Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei marks the 40th anniversary of the Bastion Point eviction

And the land grabs continue….if you’re not up to speed with the shameful Bastion Point story here is a NZ OnScreen documentary … information you won’t have learned at school:

Bastion Point – The Untold Story

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Further you can read more at the waitangitribunal website:

The loss of the Orakei block

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Also, from ngatiwhatuaorakei’s website (go there for pertinent commemoration info):

BASTION POINT OCCUPATION TO BE COMMEMORATED ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Forty years ago, after 506 days of occupation, protesters faced off with members of the police, armed forces and the government over plans to build luxury housing on Ngāti Whātua ancestral land at Takaparawhau/Bastion Point, resulting in 222 arrests.

 

On Friday 25 May, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei will mark the 40th anniversary of what has been called a defining moment in New Zealand history.

READ MORE

http://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/bastion-point-40-years

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And from Scoop:

“Forty years ago, after 506 days of occupation, protesters faced off with members of the police, armed forces and the government over plans to build luxury housing on Ngāti Whātua ancestral land at Takaparawhau/Bastion Point, resulting in 222 arrests.”

On Friday 25 May, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei will mark the 40th anniversary of what has been called a defining moment in New Zealand history.

This year, the commemoration honours those who took part in the occupation; providing an opportunity to further reflect on the efforts of those who strove for Treaty settlement and a better future for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

The stand at Bastion Point is a prevailing benchmark for protest in Aotearoa, which led to the first successful retrospective claim hearing at the Waitangi Tribunal. It is a move that Joe Hawke, leader of the 1977 protest, has never regretted.

“I went onto the Point, not to invite an arrest, but to arrest a wrong, and 40 years on, all of Ngāti Whātua are benefiting from that stand”, he said.

Joe will be part of the events planned for Friday 25 May that commemorate that struggle, foster reconciliation and re-affirm Ngāti Whātua’s footprint on the land in Auckland.

 

READ MORE:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1805/S00099/bastion-point-occupation-to-be-commemorated.htm

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Help ‘Anti-corruption whistle-blower’ Penny Bright save her home by midnight 20 April! (DONATIONS PAGE NOW CLOSED)

To help stop the forced rating sale of my home by raising and holding $20,000 Auckland Council outstanding rates ‘in escrow’ with solicitor.

DONATE HERE

LINK TO VINNY EASTWOOD’S FB PAGE LIVE (until midnight 20th April)

I have until 24 April 2018, to get Auckland Council CEO Stephen Town to withdraw from the Auckland High Court, the forced Rating Sale proceedings against my home, or it will be sold.

Time is short.

This is only the second time ever that Auckland Council have applied for a forced Rating Sale against a freehold property.

In my opinion, I am being unfairly persecuted and prosecuted as an ‘Anti-corruption whistle-blower’, for my persistent and consistent efforts to help get full transparency and accountability in the spending of public monies on private sector consultants and contractors.

The amount I owe in outstanding rates, (excluding legal fees and penalties) is $20,000.

Altogether, I am seeking $21,000 on this Give A Little Page, $20,000 to cover outstanding rates (excluding legal fees and penalties), and $1000 to cover the Give A Little 5% service fee.

$21,000 is 2100 x $10

1050 x $20

525 x $40

420 x $50

210 x $100

105 x $200

42 x $500

21 x $1000

(The reason why I have set up this Give A Little page is because a number of people have asked me to do so, because they support my work and want to financially assist.

It has always been my intention to pay outstanding rates, but because I was broke, I would have been able to apply for rates postponement.

However, after an eleven year battle, it has never been my intention to apply for rates postponement, until the ‘job was finished’ and the following details of awarded contracts were available for public scrutiny.)

If I can raise this outstanding $20,000 rates money, and have it sitting ‘in escrow’ (in trust) in the HENDERSON REEVES CONNELL RISHWORTH TRUST ACCOUNT that will help apply more pressure for these forced Rating Sale proceedings to be withdrawn, and for the following details of awarded contracts to be published on the websites of Auckland Council and Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), so they are available for public scrutiny:

* The unique contract number.

* The name of the consultant /contractor.

* A brief description of the scope of the contract.

* Contract start and finish dates.

* The exact dollar value of each and every contract, including those sub-contracted.

* How the contract was awarded, by direct appointment or public tender.

