Eastland Port is planning to carry out substantial construction work to expand their port in Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa Gisborne. This includes further reclamation of reef and ocean space near the river mouth and more dredging with disposal of materials to the off shore disposal ground located within the bay.(1) These proposed works would create further loss of habitat for taonga species, fail to respect significant cultural values and will distort a precious historical site of Aotearoa New Zealand. The species currently occupying this area are Kororā (little blue penguin), Toreā (oystercatcher), Taranui (caspian tern), Matuku Moana (white faced heron), Kāruhiruhi (pied shag), Kawaupaka (little shag), Tākapu (gannet), Karoro (black backed gull), Kōtare (kingfisher), Kekeno (fur seal), Whai (stingray), Kōura (crayfish), Kākahi (fresh water mussel), Pāpaka nui (purple rock crab), Kina (sea urchin), Manaia (seahorse) to name a few. Orca whales also feed from the reef with their young at certain times of the year. Previous construction work by Eastland Port destroyed an estimated 35 to 70 kororā (little blue penguin) nests during the breeding season in 2021. The habitat was located within the rock wall where the port carried out demolition and reclamation.(2) The consent granted to Eastland Port was a Limited notification which didn't allow for Public Submissions. The site of the proposed works is described as nationally and internationally significant to our country. A natural reef formation used by ancestors of Māori as a landing point dating back many centuries ago. The landing entrance later saw an arrival of Europeans. Kaiti Beach represents a significant historical site used by both our Māori and Pākehā ancestors. In the words of Dame Anne Salmond: “The foreshore of the Tūranaganui River is one of the world’s great voyaging sites. It is the landing place of the Horouta canoe, celebrating the achievements of the Polynesian star navigators. It is the place where Captain James Cook and his companions first came ashore in New Zealand, heralding the traditions of European exploration and discovery. It is the site where Tupaia, the Ra’iatean high priest navigator who sailed with Cook, first met Māori, marking the links between local people and their ancestral homelands. It is a meeting place of cultures, of challenges and shootings, as well as friendly exchanges. Here Captain Cook and a local man saluted each other with a hongi on Te Toka-a-Taiau, the first greeting between a Māori and a European. It is a sacred site for all New Zealanders, to be celebrated with pride and treated with dignity."(3) In the words of Sir Derek Lardelli: Te Toka-a-Taiau, the rock of Taiau, Te Pito o Te Ao, is the core of our universe, a Tairawhiti perspective Ko Te Toka-a-Taiau, Te herenga o ngā wai mai te hononga o ngā rua Te Toka-a-Taiau is the spiritual gathering place of our ancestors Ko Te Toka-a-Taiau, Te whakatinanatanga o te whakapapa We are the kaitiaki guardians of this very sacred site and Te Toka-a-Taiau is the physical reminder of our commitment to the land, the people and our environment Ko Te Toka-a-Taiau he mauri tipua Te Toka-a-Taiau is the spiritual essence of our ancestors Ko te Toka-a-Taiau he mauri tawhito Te Toka-a-Taiau is a spiritual essence from ancient times He mauri no te kukunetanga mai i Hawaiki The spiritual essence from the origins of time and the spiritual homeland of Hawaiki Mauritū nei hei ahurewa tapu That stands as a sacred alter Mauritū nei hei tūāhu tapu That stands as the launching pad of our destiny"(3) We believe all people of Aotearoa New Zealand would consider this a significant piece of history and we need to protect the area from further disruption and modification. We ask you to join us in saying “Enough!” to Eastland Port and Gisborne District Council. Join us in calling for the protection of this natural environment, a life source, a habitat of taonga species, a significant piece of history connecting each of us to our identity. We must protect it for future generations so they can connect to their history. This is our chance Aotearoa New Zealand, let's stand together, side by side to give this area the respect and dignity it deserves. Let it be your time in history to help shape this moment and move us all forward in an ethical direction to let the healing begin. Thank you for your time and consideration in signing this petition. This petition will be used as evidence for public support to deny the consent application submitted by Eastland Port. References: 1. https://www.gdc.govt.nz/consents-and-licenses/notified-consents/notified-consents/Eastland-port-limited 2. Recommendations for penguin management for the Waikahua seawall project at Eastland Port (December 2021). Dr. John Cockrem. https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20211223/seawall-deadly-for-korora/ 3. The Tūranganui River; A Brief History (October 2006). Michael Spedding. Articles: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126798579/little-penguins-left-dead-injured-and-homeless-after-seawall-rebuild-in-gisborne https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20211022/penguin-alert-locals-urged-to-keep-an-eye-out-after-korora-little-blue-pen/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/local-news/20211027/call-hotline-first-regarding-wildlife-concerns-or-findings-department-of-c/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/local-news/20211028/port-stops-work-pending-search-for-penguin-nests/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20211202/rallying-for-korora/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20211223/seawall-deadly-for-korora/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20220108/penguin-safety-fears/ https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/local-news/editors-pick/20220603/taking-care-of-penguin-business/

