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Mind the gap – Green New Deal initiatives to combat growing inequality in New Zealand | Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

Ant — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:24:00 +0000

We’ve discussed the income inequality gap quite a bit here in the past. It’s good to see an attempt to address it directly through policy, like here with the Greens who are launching a new initiative.

A multi-billion dollar pre-Budget proposal from the Green Party shows how the Government can help New Zealand’s poorest families and help everyone else in the process.

“Everyone has an interest in narrowing the gap between rich and poor, because inequality hurts everyone,” said Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei. “It’s become one of the defining political issues of our time.”

The proposed Budget package suggests; progressive power pricing, a tax-free $10,000 for all New Zealanders, extending the In-Work Tax Credit to 140,000 of the country’s most disadvantaged families, reinstating a discretionary Special Benefit and building 6000 state houses. Costs would be off-set by a comprehensive capital gains tax (except on the family home).

“Inequality is hurting everyone in New Zealand,” Mrs Turei said. “It lowers life expectancy in all income brackets, it increases obesity in all income brackets, it fills our hospitals and our prisons and we all pay.

Mind the gap – Green New Deal initiatives to combat growing inequality in New Zealand | Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Goff eyes GST exemption for fruit and vegetables | POLITICS News

Ant — Sun, 16 May 2010 10:52:10 +0000

GST exemption would work says Goff

GST is set to rise to 15% in Thursday’s budget and Labour is exploring the idea of exempting fruit and vegetables from the tax if elected.

But there are questions over how this would work.

Leader Phil Goff appeared with other party leaders on TVNZ’s Q+A programme this morning and said research shows there is a “real health bonus” in excluding healthy foods from the GST.

“The School of Medicine has said very clearly in the last few week that if you do this people will consume more of those goods.”

via Goff eyes GST exemption for fruit and vegetables | POLITICS News.

Arctic Shelf Leaking Potent Greenhouse Gas

Alison Mackay — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:39:11 +0000

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Mar 5, 2010 (IPS) – The frozen cap trapping billions of tonnes of methane under the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean is leaking and venting the powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, new research shows.

It is not known if this may be one of the first indicators of a feedback loop accelerating global warming.

Researchers estimate that eight million tonnes in annual methane emissions are being released from the shallow East Siberian Arctic Shelf, which is equivalent to all the methane released from the world’s oceans, covering 71 percent of the planet.

On a global scale of methane emissions from the land-based sources – animals, rice paddies, rotting vegetation – the newly measured emissions from the Siberian seabed are less than two percent.

“That’s still very significant,” Natalia Shakhova, a researcher at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, told IPS. “Before, it was assumed that this region had zero emissions.”

Although only a seemingly small addition to current methane outputs, this could have a significant effect on acceleration of climate change. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, trapping about 20 times the heat of carbon dioxide. The world’s oceans contain tonnes of methane trapped in permafrost on the sea floor, which, if released, could see a devastating rise in global methane emissions.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50565

World on course for catastrophic 6° rise, reveal scientists

Ant — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:09:42 +0000

The world is now firmly on course for the worst-case scenario in terms of climate change, with average global temperatures rising by up to 6C by the end of the century, leading scientists said yesterday. Such a rise – which would be much higher nearer the poles – would have cataclysmic and irreversible consequences for the Earth, making large parts of the planet uninhabitable and threatening the basis of human civilisation.

See full article click here

Copenhagen Lecture Series – Issues, Options, Outlook, Outcomes

Jolyon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:37:45 +0000

The institute of Policy Studies is holding a lecture series around the issues of the Copenhagen summit. Lectures will begin before Copenhagen with an exploration of the issue, policies an politics involved, run throughout, and conclude with implications of decisions made at the summit. The dates and titles are below (or supplied as a PDF).