The close off day for this Give A Little Page will be 12pm Friday 20 April 2018.

As soon as the $21,000 is raised – I will close this page.

BACKGROUND:

Since 2007, I have disputed and refused to pay first Auckland City Council, then Auckland Council rates, because of the lack of transparency in Council spending on private sector consultants and contractors – their continuing failure to fully comply with the NZ Public Records Act 2005, section 17:

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/latest/DLM345729.html

17 Requirement to create and maintain records

(1) Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.

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Back in 2010, while I was disputing and refusing to pay Auckland City Council rates, I received a ‘Good Citizen’s Award from the Auckland City Council Eden/Albert Community Board, for fighting to help stop water privatisation and for more transparency in Council contracting.

However, under Auckland Council, my ‘reward’ (not that I choose to do this for ‘reward’) – is to force the sale of my freehold home?

I’ve now attended seven International Anti-Corruption Conferences, and was last year invited to, and attended the 2017 World Justice Project International Rule of Law Forum at The Hague, so I have developed a good understanding of the corruption risks in contracting out public services to private sector consultants and contractors, and I have offered to help Auckland Council and CCOs to finish the job and fully and accurately ‘open the books’.

New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be ‘the least corrupt country in the world’, according to the 2017 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’, so arguably we should be the most transparent. But we don’t know exactly where billion$ of dollars are now being spent on the contracting out of so many Council services that used to be provided ‘in house’ by directly employed staff under the ‘public service’ not commercialised/ privatised model.

DONATE HERE

MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE HERE.

https://www.ourplanet.org/greenplanetfm/penny-bright-anti-corruption-campaigner

and

https://www.ourplanet.org/greenplanetfm/penny-bright-is-new-zealand-really-one-of-the-least-corrupt-countries-in-the-world

OTHER ACTION:

A petition to Mayor Phil Goff to ‘Halt the forced sale of Penny Bright’s house’

www.toko.org.nz/petitions/halt-the-forced-sale-of-penny-bright-s-house

Funds raised will go towards the $20,000 in outstanding Auckland Council rates to be paid once ‘the books are open’. In any event monies collected for outstanding Auckland Council Rates, will be paid by the 20th April 2019 – it will be held in escrow till this time. In the meantime I will continue to work with Auckland Council and CCOs to help ensure the above mentioned details of awarded contracts are available for public scrutiny.

Important notice re TPPA ‘consultation’ meetings by MFAT

If you want to slide something under the public radar, do it just before Christmas, a time worn tactic. Important info here on meetings being conducted around NZ on TPPA which by my recollection was a no go for the new government/corporation that let’s face it isn’t really new… please share this info from It’s Our Future       EnvirowatchRangitikei

Our Government and MFAT may think that trying to keep Auckland’s meeting under wraps, and only visiting a small amount of cities is transparent consultation, we don’t. Kia ora koutou This week David Parker and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) are leading a series of meetings around the country to discuss the TPPA. The meetings  kicked off in Dunedin last night, Auckland tonight, Tauranga tomorrow and Hamilton on Thursday see here for more details. In collaboration with The Daily Blog, It’s Our Future is able to livestream tonight’s Auckland meeting. The meeting starts at 6pm and runs through until 7.30pm. The Daily Blog will be hosting the livestream which you will be able to find here. Please share the link out through your networks. Our Government and MFAT may think that trying to keep Auckland’s meeting under wraps, and only visiting a small amount of cities is transparent consultation, we don’t. But we think a livestream of the meeting adds a bit more transparency to the process. Nga mihi nui Chantelle Campbell It’s Our Future Co-coordinator

‘Goodbye to our bees’ – DOC spraying herbicide on Auckland maunga in suburb which paid $50K to be chemical free

Surprized? Our Department of Conservation appears to do anything but conserve. The lovers of 1080 that’s poisoning our entire ecosphere is very fond of glyphosate as well. Our DCs also slather it over everything, roadsides, berms, parks you name it. As always any mention of WHO’s concern it may cause cancer is totally ignored. Clean and green? I don’t think so. Check out our Glyphosate pages for more info on that. (Main menu)
EnvirowatchRangitikei

 

From tvnz.co.nz
An historic Auckland maunga is being sprayed with chemical herbicides to the dismay of surrounding residents who paid $50,000 in rates to keep their parks and reserves chemical free.