We have an opportunity to honour the people who have contributed to our nation and showcase more symbols that truly represent us as Aotearoa. We have so many people in our country's history that have paved the way for us to be where we are today and how we will be in the future. This is in opportunity to acknowledge and recognise their hard work. We also have so many symbols that are important to us. From trees like the pōhutukawa to plants like harakeke to birds like the huia, all of these and so much more reflect who we are as a country. Our currency is one of the most public and identifiable things in our country, let’s make our money reflect Aotearoa! Right now, our coins and $20 note features the British monarchy who will never live in our country, let alone represent us. This is why we are calling on the Reserve Bank to replace the British monarchy references in the next redesign of coins and notes for our country with people and symbols that represent the country we love. References: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/300683373/what-happens-now-to-new-zealands-coins-and-bank-notes https://www.renews.co.nz/why-im-respecting-but-not-mourning-queen-elizabeths-iis-death-opinion/?fbclid=IwAR3Cmr7SB3MoVzIHdPKsGeGet08sVPznSe8-sfg9sQT05mZ2GZI7Qn4E788

Incinerators Pollute Our Air, Land and Water Waste-to-energy incinerators produce outputs in the form of air emissions, ash, and liquid effluent that are all highly contaminated with toxic substances. Incinerator toxins falling back to land are regularly washed into waterways where they combine with leachate from hazardous waste landfills. These contaminants poison fish and other aquatic life as they flow through our streams and rivers into our harbours and eventually into our oceans. These toxins have the potential to enter our food chain at every stage of their journey to the sea. The burning of plastics, tyres and household rubbish is more polluting than coal as a source of electricity. This incinerator threatens Aotearoa New Zealand’s wider efforts to decarbonise the entire energy sector. Environmental impact from this waste-to-energy incinerator: - Te Awamutu would become a net waste importer. In 2020-2021, the Waipā District sent 27,000 tonnes of rubbish to landfill. This is approximately 74 tonnes/per day. This application would allow for up to 480 tonnes of waste per day to be burnt. This means, at a minimum, GCS could import up to 406 tonnes of additional waste into the community per day. Te Awamutu would be exposed to toxic emissions related to the burning of other regions’ rubbish. - Generate approximately 23 tonnes of toxic ash per day, including 2 tonnes of highly contaminated fly ash. This extremely toxic material will need to be dumped in special hazardous waste landfills. - Emit cancer-causing dioxins and furans, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury and particulate matter that would impact human health as well as contaminate the surrounding land and Mangapiko stream that is immediately next to the proposed site. - Have a carbon footprint many times greater than the same amount of waste being sent to landfill - there is 150 kilo tons per year of CO equivalent (CO2e) from the combustion itself. - Incinerators release greenhouse gases - for each tonne of waste burnt, up to 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced. This will impact on Aotearoa New Zealand’s carbon footprint and progress towards achieving the targets agreed to in the Paris Agreement. Effects on the local Te Awamutu community The waste-to-energy incinerator: - will run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year - be right next door to a residential neighbourhood and schools, and be situated almost entirely in a floodplain area - will effect the health and well-being of residents living in the vicinity of the waste-to-energy incinerator - will use Racecourse Road as the access point for all of the rubbish trucks, this road is lined with residential houses on one side of the street meaning an increase in noise and vibration from the increase in traffic and trucks delivering rubbish to the waste-to-energy incinerator - will expose residents to odour nuisance and cancer-causing dioxins released into the air - will endanger the wider community by increasing impacts of climate change and taking Aotearoa New Zealand further away from the climate change targets it needs to achieve - will source municipal solid waste from the region, this means Te Awamutu could become a dumping ground for waste from as far north as Hampton Downs and as far South as Taupo - will be burning tyres that will be sourced from all around Aotearoa New Zealand - may adversely