11 November Dr John Peet formerly Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Canterbury.
Talking past each other – the physics and economics of climate change

13 November Dr Geoff Bertram Institute of Policy Studies, VUW
How not to design an Emissions Trading Scheme: Lessons from New Zealand

18 November Launch of Climate Change 101 a book by Dr Andy Reisinger

12 noon, Lecture Theatre 1, Old Government Buildings, Light refreshments available

18 November Dr Andy Reisinger NZ Climate Change Research Institute, VUW
Targets versus reality

25 November Ambassador Dr Beat Nobs Embassy of Switzerland
Prospects for Copenhagen

2 December Judy Lawrence NZ Climate Change Research Institute, VUW
New Zealand emission reductions and global agreements:
Lessons from the last 20 years

9 December Dr Morgan Williams former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
The relationship between climate change and other global sustainability issues

16 December Dr David Eng Philosophy Programme, VUW
Allocating the burdens of dealing with climate change

18 December Peter Wilson Vector Ltd
The case for an independent advisory committee on climate change

22 December Panel discussion: the outcome and implications of COP 15
Chair: Professor Jonathan Boston Institute of Policy Studies, VUW
Panel members: • Associate Professor Ralph Chapman School of Geography,
Environment and Earth Sciences VUW • Professor Martin Manning NZ Climate
Change Research Institute, VUW • Peter Neilsen, NZ Business Council for Sustainable
Development •Dr Beat Nobs Embassy of Switzerland • Phil O’Reilly, Business NZ
• Professor Ralph Sims Massey University• Cath Wallace School of Government, VUW

For further information visit www.ips.ac.nz/events or download the flyer copenhagen-ver7

Anglican Church

aaleex — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:00:53 +0000

Take a look at this http://www.exposefraud.co.nz

LINK

Anglican Church land Fraud

Ifound this just recently – seems like an injustice to me.

Father John Dear in Wellington

Dave — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:59:55 +0000

Does Christianity Demand Pacifism?

Jesuit Priest and peace campaigner Father John Dear is coming to Wellington.

John is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and advocate for nonviolence. He has been arrested over 75 times for nonviolent civil disobedient acts most famously in 1993 on the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base for hammering on a F15 nuclear fighter bomber in an effort to “beat swords into ploughshares”.
He is the author/editor of over 25 books on peace and justice.
In 2008 John was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by former recipient Desmond Tutu.

He will be speaking at St John’s in the City on Willis St on Thursday October 29 at 7:30pm.

His topic is “Does Christianity Demand Pacifism” with Q and A to follow.

A door charge of $10 is asked to help cover costs.

A Facebook event listing can be found here http://bit.ly/JohnDear-FB-StJohns

or the same info on www.urbanvision.org.nz

Unstable Tower

Jolyon — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:18:14 +0000

It was reported yesterday that the tower in which the Anglican social justice commission works is unstable. It seems that Jolyon White, who works in the tower, has been drilling holes in the walls to retrieve minerals used in the construction. This behaviour has led to an instability that most scientists agree will ‘almost certianly’ result in collapse; however, there is disagreement about exactly when the collapse will occur. There are a few voices claiming that drilling can occur indefinitely without harm, but they are sounding increasingly silly.

“Those who will suffer most will be those upon whom the tower lands” one alarmist has claimed

Jolyon had this to say in response: “We know that it is not possible to drill holes indefinitely, but I am putting together an action plan that will allow me to drill holes in the foundations and supports in a sustainable way. Sustainability is very important to me. Did I mention sustainability? I am also going to give the interior of the room a nice new coat of green paint… sustainable.”

Structural experts have said that the number of holes in any structure of this sort must be kept below 350 per meter to prevent disaster. There will be a gathering of church leaders in November to discuss the practice. Jolyon will be attending as a representative of the Anglican Church. When asked what message he might be taking to the gathering he replied;

“While I appriciate that there are a number of interest groups who hold opinions about this subject it would not be financially responsible for us to stop drilling these holes. There would be quite an economic cost to preventing this tower falling on people. If we were to limit drilling to the levels that structural experts have suggested it will cost everyone in our congregations $450 by 2015. Instead we will limit our drilling to 500 holes per meter. The tower will still fall down, but it is financially more responsible.”

When pressed about the ‘financial responsibility’ of taking an action that ultimately wouldn’t fix the problem and would cost many millions more in the long run, not to mention lives, Jolyon used the following words: “sustainable, green, economy, growth, sustainable, responsibility, sustainable, and common sense.”