The chemical weed spraying measures are being undertaken on North Head mountain in Devonport, on Auckland’s North Shore, which is an historic battlement containing barracks, tunnels and gun emplacements, dating back to 1885.

North Head, otherwise known as Maungauika, is under the management of the Department of Conservation (DOC), who rent offices there, and for the duration of November will be spraying glyphosate, commercially known as Roundup, to combat kikuyu grass.

However, this chemical spraying flies in the face of an initiative which the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board region signed up to last year to pay Auckland Council $50,000 to not use chemical weed sprays in their local board region.

The catch is, the North Head maunga does not fit under the jurisdiction of Auckland Council, and the DOC can spray chemical weed sprays on North Head if they choose.

Department of Conservation sign on the North Head entrance gates notifying of the November chemical weed spraying.

Devonport locals irritated

Local residents on the Devonport Locals Facebook Group are suspicious and irritated about the practice.

“Always was chemical free in Devonport. Growl – naughty DOC,” Gail Ferrif Griffin wrote.

“DOC seem to have a problem with chemical abuse!” Ian Haley wrote.

READ MORE

 

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/goodbye-our-bees-doc-spraying-herbicide-auckland-maunga-in-suburb-which-paid-50k-chemical-free

Is NZ really one of the least corrupt countries in the world? What you need to know about your District Councils’ modus operandi – a revealing ‘must listen’ interview with Penny Bright

If, like myself, you’ve pondered at the current vagaries concerning our local District Councils, you need to hear this interview. Penny Bright asks the hard questions and like a dog with a bone, standing up for the marginalized, she won’t be sidelined. She expounds on her discoveries on the local governance front and what’s really been going on behind the scenes, away from public scrutiny. When you’ve listened, take a look at our Agenda 21/2030 in NZ pages on similar topic. See also our Local Govt Watch pages (main menu). They’re all related. All things became corrupted with Rogernomics and the big corporate switch that happened back then.
EnvirowatchRangitikei

 

From ourplanet.org

In this interview anti-privatisation and anti-corruption whistle-blower, Penny Bright, talks on issues around the three Cs – Corruption, Contractocracy, and Corporate Welfare, as well as issues around the private procurement model for public services.

Penny says the root cause of most corruption is privatisation. She asks why the Public Records Act is not being fully implemented and enforced in New Zealand.

If New Zealand is truly ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ – shouldn’t we arguably be the most transparent?

She says public transport is not public, and asks what the implications are of a fuel tax.

Penny has been involved in opposing the Tamaki ‘Regeneration’ project and speaks about dubious government and private dealings there.

She talks on the murdered Maltese investigative journalist who exposed the Panama Papers and has found some disturbing New Zealand connections.

Penny also speaks on State Capture, where private interests significantly influence the government’s decision-making processes to their own advantage.”

INTERNATIONAL RULE OF LAW FORUM

Penny Bright, was invited as a NZ ‘Rule of Law’ expert, together with nearly 300 attendees from 75 countries to the 2017 World Justice Project International Rule of Law Forum at The Hague. There she informed the delegates that New Zealand is a “Corrupt, polluted tax haven.

She says, “My political ‘bombshell’ was about NZ’s corruption REALITY, and

in my opinion, New Zealand is a ‘corrupt, polluted tax haven – a banana republic without the bananas’.

READ MORE & LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW:

https://www.ourplanet.org/greenplanetfm/penny-bright-is-new-zealand-really-one-of-the-least-corrupt-countries-in-the-world?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=penny_bright#.WgTYN22RrZk.facebook

The Crown owned Tamaki Regeneration Co. EVICTS 5 grieving children 3 wks after their mother’s death – a not uncommon occurrence we’re told

Since first publishing this, I’ve read several times in social media that this kind of eviction is not uncommon. In a recent post a woman said she has seen a family handed an eviction notice PRIOR to the grieving family’s arrangement of the tāngi of their loved one! This is about as low as one can go. This current post describes the delivery of an eviction notice … and the company has apologized since (having been caught out I suspect) however if there are more experiencing this then it clearly wasn’t a one-off blunder by rogue staff.  Bear in mind also the information that’s come to light from Auckland’s anti corruption activist Penny Bright’s info about the Nats land banking state homes in Tamaki since 2012 to make way for private mansions. If anybody reading this has been similarly evicted, please feel free to add the info (anonymously or otherwise) in comments. Stay tuned as I’ll update this as I hear more.

