Posted on 16-9-2003

What's On Sept03

Wellington

SOCIAL FORUM AOTEAROA ( message from the Wellington organising group) The
next Meeting of the Social Forum Aoteatroa will be at 2:00 Thursday Sept.
18th at Te Wananga O Aotearoa Porirua. It will be an important meeting and
we hope all posible will attend. We can confirm that we have 14
organisations and presenters from New Zealand, Solomon Islands and
Australia on topics including human rights, the global economy,peace and
justice, participatory democracy, the environment, the union movement,
local economic development, welfare, and more. There will be entertainment,
videos and movies. Topics will indeed extend from the very local to the
global picture.

We are happy to receive proposals for other presentations and in addition
there will space and time set aside for those who show up at the forum with
their own idea for a workshop. You can register on line at our web site
www.socialforum.org.nz. When registering please consider making a financial
donation to meeet the costs of the Forum. We also have a 0800 service
thanks to Te Wananga O Aotearoa and you can also register by phoning 0800
808 345.

We have established local contacts in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
who will also provide asistance and registration services. These contacts are:
Auckland Mike Treen , Global Peace and Justice , 09 361 6989, 021 254 7440
Wellington, Nick Henry, Peace Action Wellington, 04
Christchurch, Nate Cull, Peace Action Network - phone 03 981 5178

Auckland

Wednesday, September 17, 7pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn
"The crisis facing the NZ health system and solutions needed" Open forum
led by Dr barry Gribben. Sponsored by Central Auckland Alliance Party.
Contact 3763780.

Wednesday, September 17, 7.30pm, Western Springs Garden Complex, 990 Great
North Rd, Western Springs PUBLIC MEETING ON DETENTION OF AHMED ZAOUI
Speakers include: Paul Buchanan (Auckland University), Bishop Robin Leamy
SM, Amnesty International, Umarji Mohammed & Reps of the Algerian
Community. Ahmed Zaoui is a democratically elected member of the Algerian
parliament who was forced to flee Algeria following a military takeover. He
arrived in NZ seeking safety and justice, instead he has spent nine months
in solitary confinement without being charged and despite being officially
declared to be a refugee - he may yet be returned to Algeria where he faces
torture and death. Organised by Friends of Ahmed Zaoui, for more info
contact email friendsofzaoui@yahoo.co.nz

Sunday, September 21, 2pm, Rationalist House, 64 Symonds St. Auckland City,
(opposite top of Wakefield St.) Hear the CUBAN AMBASSADOR SPEAK on Cuba's
internationalism and the Cuban Five. We are honoured to have Miguel Angel
Ramirez, Cuba's ambassador to New Zealand, who is based in Indonesia, visit
Auckland. He is here as a guest of Te Wananga O Aotearoa, the Te
Awamutu-based tertiary institute which is launching an adult literacy
initiative with the assistance of the Cuban government. Miguel Angel
Ramirez will speak on issues facing Cuba today. This includes the case of
the Cuban Five, five Cuban patriots falsely convicted and jailed on charges
of espionage, who were in Miami monitoring the counter-revolutionary
terrorist groups there in order to prevent future violence against the
Cuban people. Sponsored by the Auckland Cuba Friendship Society,
phone Janet, 525-5412, or Malcolm, 276-2054 P.O. Box 6716, Wellesley St,
Auckland

Monday, September 22, 3.30pm, ARC Office, Cnr Pitt and Hopetoun Streets,
Central City PICKET TO SUPPORT ARC RATES BOYCOTT outside ARC meeting

Wednesday, September 24, 11-30am to 12-30pm, outside WINZ, Queen Street
PICKET AGAINST THE JOBS JOLT - Jobs Jolt is a Government initiative that
attacks the civil rights of beneficiaries; it removes the exemption for
55-50 year olds from having to seek work; threatens to cut benefits from
those who move to country areas; will drug test some job applicants; and
pressurises DPB, and some invalids and sickness beneficiaries with
intensive case management. Its effect will be to put more people onto the
labour market, and hence a reduction of wages, without making any more jobs
available. It is an intimidatory form of beneficiary bashing which affects
workers and beneficiaries alike! Picket from. Organised by members of
Unite. For more info tel 021 268 5978, email dpb_action@yahoo.co.nz

Wednesday, September 24, 7-30pm at St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street,
Ponsonby (entrance and parking at the rear). TIME TO ACT FOR WEST PAPUA!
screening of 'The Act of Free Choice', followed by discussion about the
next steps in the Aotearoa Free West Papua campaign, recent documentary
footage about the Timika Freeport mine murders, and tea / coffee; For more
info contact Kevin McBride, Pax Christi Aotearoa NZ, tel (09) 377 5541,
Maire Leadbeater, Indonesia Human Rights Committee, tel (09) 815 9000, or
David Tutty, Catholic Justice and Peace Office, tel (09) 360 3037.

Saturday, September 27, 7.30pm, Meeting House, The Religious Society of
Friends (Quakers), 113 Mt.Eden Road. "MURDER IN RHE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE", A
one-woman show by Barbara Thompson. The performer, Barbara Thompson, a
Quaker, wrote both the music and the play which she has presented many
times in Australia and New Zealand. This is her first performance in
Auckland, and she comes to us highly recommended. The evening will actually
commence at 6pm with a Shared Meal at which everyone is welcome on a bring
a plate basis. Admission is $5 or more if people wish as all proceeds will
go to our Quaker Peace and Service Work in Iraq.

Ongoing to 4 October, Awha ka Uta." At Te Taumata Gallery, 124 Symonds
Street, City. 'Te Waiora E' - Environmental Justice and the Sustenance of
Traditional Maori Cultures, an "exhibition by 5 artists from Kawerau who
are standing up against huge multinational corporations in defence of the
waters and the earth we all share. Representing the tribal areas of Te
Arawa, Ngati Awa, Tuwharetoa -Ki-Kawerau and Tuhoe, they have created an
art exhibition that challenges Maori and NZ citizens to protect the seas,
rivers and other waters contained within the land of Aotearoa. Te Waiora E
will also feature at this year's Maori Expo on September 11 alongside John
Miller's photographic installation, For more info contact Mere Takoko, tel
(09) 358 0608 or email tag@mwdi.co.nz

Monday, October 6, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA
FORUM: Anna Weekes on "THE APARTHEID WALL" and Jane Kelsey on "WHY THE WTO
TALKS COLLAPSED". Anna Weekes, is currently with the Palestine Solidarity
Committee of South Africa (http://psc.za.org) and the International Womens
Peace Service to Palestine (www.womenspeacepalestine.org). Before this she
was a trade unionist in South Africa for the past 7 years, in the SA
Municipal Workers Union which was fighting privatisation of water by French
multinationals. She's also active in the social movements of South Africa,
namely the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign (www.antieviction.org.za).
Jane Kelsey is a Professor of Law at Auckland University and was a
participant in the peoples protests in Cancun against corporate globalisation.

Saturday, October 11, 12 noon, Bottom of Queen St, Downtown Mass protest to
demand the extension of the GE moratorium