What’s on soon: from Whangarei to Dunedin

Jolyon — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:40:58 +0000

Over the past weekend and up until the 3 Oct there are events and marches around the country for peace and non-violence. This posting comes from Peace Movement Aotearoa.

Information about the International Day of Peace and the International Day of Prayer for Peace (21 September), and event listings, are available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/ipd09.htm

* Whangarei

~ Monday, 21 September: Hotshot coffee-break for climate change and peace, an event marking the International Day of Peace and the Global Climate Wake-Up Call. Sign on to the global petition for climate change, with resources from campaigning groups and white poppies available, the hotshot coffee-break will conclude with a Prayer for Peace. From 10.35am to 12 noon, at the Mokoba Cafe, Quayside, Town Basin; for more information please contact email hinerau22@gmail.com

* Waiheke Island

~ Sunday, 20 to Saturday, 26 September: Waiheke Island Walk for Peace, and Nuclear Abolition Flame Vigil, the Walk for Peace is to mark the International Day of Peace and promote the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Gather from 10am at the Peace Rock in Ostend, the walk leaves at 11am and goes to Alison Park. Peace Walkers will carry the Nuclear Abolition Flame, which will then return to the Nuclear Abolition Flame Vigil at Peace Rock until 26 September; the flame will then be taken to Auckland for the opening events of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence on 27 September. Organised by the Waiheke Island Peace Group, for more information contact email peaceseat22@yahoo.com

* Auckland

~ Monday 21 September: Fifth Flowers on the Ocean of Peace Ceremony, you are invited to commemorate the International Day of Peace by participating in ‘Flowers on the Ocean of Peace’. Starts 4pm, at the Orewa Beach Surf Club, all welcome. Organised by the local United Nations Association branch, sponsored by Flowers by Joanne, for more information contact email rhyl@ihug.co.nz

~ Monday, 21 September: Does non-violence work? Come along to the screening of ‘A Force More Powerful’ Part I, three short films (3 x 30 minutes) on how non-violent resistance has overcome violent repression * Nashville, 1960: students organized to break the demeaning segregation laws * India, 1930: Gandhi defied the British monopoly on salt production, and eventually gains India’s independence * South Africa, 1980-1993: apartheid overcome by thoughtful planning and sacrifice. Starts 7.30pm, at The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, City, admission by koha / donation; for more information please contact email pmopnz@yahoo.com.au Screening of Part II is on Monday, 28 September.

~ Friday, 25 September: Action for Children & Youth Aotearoa AGM, with guest speaker Ced Simpson talking about schools and human rights – the collaborative initiative to ensure New Zealand schools and ECE services contribute to implementation of article 42 of UNCROC (making its principles and provisions “widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike”) and the educational impact we can expect. Light refreshments from 5.30pm, meeting and speaker from 6pm to 8pm, Parnell Room, Ground Floor Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland. All welcome, but if you are planning on attending, please RSVP asap to email judith.mcm@xtra.co.nz for catering purposes.

~ Sunday, 27 September: Auckland Peace Heritage Walk, an International Day of Peace and World March for Peace and Nonviolence event. The walk starts with a “Wake up For Peace” flash mob in QEII Square, visits a number of peace heritage sites around the central city, and ends at St-Matthew-in-the-City with a celebration including music and presentations on the theme of peace. Starts 10am in QEll Square by the Ahi K sculpture, with the celebration at St Matthews from 12.30pm to 2.30pm; more information is available at http://www.fusecreative.co.nz/worldmarch/events_auck.html

~ Monday, 28 September: Does non-violence work? Come along to the screening of ‘A Force More Powerful’ Part II, three short films (3 x 30 minutes) on how non-violent resistance has overcome violent repression * Denmark, 1940: a country organized to resist the Nazi invasion without violence * Poland, 1981: shipyard workers organize for just pay and overcome their own repressive government and begin the downfall of the Soviet Empire * Chile, 1988: a nation organizes to overthrow the dictator Pinochet. Starts 7.30pm, at The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, City, admission by koha / donation; for more information please contact email pmopnz@yahoo.com.au