A young Tamaki family of five aged 12 to 25 were issued an eviction notice with only three weeks to pack up their entire household. This came just three weeks after their mother passed away in their arms following a short illness. The family had lived in their home for ten years. The letter addressed to their mother (then deceased) and hand delivered to the children by the landlord’s employees of Tamaki Housing, who declined the invitation to come in and discuss the notice, is cold hearted and to the point, covering such ‘essentials’ as, leaving the property clean and tidy and emphasizing that other tenants needed the house.

Great stuff Nats. With the devolution of your once caring Housing NZ to this corporate entity, you can really bare your sharp teeth at the bereaved and vulnerable.  Your other corporation WINZ is driving people to suicide. Quite a legacy you’re leaving us.

Photo/letter credit: RadioNZ, supplied by family

You can read the full story here:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/336310/children-told-to-leave-state-house-after-mother-s-death

The appalling treatment this family has received at the hands of this company contrasts somewhat from the profile presented on their website that promises to focus on:

“… delivering an innovative tenancy management approach based on supporting successful tenancies and being responsive to social housing tenants’ needs. THA works alongside Tamaki Regeneration Company (TRC) and other partners to make a positive difference to the lives of our tenants.”

You may be interested to know as per above quote, that Tamaki Housing in a Google search comes up alternatively as Tamaki Regeneration:

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Contact Us | Tamaki Regeneration

http://www.tamakiregeneration.co.nz/contact-us

Complaints. Formal complaints must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged within two working days of receipt. TRC will respond to complaints within 15 …

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Tamaki Regeneration, Crown owned, featured recently here in an article supplied by Penny Bright, activist and independent candidate for Tamaki.

Tamaki Redevelopment Company Ltd’s Crown Shareholders Nick Smith & Bill English

Penny outlines the history of this company and its part in what she believes is the gentrification of Tamaki by property developers. She says in effect that Tamaki Regeneration is:

“… forcing poor people – ‘State tenants’ off prime real estate to make way for private mansions for the wealthy … “

In light of what has happened with this family, this appears correct. In her article she outlines the scam regarding the two companies known as Tamaki Redevelopment Company Ltd, and Tamaki Regeneration Ltd. A must read.

Read her article here:

https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/2017/06/17/the-nats-have-been-land-banking-tamaki-state-homes-on-prime-real-estate-since-2012-clearing-out-the-poor-to-make-way-for-private-mansions/

You may also like to read Bryan Bruce’s take on this incident, who first drew my attention to this article. Below the RadioNZ article he posts (that featured here) several people have commented that this treatment of its tenants by Tamaki Housing is not unusual. A common occurrence apparently. They’ve since withdrawn the eviction … for now … cold comfort for these five young people who still have no guarantee they can stay.

In conclusion, all I can say is this is just about as low as any government could go. Remember they (rather the corporation/govt they work for) owns the said housing company. I figured the death of two homeless men in the cold of Auckland’s streets was bad enough … this adds further to the outright ugliness of neo-liberal economics and how it really works for the rich while screwing over the poor. Shame on you Nats.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

 

To Auckland people – important meeting with Health Minister on fluoridation and health supplements! 14th June Browns Bay

Important information from Vinny Eastwood

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman is pushing 2 major rafts of legislation, “Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Bill” which would be better termed “The Mass fluoridation of public water by stealth bill.”
Plus, “The Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill” which is basically “The ban natural vitamins and give big pharma a monopoly bill”.

Coleman’s having a public meeting at The Marine Center in Browns Bay, 7pm Wednesday The 14th Of June to discuss public health.
We need HUGE amounts of people to turn up!
Many health freedom advocates and people with vaccine injured children are already planning to attend so they can tell their stories and speak out against the dangers of vaccines.
Let’s hope as many people as possible who are opposed to Fluoride come along as well!

The Marine center On Google Maps: https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Browns+Bay+Marine+Centre/@-36.7…!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x6d0d3a5c279e922f:0xbc6bb1c81ef1a3a2!2sBeachfront+Ln,+Browns+Bay,+Auckland+0630!3b1!8m2!3d-36.7146804!4d174.7489504!3m4!1s0x0:0x6822ea6b9df9fb91!8m2!3d-36.7133585!4d174.7492768

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Kapiti Coast DC’s sham consultation – see LG’s definition of consultation, it’s not what you think

More (what I call) dodgy District Council goings on here, and just down the line. To learn what LG’s definition of ‘consultation’ is go to this link: https://issuu.com/contrafed/docs/lg_dec_1612_issuu/24 It differs somewhat from the person on the street’s I’d say.

