your hat in the ring to stand in your area.
There’s a lot to be said for being an elected
representative at the local body level. Councils and
it is a clear sign that the LGBT community is important
to the government and even is seen as a significant
voting bloc.
Gabriel Acuna Carvajal
local boards for example are involved in decisionmaking around social-policy issues; community
development; transport issues, including footpaths,
roads and cycleways and public transport; land use
and planning; parks and reserves; stormwater and
water quality and the list goes on. There’s plenty of
scope to push through green policy - it’s not just about
potholes!
At this stage, no one is quite sure exactly what the roles
of the councillors or local board members will be.
The government is insisting on corporate-like Council
Controlled Organisations (CCO’s) to manage and
deliver services across the region for water and
waste water, transport, council property, waterfront
development and regional facilities.
But the CCO will not be accountable elected officials.
And there is likely to be a struggle for control of these
CCOs in the first term of the Supercity Council.
If you’re interested or want more information, contact
Karen Davis at the Auckland Province office on 302
0166 or Denise Roche 372 6578.
Denise Roche
Calendar Of Events
Green Party, Auckland
Province
Annual General Meeting
7.15pm
Monday 26 April
Garden Room, Grey Lynn Community Centre
510 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn
We have now been operating with our Province
structure for one year. We want to hear how it is
working for your branches and if there are any
proposed changes.
The AGM is also the time for elections. Our officers play
a vital part in promoting the Green Party throughout
Auckland. Please consider whether you can make a
contribution.
Nominations are now open for the following elected
positions:
Province Co-convenors (1 male and 1 female)
Responsible for actively promoting and co-ordinating
the activities of the Province.
Treasurer
Responsible for maintaining the good order of the
province’s bank accounts, payments and Automatic
Payments and financial reporting.
Secretary
Responsible for day-to-day communications within the
province management structure and meetings.
Membership Secretary
Responsible for initial communication with new
members and keeping branches up to date on
membership issues.
Executive Networkers
Our representatives on the national Executive (1 male,
1 female)
Policy Networkers
Our representatives on the national Policy Committee
(4)
For more information on the positions, and for (short)
nomination forms, please contact
The Province Secretary
[email protected]
ph 303 4143
Or by letter to
PO Box 5381, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141
Nominations close at noon on Friday, 23 April
Dr Karen Davis
Out of Parliament Support, Auckland Green MPs
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
PO Box 1553, Shortland St, Auckland
Phone: (09) 302 0166; Fax (09) 303 0173
QPEC(Quality Public
Education Coalition (Inc)
Public Forum and AGM
All welcome
“2010 - a year of challenge for education”
Attacks on public education are coming thick and fast
from the National/ACT government. The QPEC public
forum brings together key educational leaders to discuss
these serious threats to public education – especially the
pernicious National Party policy of national standards.
Everyone welcome for a lively discussion with campaign
planning to enhance education quality and opportunity
for all New Zealanders. All welcome.
From 10am
Saturday 10 April
St Columba Centre
30 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland
AGENDA
10am
Public Forum - “2010 - a year of challenge for education”
Speakers
Dellis Hunt - Spokesperson for PAL (Parents Against
Labelling)
Frances Nelson - President NZEI (New Zealand
Education Institute)
Bronwen Cross - Deputy General Secretary PPTA (Post
Primary Teachers Association)
Tom Ryan - President TEU (Tertiary Education Union)
David Do and Pene Delaney - Co-Presidents NZUSA
(NZ Union of Student Associations)
12noon
Scone/muffin Break
12.15pm
Forum continues with speakers:
Martin Thrupp, Professor of Education from Waikato
University
Ivan Snook, Emeritus Professor of Education Massey
University
Ruth Mansell, QPEC National Vice Chair
John Minto, QPEC National Vice Chair
2.30pm
Lunch
3pm
QPEC AGM
4.30pm
Finish
QPEC
Box 56482
Dominion Road Auckland
Fax (09) 8463176
www.qpec.org.nz
Contacts
Auckland Province
Co-convenors
Karen Davis
813 4101 or 021 178 3950 [email protected]
Matthew Fitzsimons
550 1087 or 027 680 4081 [email protected]
Secretary
Gwen Shaw
303 4143 or 027 414 4074
[email protected]
Treasurer
Rod Galantai
376 2753
[email protected]
Membership Sec
Tony Dunn
812 8406 or 021 812 840
[email protected]
Exec Networkers
Ivan Sowry
303 0172 (wk)
[email protected]
Julie Anne Genter
021 061 1164
[email protected]
David Hay
021 255 9071
[email protected]
Peter Maxwell
021 137 6030
[email protected]
Barbara Thomborson
021 259 0232
[email protected]
Te Rau Mata Editor
David Cooke
027 404 9721
[email protected]
Te Roopu Pounamu
David Clendon
027 278 0633
[email protected]
Young Greens
Lucy Hawcroft
376 9083
[email protected]
North Shore Branch (East Coast Bays,
Northcote, North Shore)
Pieter Watson
446 6243
[email protected]
South Branch (Mangere, Manukau
East, Manurewa)
Donna Wynd
270 2995
[email protected]
Botany& Pakuranga
Peter Cooper
533 6247 or 021 988 432
[email protected]
West Branch (Helensville, Waitakere,
New Lynn, Te Atatu)
Tony Dunn
812 8406 or 021 812 840
[email protected]
Far South (Papakura, Hunua)
Caroline Conroy
09 298 5945
[email protected]
Nga Whanga e Rua (Tamaki Makaurau, Mikaere Curtis
Te Tai Tokerau, Hauraki Waikato)
846 9664 or 021 444 338
[email protected]
Maunga Rua (Mt Albert, Mt Roskill)
Cate Denisov
021 072 4610
[email protected]
Will Moore
620 8448
[email protected]
MET (Maungakiekie, Epsom, Tamaki)
Dorthe Siggaard
528 2469
[email protected]
Auckland Central City Branch
Ron Miller
376 1243
[email protected]
Waiheke Branch
John Stansfield
372 6578
[email protected]
Ivan Sowry for David Clendon MP
303 0172 (ph)
303 0173 (fax)
[email protected]
Lucy Hawcroft for Keith Locke MP
302 0167 (ph)
303 0173 (fax)
[email protected]
Karen Davis for General Enquiries
302 0166
303 0173
[email protected]
Auckland Green Party Office
Auckland MPs Address
National Greens Office
Unit 8, 1 Porters Ave, Newton Terrace
Unit 8, 1 Porters Ave, Newton Terrace
PO Box 11652
PO Box 5381, Auckland 1141
PO Box 1553 Shortland St
Wellington 6142
Ph (09) 303 4143
Auckland
Ph (04) 801 5102
Policy Networkers
Key Branch Contacts
Auckland MPs at Auckland Office
[email protected]
Fax (04) 801 5104
[email protected]
Local Body Contacts
Auckland Regional Council
Joel Cayford
445 2763
[email protected]
Eden Albert Community Board
Phil Chase
846 9392
[email protected]
Western Bays Community Board
Kate Stanton
378 9594
[email protected]