affect land-values of neighbouring properties - be the first waste-to-energy incinerator in Aotearoa New Zealand. Incinerators are being shut down around the world - Europe closed its last mixed solid waste-fed plant in Germany (the Burgau plant) in 2015 due to climate and safety considerations. Denmark plans to cut its incinerator capacity by 30% (closing 7 incinerators) over the next decade, otherwise they can't meet their climate change targets. Other plants are failing due to technical/engineering issues. In February two further plants in the United Kingdom alone closed due to technical failure. In order to deliver an adequate return on investment for waste-to-energy incinerators, a guaranteed specific volume of continual waste is needed for efficient operation. This directly undermine local and national efforts to minimise waste by ‘locking in’ waste production. CONCLUSION It is hard to overstate what a disastrous proposal this is. Central government has not been willing to help communities to stop these dangerous polluting proposals. Collective action is our only avenue to keep incinerators out of Aotearoa New Zealand. Please take a few minutes to share this petition today - because your actions do make a difference to the decision-making process. Incinerators destroy the progress we have already made. While we accept that waste is a problem, we know that incinerators are not the answer. Regenerate not incinerate, to create jobs, and invigorate a zero waste circular economy. To help achieve this goal, we hope you will join us in opposing the waste-to-energy incinerator proposal. This is conforming to Climate Change Chaos - further supporting more Oil and Gas extraction and promoting pollution. Waipā needs less archaic colonial waste structures of incineration, but leadership and investment in Waste for a cleaner Waipā. For further information, please join our Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1002070993783725. Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata - when the land is well the people are well.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/724792566 Puketiti is historic land at the heart of the Ōpua community. This land was used as a strategic lookout by Pumuka and his people and as such, is a vital taonga to mana whenua. Imagine Pumuka scanning the Bay from the lookout. He would have extensive views up the Waikare Inlet, out towards the Black rocks and over the sea to the many visible Pa sites. He would see hundreds of waka transporting people and supplies across the water. Puketiti is a destination. A prominent destination for cyclists and walkers. A safe destination in a tsunami as evidenced in 2021. A perfect lookout to celebrate Matariki and our New Zealand history. A place for future generations to learn and be creative while surrounded by panoramic land and sea views, nature and history. If we do not act now this precious land covered in trees planted by past generations of school children, will be flattened, developed and turned into 17 premium residential sections. Puketiti and the lookout will be no more. I am in no doubt that the underhand way this land was sold was a purposeful act intending to mislead and undermine the Ōpua community and mana whenua. Secrecy appears to have been required to obtain resource consent for the building sites. Without the secrecy, I am certain that this project would have been stopped in its infancy. ‘Save Ōpua’s Soul’ (S.O.S.) is a group of concerned local residents who feel very strongly about the current loss of this land, the total lack of respect shown to mana whenua and the skulduggery surrounding the secrecy of this land sale. We ask FNHL and FNDC to listen to the people whom they represent. A mistake has been made so put it right - BUY BACK PUKETITI! This petition has been made in discussion with and full support of mana whenua who are also represented in our S.O.S membership. In our 2019 petition “Stop Puketiti Development”, we reached 1,232 online signatures! Links to further info: Newspaper Article covering land sale and occupation: https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/124139594/campaigners-plan-to-occupy-key-northland-land-until-its-made-into-a-reserve Newspaper Article covering land sale and protest: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/428730/ngapuhi-protesters-prepared-to-stand-in-front-of-bulldozers-to-stop-development-on-wahi-tapu-land Waitangi Day Protest: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/waitangi-day-labours-maori-caucus-met-with-small-protest-over-land-sale-at-te-tii-marae/LP2Z4EHZS3GWJWHYS6ZL6ZEGOM/ Facebook Page of occupation: https://www.facebook.com/TE-ROROA-KI-OPUA-105941851046020/

This bill would disestablish the Children's Commissioner and will result in a weakening of independent monitoring of Oranga Tamariki and effective advocacy for children and young people. Tracie Shipton, CEO of VOYCE, shared concerns that “The Government has not listened to a single recommendation from young people with lived experience on this Bill. These young people have been effectively silenced, and the new systems outlined by the Bill is designed to further muffle and weaken their voices". We join with VOYCE and care experienced young people in calling for this bill to be stopped.

