#255: Jesson lecture Mon / anti-road privatisation - Wed

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER #255, October 5, 2008

Website http://www.gpja.org.nz/ Contact details: Forums – John Minto, Work: (09) 845 2132, Home 09 846 3173 jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor – Mike Treen 0295254744 mike@unite.org.nz; Web page - media@ndu.org.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, P O Box 7175, Wellesley St, Auckland. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter visit http://www.gpja.org.nz/ or click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email.

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BRUCE JESSON LECTURE MON, OCT 6, 6.30PM, MAIDMENT THEATRE, AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY
The Political Studies Department of the Faculty of Arts University of Auckland and The Bruce Jesson Foundation
Invite you and your friends to the 2008 Bruce Jesson Lecture to be held on MONDAY 6th October 6.30pm
Maidment Theatre University of Auckland The bar will be open from 5.30pm.
Speaker: Mike Lee – “Strangers in the 21st Century”. Mike Lee, will survey the New Zealand political landscape in
the light of Bruce Jesson's political legacy. New Zealanders have left behind the secure landmarks of the 20th century
and are now into unknown territory. Have New Zealanders lost their way? Is a lack of national direction and awareness part of our social/political malaise? Mike Lee will discuss these issues and the question of NZ nationhood
and examine again the case for constitutional change for New Zealand. A collection for donations to the Bruce Jesson Trust will be taken at the lecture

ONE YEAR LATER REMEMBER 15TH OCTOBER 2007 VENUE: RUATOKI TE REWAREWA MARAE

ko Taiarahia te Mauna
ko Ohinemataroa te awa
Te Mahurehure te hapu
Te Purewa te tanata

He pohiri whaanui kite motu
nau mai haere mai
Ki naa ra whaka mau maharatana
Te Ture whakatumatuma ia Tuuhoe iwi
mee te motu.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 15TH OCTOBER
Time: Agenda: 5:30pm Powhiri ; 6:30pm Hapa (supper); 7:30pm : Guest Speakers: Dr Jeff Sluka. 'Hearts and minds' 8:00pm: I AM Out door Production Produce by Raupatu & Mau Productions. Challenges the perception of colonial mentality and Tuuhoe resistances. 9:00pm Whakawhiti Korero Tamati Kruger

DATE: THURSDAY 16TH OCTOBER
Time: Agenda: 10:00am Open Day – Stalls to register before display Political Parties – Hui Art Display – Photographs of Raids; 7:00pm – 8:00pm I AM – Produce by Mau & Raupatu Production –

DATE: FRIDAY 17TH OCTOBER
Time: Agenda: 10:00am Open Day for Hauora and Kohanga Reo Organisation – Hui Open Day - Activities – Stalls 5:00pm – 9:00pm KRUMPING COMPETITION Door Charge & Prizes

DATE: SATURDAY 18TH OCTOBER
Time: Agenda: 10:00am Entertainment Majie ACOUSTIC ACTIVISTS Launching of CD KERERU PRODUCTION
AND MANY OTHERS.......

Contacts Ruby Rameka, Tuhoe Hauora (07) 3129874; Wikitoria Kereopa, Rewarewa Marae (07) 3129609
kereopa@clear.nett.nz