Waikanae Watch

As was observed in several posts last year, the council’s bureaucratic elite spends huge amounts of Ratepayers’ money on expensive outside consultants, usually Auckland based.  Their ideas are then turned into plans and pursued.  Period.

There are multiple ‘consultation’ documents on different topics released each year, full of expensively produced fancy graphics, because there is a requirement under the Local Government Act (see this post) that the public are consulted.  But it’s apparent that the most that can be expected from this process is minor tweaking. The substance will remain unchanged.

What happens after tens of millions of dollars are squandered on useless projects?  No problem, they’ll just tax the Ratepayers even more to repeat that. In the ten years from 2006 to 2016 our own Rates including the water charges went up 61% — general inflation in that same time was 20%.  A real increase of 41%.

What…

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The Death of Our Welfare State People…A Tetraplegic NZ Mother, Partner & Child are Homeless & Living in a Van

Our corrupt leaders are selling off our housing stock & have no intention of helping the needy. Our country is in fact a corporation run on a business model & it’s open slather for Key & his rich banking mates. While this disabled woman languishes in a van in Auckland he is hanging out in his $5.6 million LUXURY PAD in Hawaii, just ONE of many homes he has. See the depths we’ve sunk to? There are 30K+ empty homes in Auckland owned by offshore speculators, thanks to the current establishment. They have even required cancer sufferers to look for work. This woman had to prove she was looking for a house. Why wouldn’t she be? They are shedding all pretense of caring now and slowly dismantling the welfare state people. You just don’t matter any more.
EnvirowatchRangitikei

Tetraplegic mum, her partner and 4-year-old live in a van

stuff.co.nz

Aucklander Tracey Penny has slept “tetris-style” with her partner and young daughter in a van since early December.

The 28-year-old’s legs dangle limply, bedsores have infected a hip joint, and her back is held together with broken metal that grinds her bones in the night.

Penny has been a tetraplegic since she was hit by a car as a toddler.

Photo: DAVID WHITE/ FAIRFAX NZ 

Tetriplegic Tracey Penny’s partner Apera Wilson lifts her into the family’s van, where they sleep alongside 4-year-old Wikitoria.

Every morning she wakes up, assesses her pain, and counts her blessings, which do not include the Ministry of Social Development’s treatment of her situation.

On the waiting list for a wheelchair-friendly state house for over a year, Penny lived with her mother until the pair fell out in October 2016. She applied for emergency accommodation through WINZ, who put her, her partner, and child up in a motel.

They cut that funding after three weeks because Penny hadn’t been searching for a private rental.

“They told me that since I couldn’t prove I’d been looking, I’d have to move to a backpackers hostel,” she said.

Appalled by the idea, the family packed up their belongings and moved into a van instead.

 

 READ MORE

RELATED:

* South Auckland cancer sufferer forced to live in van with family
* Waiting list for Nelson state housing doubled last year
* Rehab is not enough for teen trainee-jockey turned tetraplegic 

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/88811571/tetraplegic-mum-her-partner-and-4yearold-live-in-a-van

What is the Agenda behind Agenda 21?

Officially, “Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up …. Read more https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&nr=23&type=400

Click to enlarge

There is however a side to Agenda 21 that is little known. Already implemented in four NZ Councils, it is:

…  an action plan implemented worldwide to inventory and control all land, all water, all minerals, all plants, all animals, all construction, all means of production, all energy, all education, all information, and all human beings in the world (Rosa Koire)

Rosa Koire wrote ‘Behind the Green Mask: U.N. Agenda 21’, a book that exposes the true agenda of the Sustainable Development movement if you like. Sustainable development (the other term Agenda 21 is known by) as a concept, a plan, an aspiration, is definitely a good thing, there’s no doubt about that, however those who initiated this agenda, have in mind something very different, and something not all of its proponents are aware of. There are other folks who have discovered this agenda and are also speaking up about it including former Australian politician Anne Bressington … read more & view videos here:

https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/agenda-21/