~ Saturday, 3 October - Rally for Justice and Peace in Palestine, come and support justice and peace based on an end to 40 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem), the right of return for Palestinian refugees, sharing Jerusalem, vacating all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine, and stopping Israel’s annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine. Starts 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen Street intersection, outside Downtown Shopping Centre. Organised by the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, for more information contact email wakim.fam@xtra.co.nz

* Whanganui

~ Sunday, 20 September – ‘Reconciliation, Truth, and Bridgebuilding’ is the theme of this year’s Whanganui International Day of Peace Celebration – a panel led discussion from 2 to 5pm at the Quaker Settlement, 76 Virginia Road; the programme is available at http://www.wanganui.com/activitieslbr-ga-events/3-conferences/195-international-day-of-peace-more-information?6eea1a9fe9982ea59848074023d19e08=5be85223f5a3e652274de1591c6bd851Organised by Operation Peace through Unity and the United Nations Association of New Zealand, Whanganui Branch, for more information contact email peaceday09@gmail.com or optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz

~ Monday, 21 September: launch of the Whanganui contributory walk to the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, starts 12 noon at the peace sculpture ‘Handspan’, Queens Park, with further send-off activities at Majestic Square approximately from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, before proceeding up Victoria Avenue. The walk will then proceed to reach Wellington on 2 October, see details below, for the launch of World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Organised by Operation Peace through Unity, for more information contact email optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz

* Whanganui to Wellington

~ Monday, 21 to Tuesday, 29 September – Walk for Peace and Reconciliation, starts in Whanganui on the International Day of Peace (see listing in Whanganui section above), the route is: * 21 September, Whanganui to Ratana; * 22 September, Ratana to Bulls; * 23 September, Bulls to Foxton Flats; * 24 September, Foxton Flats to Levin; * 25 September, Levin to Otaki; * 26 September, Otaki to Waikanae; * 27 September, Waikanae to Paekakariki; * 28 September, Paekakariki to Porirua; * 29 September, Porirua to Wellington. Organised by Operation Peace through Unity, for more information contact email optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz

* Wellington

~ Sunday, 20 September: Wellington Global Mala 2009 – the Global Mala Project is the seed of a world-wide experiment into the power of meditation in action, the yoga worlds offering to further the UN International Peace Day. The purpose of the Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a mala around the earth. Starts at 1pm, at Capital E – Wellington Global Mala 2009 will be offering live music, kirtan, the opportunity to do 108 sun salutations (you know you want to and WE know you CAN!), meditation, 108 OMs, activities for the kids, free chai at around 4.30pm; more information is available at http://pranaflownz.com/wellington-global-mala/

~ Monday, 28 to Friday, 29 September: Gandhi exhibition, “photographs, taken by D.R.D Wadia, display a range of moods and qualities of Gandhi, helping us to see him with very human concerns and feelings and imperfections – and as someone who reached beyond these to inspire us all in the pursuit of peace, compassion, integrity and justice”, at the Wellington central library. Organised by the Peace Foundation Wellington Office, for more information contact email alynw@world-net.co.nz

~ Thursday, 1 October: End NZ support for the ‘war on terrorism’ peace vigil, 5pm to 6pm at the Cenotaph (corner Lambton Quay and Bowen Street). The vigils are held on the first Thursday of each month; for more information contact Peace Movement Aotearoa email pma@xtra.co.nz

~ Thursday, 1 October: Political, radical, interactive bible study for peace, with shared food around 6pm (after the peace vigil, details above), bible study at 7pm. In the bus at the US Embassy, corner Fitzherbert Terrace and Murphy Street, Thorndon; organised by the Wellington Waihopai Ploughshares Support Group.