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DO YOU WANT THE PROPOSED SH20 WATERVIEW TUNNEL TO BE BUILT AND RUN FOR PRIVATE PROFIT?
7PM WED 8 OCTOBER 2008, WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE, 740 SANDRINGHAM RD EXTN., MT ROSKILL
Do you agree with tolls for this tunnel? We already pay road and petrol taxes! Come along and support Public Ownership for for Public Services.
CASTING A VOTE WON¹T DEFEND US AGAINST ROAD PRIVATISING PLANS
Ordinary people across New Zealand have consistently said No - to all privatisations, including all public private partnerships (PPPs), for roads, and road tolls. In most recent consultations, the Auckland Road Pricing Evaluation Study, and tolls on SH20 to Waterview, Aucklanders have repeated the same resounding, No!
Much at stake for big business & the state
Their appetite for the $billions value of NZ¹s roads. A so-profitable, brand new industry. Lower taxes and rates for businesses and all their costs recovered via tax write-offs, increased prices and charges - as now and with GST and petrol taxes.
While the majority working class who can least afford to, are supposed to pay.
Profits taken by the UK form of PPPs, private finance initiative or PFIs, already total £50 billion; 700 PFI schools and hospitals at double the cost; investors profiting from 12 times what they invested (eg roading PFIs), up to astronomical projected dividends of £89 million pounds over 30 years, to rebuild a hospital, from a mere £100 invested.
Never mind how many times times we say no - plans continue...
Never mind the law that still says communities must consent, to be ripped off by road tolls. Plans for road pricing continue, starting with Auckland. Government has okayed a PPP on SH20 Waterview Tunnel, leased for up to 45 years of diverted spending from - competing - public transport, and mega-profits at our expense.
Casting a vote won¹t defend us against these plans made over our heads and against our wishes. Labour supports the interests of road privatisers, as do National and ACT. All other parliamentary parties voted with Labour only two months ago to re-endorse up to 45-year PPPs for roads, road tolls, and user pays extra petrol taxes as well.
COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE FIGHT BACK
In Sydney, mass boycott of the Cross City Tunnel bankrupted its consortium fast. People on the Isle of Skye battled for 9 years to get tolls off the Skye Bridge and succeeded in also outlawing road tolls throughout Scotland. On PPP projects across the world, construction workers struggle as usual for their rights against the even greater greed for profit that ordinary people face everywhere.
No-one else will do this for us. It¹s up to us ordinary people to defend what¹s left of our public resources and public services. Come to this meeting and take part in figuring out how we can organise to fight back.
Citizens Against Privatisation, 8.10.08 - capwaitakere@xtra.co.nz - rose28@woosh.co.nz
Info Ph 09 828 0238 0r 09 828 3727

NOMINATIONS CLOSE ON OCTOBER 31ST FOR THE 2008 ROGER AWARD.
You can send your nomination, and any supporting material, by 1/ Filling in the below form and e-mailing it to cafca@chch.planet.org.nz 2/ Or by sending it by snail mail to the Roger Award, Box 2258, Christchurch. The nomination form and full details about the Award, including past winners, Judges’ Reports, etc, can be accessed online at http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Roger/in...
Murray Horton, Secretary/Organiser , CAFCA, Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa, Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand. cafca@chch.planet.org.nz www.cafca.org.nz

HUMAN RIGHTS LECTURE SERIES
- the Centre for Continuing Education, in association with the United Nations Association of New Zealand, brings you three lectures looking at human rights in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the declaration. You may choose to attend individual lectures or register for the series. The fee is $27 per lecture or $67.50 for the series. A concession of $18 per lecture or $45 for the series is available to students and unwaged.
ENROLMENT FOR THE SERIES Class Number: 78063 Cost: $67.50 (International Fee $106.90), $45 Student/Unwaged
When: 3 sessions, Monday 6, 13 & 20 October, 7 - 9pm Where: Room 018, ClockTower Building No. 105, 22 Princes Street Click here for more information and to enrol for the series http://www.cce.auckland.ac.nz/cce/continuing/index.cfm?P=8548&ClassNumbe...
THE PLACE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN A GLOBALISED WORLD: THE UNIVERSALIST-RELATIVIST DEBATE IN THE 21ST CENTURY Mohsen al Attar LLB, LLM . Since the birth of human rights, a debate has raged between two camps. Universalists argue that rights should be regarded in exactly the same manner across the globe and thus criticise societies that do not follow the dominant Western model. Conversely, relativists maintain that cultures vary and that even fundamental human rights can be perceived differently from nation to nation; the one-size-fits-all model must give way to national autonomy. In this seminar, we will examine the place of this debate today. Are Asian values still a viable alternative to the universalist doctrine? Are First World feminists justified in challenging cultural practices that they perceive to undermine female autonomy in the Third World? What of the rebuttal of Third World feminists? How has globalisation and the 'neoliberal' Washington Consensus impacted our perception of socio-economic human rights and has the 'democratic socialist' Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela undermined this consensus? These issues, among others, will be discussed and debated.
Class Number: 78062 Cost: $27.00 (International Fee $40.15), $18.00 Student/Unwaged
When: 1 session, Monday 6 October, 7 - 9pm Where: Room 018, ClockTower Building No. 105, 22 Princes Street
Click here to enrol in this lecture only http://www.cce.auckland.ac.nz/cce/continuing/index.cfm?P=8548&ClassNumbe...
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LAW Kris Gledhill, BA, LLM,Margaret Bedggood, MA, LLB
This lecture will be in two parts as follows: Part one, Enhancing the protection of economic, social and cultural rights in Aotearoa New Zealand will be presented by Margaret Bedggood. This lecture will outline developments in the protection of economic, social and cultural rights in the last decade at international, regional and local level. It will then consider the situation in this country in the light of these developments and international norms and suggest ways in law and policy in which such rights can be better protected for various groups in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Part two entitled, Taking Human Rights Seriously: Key Developments in the Human Rights Framework will be presented by Kris Gledhill. This lecture will trace the key steps which have the potential for turning the fine ideals expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into a practical reality, emphasising the role of a committed international judiciary in this process. An assessment will be offered as to whether New Zealand's government - including its judiciary – takes its duties seriously.
Class Number: 78053, Cost: $27.00 (International Fee $40.15), $18.00 Student/Unwaged
When: 1 session, Monday 13 October, 7 - 9pm, Where: Room 018, ClockTower Building No. 105, 22 Princes Street
Click here to enrol in this lecture only http://www.cce.auckland.ac.nz/cce/continuing/index.cfm?P=8548&ClassNumbe...
"WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE": SEXUALITY, GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS Joy Liddicoat, LLM (HONS)
In this lecture we will examine current issues of sexuality, gender and human rights in New Zealand and the Pacific region. We will consider both human rights and development theory changes, including from "women in development", to "women and development", up to the present day theories of "gender and development." In doing so, Joy will draw on experiences from New Zealand and the region to critically reflect on sexuality, gender and human rights issues, seeking to provoke discussion on such questions as: What happened to women's human rights? Is gender still relevant? Can we talk about sex and human rights?
Class Number: 78079 Cost: $27.00 (International Fee $40.15), $18.00 Student/Unwaged When: 1 session, Monday 20 October, 7 - 9pm Where: Room 018, ClockTower Building No. 105, 22 Princes Street
Click here to enrol in this lecture only http://www.cce.auckland.ac.nz/cce/continuing/index.cfm?P=8548&ClassNumbe...