Over the last two years, a crucial piece of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been implementing health measures to contain and minimise the spread of the virus. This response has been met with widespread support because, as a country, we have understood that the health and wellbeing of every person in Aotearoa New Zealand is worth protecting. We address this letter to you now out of serious concern over the news of the spread of COVID-19 in prisons in Aotearoa. We call on you to apply a common sense health-based approach to better protect incarcerated people from COVID-19. This matter is urgent. As we are seeing, an Omicron outbreak within New Zealand prisons could easily overwhelm prison health-care services and put pressure on the rest of the healthcare services. Incarcerated people cannot meaningfully practice social distancing or have to forfeit what limited opportunity they have for leisure and social interaction to do so. The ongoing practice of double-bunking makes this even more difficult. Family or whānau visits are similarly restricted under the current Covid Protection Framework settings, adding further pressure and stress. The spread of COVID-19 in prisons particularly puts the health of older people, pregnant people, and those with relevant pre-existing health conditions (including COPD, respiratory illnesses and those with compromised immunity) at risk. There is an unacceptably high risk to Māori in prison, prison staff, whānau and communities from COVID-19. The Government must honour its obligations under Te Tiriti O Waitangi, and prevent this pandemic from further entrenching existing inequities for Māori. Reducing the number of people pulled into the justice system and being held in our prisons is essential to avoid further harm caused to Māori communities, individuals and frontline workers in the courts and prisons. This would also demonstrate the Government’s commitment to partnership and long-term wellbeing as promised in the Police strategy Te Huringa O Te Tai and the Department of Corrections strategy Hōkai Rangi. In signing this open letter, we are calling on the government to take action to protect people in the justice system from COVID-19, including through reducing the prison population, and ensuring effective health and safety measures are being implemented.

Since the 1998 opening of the Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa, it has never honestly been 'Our Place'. The permanent exhibit ‘The Treaty of Waitangi: Signs of a Nation’ has been untruthful and a continuing act of colonialism since Te Papa’s doors first swung open. Even with the well-spring of experts and experience brought in to guide them, it appears that the Te Tiriti o Waitangi exhibition was always intended to deceive by misrepresenting NZ history to all its visitors. The English ‘Treaty’ displayed prominently and equally across from Te Tiriti o Waitangi (in Te Reo Māori) implies the two documents hold equal status and legitimacy. This is a lie, as Te Tiriti is the only internationally-recognised document with legal authority. The current design of the exhibit also implies that the displayed Treaty (in English) is a true translation of Te Tiriti, which is another lie, as there are significant material differences between the two texts. These differences need to made obvious, rather than being in the ‘fine print’ which many won’t read. Te Waka Hourua, with support from members of Extinction Rebellion Aotearoa New Zealand, have written to Te Papa’s Board, calling for removal of the English artefact from its place of prominence alongside Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and also staged a protest at the exhibit in solidarity with Māori resisting ongoing colonial oppression. Although Te Papa has acknowledged our grievances, they have not taken any action. This is of additional concern as it will be mandatory for schools to teach Aotearoa New Zealand history from 2023, making the obligation on New Zealand’s ‘national museum’ to correct its misinformation even more urgent. Te Papa shouldn’t wait, and must act as soon as possible: our nation has already endured 181 years of deceit founded on inaccurate historical accounts (in addition to pre-Tiriti colonial history). References: https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/126779415/climate-protests-kick-off-as-council-issues-disruption-warning-for-wellington. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/changes-in-education/aotearoa-new-zealand-histories-in-our-national-curriculum/. What will happen after the petition closing date of 6 February 2022? Te Waka Hourua will provide an update on the petition result via live webinar (preferably on Waitangi Day 6 February 2022, but details to be confirmed closer to petition closing date), and invite open discussion about next steps. Groups in support of this petition: - Network Waitangi Whangārei - Peace Movement Aotearoa - STIR (Stop Institutional Racism) - Climate Justice Taranaki

Kāpō Māori Aotearoa members and whānau have lost confidence in the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) Incorporated governance practices and decision-making processes. - Kāpō Māori, kāpō youth and parents’ do not have a seat at the governance table. - Tāngata kāpō and parent consumer leadership funding continues to shrink. - "We know what’s best” governance approach that incites controversy and distrust of RNZFB governors and employees. - Reactive governance actions that polarise the kāpō sector. - Apathy and disregard to affirm through governance action the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Our rangatiratanga is being marginalised and will continue to be if we do not take urgent action to fix what is obviously broken! This petition is the first step towards affirmative change. Show your support by signing our petition.

Rangatira ai te whare pāremata is a social action campaign created by six young rangatahi from Wainuiomata High School. This rōpū was created upon the urge to push for policy change. Our aim is to influence the Sports, Arts, and Culture policy to redistribute the funds fairly. We have chosen to advocate for this kaupapa because we are concerned about the distribution of the government's money and its priorities. One example of this is how the government has excessive vast amounts of money for foreign events (like America’s cup) instead of indigenous ones (like Te Matatini and Matariki). The America’s cup, a rich man's sport, received $149M, whereas Te Matatini which is Māori performing arts only received $1.9M. We believe the New Zealand Government need to re-evaluate their priorities when it comes to funding indigenous needs over international events. With this petition we hope to bring attention to the community matters that our people suffer from on a day-to-day basis. We want to accommodate our people as this affair does not just concern us but all cultural minorities within Aotearoa. We must focus on returning to our roots and strengthening the connections our government has with our communities. Rather than supporting events that do not help the mending the wrongdoings made by colonisation. “I listen to the sound of my ancestor's weep, as our tikanga drowns below Papatūānuku, Reaching out to Aunty Cindy, screeching with my mouth stripped with silence. Tangi te keo wails the words‘ “Whakarongo ki te hotuhotu o ōku mōrehu kuia” Foreigners, the government fishes out their bulk wallets but... will always be at the bottom of the barrel when we are in need. Dust, transparent seems to be what we always receive. Indigenous, an empty word to cover up the imbedded wounds, Te Matatini! Haka Ngāhau! Matariki! Pave the tapuwae for Māori, the tie that holds the pen and paper Past! Present! Future! Our whare tapawhā screams to be coated with truth, Open your eyes and see that the system isn't built for me, Excuses! To see us crumble below their feet, we fight till our words become carved, Māori continue to sail the choppy waters of colonisation. White flags will not be lifted, ka whawhai tōnu mātou. This fight is for justice but with no blood shed.” Keita Moses & Cynthia WiRepa-Kingi

A return to Elimination with improvements to the COVID Alert Levels is the way forward. We urge people to sign, to email their MPs, and to go on social media to say that we support a return to COVID Elimination, with improved economic supports, so we can effectively end the spread of COVID in our communities. The way to Level 1 is a supported Level 4. Our lives depend on it. The lives of our children and our whānau depend on it. We have done it before, we can do it again, if the government enables us.