~ Thursday, 1 to Saturday, 3 October: World March for Peace and Nonviolence events in Wellington, details are available at http://www.fusecreative.co.nz/worldmarch/events_well.html

* Christchurch

~ Sunday, 20 September: Diana Madgin of Quakers will lead a 2 hour walk the day before the International Day of Peace; starts at 2pm at the Fire Fighters Memorial, if you arrive a little later go to the Elsie Locke Park outside the Centennial Pool on Oxford Terrace. Please bring your sun hat, camera and a water bottle; if it rains the walk will be postponed until Sunday 27 September with all arrangements remaining the same. For more information please contact email dmw14@ext.canterbury.ac.nz

~ Monday, 21 September: Peace walk, followed by soup and bread rolls, then Natasha Barnes, a researcher at the University of Canterbury, will speak about Small Arms and Nuclear Disarmament. * 5pm to 5.30pm gather in the Elsie Locke Park, behind the Centennial Pool on Oxford Terrace, and proceed to Latimer Square and then to Canterbury Womens House, 190 Worcester Street * 6pm, speaker at Canterbury Women’s House. Groups are making simple ‘WMD-WeMustDisarm’ banners to carry on the Peace Walk. Organised by the United Nations Association Canterbury Branch, for more information contact email njb103@student.canterbury.ac.nz

~ Wednesday, 23 September: ‘Soldiers of Peace’, premier screening in Aotearoa New Zealand of the powerful documentary narrated by Michael Douglas as a fundraiser for the World March for Peace and nonviolence. “‘Soldiers of Peace’ travels around the globe revealing the inspiring every day people who are proving that peace is a more viable alternative to war in these turbulent times. Through tolerance and understanding, the film illustrates the connections between individual acts of enterprise and heroism, and the systemic changes we now need, if we are to survive the 21st Century. Featuring interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Hans Blix, Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Richard Branson amongst many others, ‘Soldiers Of Peace’ takes us on an inspiring journey across 14 countries and shows us we really can make a difference. In a world dominated by the negative – this film offers the life affirmative message that peace can be achieved.” Starts 8pm at the Regent on Worcester, tickets are $15 and bookings are essential – to book please contact email tseringimports@yahoo.co.nz or tel (03) 385 9590, payment by credit card, direct debit, cheque or cash, and tickets will be posted out to you or available for collection as you prefer. Organised and sponsored by Friend of Tibet Christchurch and The Tibetan Yak Ltd, a printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/sop0909.pdf

~ Saturday, 26 September: Pot luck meal to celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan, and an evening of fun and friendship with like-minded people. Starts 6pm, at the WEA, 59 Gloucester Street, please bring $5 (or more) as a donation for Gaza. Organised by Justice for Palestine, if you are planning on attending please RSVP to email mandlgriffiths@clear.net.nz

~ Sunday, 27 September: ‘Soldiers of Peace’, screening of the powerful documentary narrated by Michael Douglas as a fundraiser for the World March for Peace and nonviolence. “‘Soldiers of Peace’ travels around the globe revealing the inspiring every day people who are proving that peace is a more viable alternative to war in these turbulent times. Through tolerance and understanding, the film illustrates the connections between individual acts of enterprise and heroism, and the systemic changes we now need, if we are to survive the 21st Century. Featuring interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Hans Blix, Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Richard Branson amongst many others, ‘Soldiers Of Peace’ takes us on an inspiring journey across 14 countries and shows us we really can make a difference. In a world dominated by the negative – this film offers the life affirmative message that peace can be achieved.” Starts 2pm at the Regent on Worcester, tickets are $15 and bookings are essential – to book please contact email tseringimports@yahoo.co.nz or tel (03) 385 9590, payment by credit card, direct debit, cheque or cash, and tickets will be posted out to you or available for collection as you prefer. Organised and sponsored by Friend of Tibet Christchurch and The Tibetan Yak Ltd, a printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/sop0909.pdf

* DUNEDIN

Wednesday, 23 September: ‘Enlarging the Boundaries of Compassion: Opportunities and Challenges for Peace Research in the 21st Century’, inaugural professorial lecture by Kevin Clements, Chair of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. Starts 5.30pm, College of Education Auditorium, Union Street East, University of Otago. If you are planning on attending, please RSVP for catering purposes to email peaceandconflict@otago.ac.nz or tel (03) 479 4546. A printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/cpcs0909a.pdf

The International Day of Prayer for Peace

Jolyon — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:32:01 +0000

The International Day of Prayer for Peace is on 21 September. It is organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) as part of their ‘Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace’ initiative.

It began in 2004 following a meeting between the WCC General Secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia and the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and is “an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, their families, communities and societies.”

Information about the International Day of Prayer for Peace – click here.

Resources for the Day – click here.