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Saturday, October 4, 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen St intersection, Downtown Shopping Centre
RALLY FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN PALESTINE On the First Saturday of Every Month. Come support JUSTICE and PEACE based on: 1. End 41 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank & Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem) ;
2. Right of Return for Palestinian Refugees. 3. Share Jerusalem. 4. Vacate all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine. 5. Stop Israel's annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine www.palestine.org.nz

Monday, October 6, 6.30PM, Maidment Theatre, Auckland University
BRUCE JESSON LECTURE: The Political Studies Department of the Faculty of Arts University of Auckland and The Bruce Jesson Foundation Invite you and your friends to the 2008 Bruce Jesson Lecture . Speaker: Mike Lee – “Strangers in the 21st Century”. Mike Lee, will survey the New Zealand political landscape in the light of Bruce Jesson's political legacy. New Zealanders have left behind the secure landmarks of the 20th century and are now into unknown territory. Have New Zealanders lost their way? Is a lack of national direction and awareness part of our social/political malaise? Mike Lee will discuss these issues and the question of NZ nationhood and examine again the case for constitutional change for New Zealand. A collection for donations to the Bruce Jesson Trust will be taken at the lecture.

Wednesday, October 8, 7pm, Wesley Community Centre, 740 Sandringham Rd Ext.
Do you want the proposed WATERVIEW TUNNEL MOTORWAY CONNECTION to be built and run for PRIVATE PROFIT? Do you agree with TOLLS for this tunnel? We already pay road and petrol taxes!! Come along and support PUBLIC OWNERSHIP for PUBLIC SERVICES. Info: Ph 828 0238 or 836 6389 Organised by Citizens against Privatisation

Friday, October 10, AUT Conferemnce Room WA224, AUT
The Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) annual media conference. You are cordially invited to attend
'Pac2theFuture'. This year's programme is varied and offers something for everyone. The cost: $10 individuals, $5 students, $50 organisations You can register on our website: http://www.pima.org.nz/ Please RSVP to info@pima.org.nz

Saturday, November 1, 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen St intersection, Downtown Shopping Centre
RALLY FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN PALESTINE On the First Saturday of Every Month. Come support JUSTICE and PEACE based on: 1. End 41 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank & Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem) ;
2. Right of Return for Palestinian Refugees. 3. Share Jerusalem. 4. Vacate all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine. 5. Stop Israel's annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine www.palestine.org.nz