We are writing to express our extreme disappointment, concern and outrage at your statement on 06 October 2021 that you are not sure the Government would be stepping away from the Covid19 elimination strategy if the general population had the same vaccination rate as Māori. We believe that you have just confirmed the worst fears of many tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti people that the Crown still regards the Māori population as disposable? The implications of your statement are destructive. Firstly, the history of pandemics in this country has been a history of various forms of discrimination and neglect against Māori communities with the mass graves to prove it. Why would you perpetuate this tradition by making a statement that implies a high-risk community is not worthy of the highest level of consideration, protection and resources? The lower vaccination rates are a call to change monocultural strategies not a call to put them at increased risk when you know what that risk amounts to. Secondly you are failing the Crown obligations to be in an honourable relationship with whānau, hapū, iwi and all Māori organisations. Māori are not a minority group or stakeholder in the struggle against Covid 19. Their rangatiratanga means the Crown has an obligation to negotiate regarding changes to a strategy that has direct and potentially disastrous effects on Māori. Thirdly you are undermining the Māori communities and health professionals fighting so hard to work with you and protect people. The success of the vaccination programme in places like rural Tairāwhiti and Te Whānau Apanui, the generous and effective programmes led by urban Māori groups tell us what works. People have been giving their all to ensure this pandemic does not decimate a population with health issues caused by years of inequity in the health system.

Our moana is under increasing stress from many different effects including chronic overfishing by industrialised methods such as dredging and trawling in the coastal marine areas which has led to the significant decline of treasured species to both Māori and the wider community. The community supported the actions of hapū / iwi to make the applications of protecting these taonga species. Mauri o te Moana hosted an online hui with Māori leaders in this space, who have been waiting for months for a response from the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, David Parker. The Fisheries Act has provisions for Māori values through its customary regulations, however these provisions are problematic and challenging for tangata whenua to use. The Fisheries Act, section 186A temporary closure application that has been sitting with the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, David Parker for over 8 months, this delay has resulted in the continuation of destructive activities. Māori leaders have found the tool to be prohibitory, slow and disconnected from addressing the chronic marine degradation caused by overfishing. Several hapū and iwi of Te Moananui a Kiwa have applied under the Fisheries Act regulations for closure to fisheries to speed up recovery of taonga species. Link to Hapu and Iwi Applications: - Ngāti Hei https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/proposed-temporary-closure-of-the-eastern-coromandel-coast-to-the-harvest-of-scallops/ “I’m really blown away by the support and I believe it’s going to start a chain reaction of rāhui.” - Joe Davis https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/300344835/hallelujah-moment--pito-bay-scallop-rhui-unites-community-creates-ripple-effect - Ngāti Kahu - Whangaroa Harbour https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/proposed-temporary-closure-of-the-whangaroa-area-to-the-harvest-of-scallops/ The closure was requested by Nga Hapū o Karangahape marae, Whānau pani, Ngāti Kaitangata and Ngāti Kauwau, who are concerned scallop stocks have been depleted due to flooding, sediment, dredging, water quality, overfishing and climate change. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/far-north-scallop-ban-public-in-favour-of-whangaroa-harvesting-rahui/LWFRLFWGLQ2HDU625NVTZOAWGY/ - Ngāti Pāoa - Te Moutere o Waiheke https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/proposed-temporary-closure-around-waiheke-island-to-harvest-of-scallops-mussels-rock-lobster-paua/ "There's nothing to actually take anymore, so that's the real concern for our iwi. So it was quite a simple, easy decision to make, to actually put on the table that we need to lay down a rāhui to restrict everyone from taking particularly species that are now extinct," - Herearoha Skipper https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/two-year-rahui-for-waiheke-island-waters-to-protect-kaimoana/4Z7OHUUDFR2VZJZ22FTAAG2NVE/ Tangata whenua, marae, hapū and iwi are experiencing the degradation of their rohe first hand. The loss of taonga species associated with these areas has been distressing and made the maintenance of tikanga (customary practices) more challenging as localised extinction occurs in the near shore coastal environment. #RespectTheRāhui #MaurioteMoana https://www.facebook.com/mauriotemoana