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND
Battle in Seattle: Follow the link to watch a trailer for this soon to be released movie - big names include Charlize Theron. In November 1999, thousands of protestors took to the streets to take a stance against the World Trade Organistation. Among them are Django (Andre Benjamin), Lou (Michelle Rodriguez) and Jay (NZ's Martin Henderson). Ray Liotta plays the mayor of Seattle, and Charlize Theron his pregnant wife. For more information, visit http://www.flicks.co.nz/trailer.php?movieid=1302
Fonterra and the China milk scandal - too many unanswered questions
http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=5370&v...
John Minto: Fonterra has failed us all
http://www.businessday.co.nz/industries/agribusiness/4710249

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS
A Primer on Wall Street Meltdown by Walden Bello
http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/bello031008.html
Grand Theft America By Stephen Lendman - The crime of the century. The greatest one ever. Author Danny Schechter calls it "Plunder." The title of his important new book on the subprime and overall financial crisis. Economist Michael Hudson and others refer to a kleptocracy.
http://www.countercurrents.org/lendman290908.htm
We Have The Money- If Only We Didn't Waste It On The Defense Budget By Chalmers Johnson - On Wednesday, September 24th, right in the middle of the fight over billions of taxpayer dollars slated to bail out Wall Street, the House of Representatives passed a $612 billion defense authorization bill for 2009 without a murmur of public protest or any meaningful press comment at all. The New York Times gave the matter only three short paragraphs buried in a story about another appropriations measure
http://www.countercurrents.org/johnson290908.htm
Partly right about capitalism - Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, says that the financial world needs fresh scrutiny and regulation. In our attitude to the market, we run the risk of idolatry
http://www.spectator.co.uk/print/the-magazine/features/2172131/face-it-m...
HUMOUR: The Word - Ye of Little Faith
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/186456/september-...

AFGHANISTAN
Afghan ‘Dictator’ Proposed in Leaked Cable
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/world/asia/04afghan.html?_r=1&oref=slo...

BOLIVIA
Defeat of the Right by Immanuel Wallerstein
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/wallerstein031008.html

COLUMBIA
S.O.S. FROM UNIONS UNDER ATTACK - The ITUC has reported death threats made against Eberto Díaz, the general secretary of the agricultural workers union -- full details are here:
http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article2412
The UK-based Justice for Colombia has more details and suggestions for action:
http://www.justiceforcolombia.org/index.php?link=newsPage&story=438

FRANCE
‘Red postman’ knocks at Nicolas Sarkozy’s door - With the Socialists in disarray, a young firebrand is now the best opponent of the French president
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4641032.ece
Light on the Left Guides His Comrades Toward France’s Mainstream
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/world/europe/13france.html

PACIFIC
These items thank to the Pacific Media Centre http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/
TONGA: 'Atenisi launches new press and book honouring Princess Pilolevu By Josephine http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080927_Atenisi.shtml
FIJI: First local Fiji Times editor wins lifetime award
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080925_Kumar.shtml
FIJI: More wins for USP journalism in FAME 2008
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080923_USP-FAME.shtml
TAHITI: Justice Again Delayed for Sick Moruroa Workers
http://www.humanrights.net.nz/newsitems/Moruroa-workers-Sept-08
NZ: Masters students join PMC Pacific Media Centre, 22 September 2008
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080922_MastersStudents.shtml
REVIEW: Stimulating challenge over an overlooked news genre By Jeremy Rose http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080922_Review-MediaDev.shtml

PAKISTAN
Dueling partners: Pakistan and America - Journalist and author Tariq Ali speaks to Associate Editor Wajahat Ali about the state of Pakistani society and its complicated, ongoing relationship with the United States.
http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/n/2827/_

PALESTINE
Palestinian Economy: From Bad To Wretched By Ramzy Baroud - The numbers are grim, whether in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian economy is in one of its most wretched states, and the disaster is mostly, if not entirely manmade, thus reversible
http://www.countercurrents.org/baroud290908.htm

PHILIPPINES
Kidnap doco a reminder of journalism risks By Josephine Latu http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080927_doco.shtml
Kidnapping poses dilemmas for conflict zone reporters
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080926_kidnap.shtml

VENEZUELA
Statement by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network September 30, 2008 -- As a broad network of organisations and individuals that has closely studied the significant changes in Venezuelan society since 1998 – including organising eight study tours to Venezuela involving more than 150 Australians from diverse backgrounds -- we are obliged to respond to the biases, distortions and lies contained in the Human Rights Watch report /A Decade Under Chavez: Political Intolerance and Lost Opportunities for Advancing Human Rights in Venezuela/, released in September 2008. Full article at http://links.org.au/node/656