We ask that the Bay of Plenty Regional Council: (1) Halt the proposed NZ Aquifer bottling facility in Murupara. (2) Commence a public engagement process to determine the consensus of parties who are likely to be affected by the establishment of a large water bottling facility. (3)Affected parties can be the following: local & absent landlords & ratepayers, individuals not aligned to any Iwi,business owners, all stakeholders,former residents, neighbouring iwi and hapu. (4) Request that the applicant conduct a thorough study of all the implications of the water export industry on Murupara and surrounds (including but not limited to, environmental, economic, trade, regulatory and governance) prior to approving any water-export developments in Murupara. (5) Publicly notify the resource consent application.

Dear Cabinet, We need to raise the age of Youth Justice to 21. Some young people need more support to become flourishing adults. The Government has recognised this by raising the age of state care to 21. We need to do the same for our youth justice system. Far too often we are talking about the same young people. We are processing 17-21 year olds through the adult criminal justice system. Instead of rehabilitating, it's leaving young people likely to continue offending - causing more victims and more harm. Our world-renowned youth justice system is excellent at getting young people on the right track while giving victims a say in the process. Instead of channelling young New Zealanders into a system we know makes them more likely to re-offend, let's get them into a system we know works by including under 21 year olds in our youth justice system. Let's invest at the right end of the system so that we don't need extra prison beds.

Dear Directors We the under-signed call on you to recognise Martine as a passionate, hard-working, successful, blind New Zealander who has already made a considerable contribution to the World Blind Union, and to enthusiastically support her taking the next logical step and stand for the position of President of that organisation. Martine Abel-Williamson is a totally blind New Zealander who advocates passionately for people with disabilities both here and around the world. Her energy and leadership over more than twenty years has been widely recognised. In 2016 she was awarded the Beamish Memorial Medal, the most prestigious award from Blind Citizens NZ, the primary consumer organisation (Disabled People's Organisation - DPO) of blind New Zealanders. In 2018 she received a Queen's Service Medal (QSM) for services to the disability community. Later that year she received an Attitude ACC Supreme Award "for changing the lives of people with disabilities". You only have to "Google" her to see all the things she does. The World Blind Union (WBU) is the primary global organisation representing the estimated 253 million people world-wide who are blind or have low vision. Martine became active in this organisation in 2007 as one of two New Zealand delegates. Since then, while still working hard for disabled people right here in New Zealand, she has put a lot of her energy into the WBU, advocating at the international level for blind and low vision people to be more included in everyday life throughout the world. She started by advocating for better recognition of the needs of blind and low vision women in developing countries, focusing on our own Asia Pacific Region. Very quickly she took on other truly global projects on issues important to blind people around the world, such as making urban environments more blind-friendly, lessening the impact on blind people from silent cars and e-scooters, and making it easier to travel internationally with a guide dog. In 2016, she was elected to the global position of Treasurer. Martine's international travel expenses have been funded generously by Blind Low Vision NZ, (formerly the Blind Foundation or the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind) New Zealand's main provider of specialist blindness services, with a smaller contribution from Blind Citizens NZ. These are the two member organisations representing New Zealand in the WBU. The cost has been roughly NZ $20,000 per year. Given Martine's energy and enthusiasm for the work, this is a reasonable contribution for a small country like New Zealand to the work of the WBU. This investment brings back much greater returns to New Zealand through Martine's hard work. Martine does not receive any payment for this effort. Last year, Martine sought support from New Zealand to nominate her for the position of President of the WBU, with the encouragement of high profile members of the WBU internationally. This requires both Blind Citizens NZ and Blind Low Vision NZ to agree. The Board of Blind Citizens NZ put forward Martine's nomination as WBU President. However, this nomination has been blocked by your decision with no reason given. We are deeply disturbed by your decision! It absolutely defies the outstanding record of work Martine has done on our behalf. It damages Blind Low Vision NZ's fine reputation as an organisation that supports blind people, and undermines the very principles of the WBU as found in that organisation's Constitution. Your decision prevents blind people in New Zealand from putting forward the candidate selected by our primary DPO and stops people from across the world choosing between Martine and other potential nominees. Martine is well known for her strong empathy for disabled people, particularly blind and low vision women, in developing countries. She is equally at home presenting on our behalf at a comfortable air-conditioned international conference centre, or just sitting and talking to other blind people while sipping fermented mare's milk in a Mongolian yurt. That is why she is an inspirational role model for so many disabled people around the world who dare to dream. They know she is there for them, but also she gives them a sense that they too can succeed. Standing for President is one thing; Martine would still have to do a lot of work to win support around the world. If she is successful, she would make all New Zealand proud. But unless you as the Board of Blind Low Vision NZ change your mind, she will not get that chance. Time is running out as nominations are due in early March. Therefore we call on all of you now to come out into the open and enthusiastically give your full support to Martine as a passionate, hard-working, successful, blind New Zealander - the person that Blind Citizens NZ has nominated as its candidate for WBU President. Let her at least stand in the election.

We call on Wellington City Council to implement a community co-created, intersectional project to increase youth wellbeing and safety in the inner city as part of the new City Safety Plan.

That the House of Representatives urge the Minister for Regulation to review the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and associated legislation, including the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013, to modernise New Zealand’s drug laws.

Dear Ministers Clark, Little, and Genter, Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act. Its main purpose was to grudgingly permit abortions, but only in some circumstances. Forty years on, abortion remains a crime in New Zealand. The effect of this outdated law is that people wanting to end their pregnancies must get two doctors to sign off on their choice, and say that continuing their pregnancy would cause 'serious danger to [their] physical or mental health'.This means they often have to lie about their mental health to get the health care they need. Ninety eight percent of abortions are 'allowed' on the mental health grounds. It's time for a change and the majority of New Zealanders support this. We call on you to reform the law, remove abortion from the Crimes Act and allow the decision to have an abortion to stay between the person and their GP.

We demand New Zealand end its involvement in the US and UK-led military operation in the Red Sea which is risking lives and aligns us with US support for Israel’s war on the people of Gaza.[1] We are opposed to NZDF involvement in the Red Sea because it enmeshes NZ with US militarism and Israeli war crimes, it is hypocritical and risky, and has no democratic mandate.

We’re calling on Minister of Health Simeon Brown, the New Zealand Government, and the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora to urgently review, rewrite, and officially adopt national endometriosis (mate kirikopu) guidelines that reflect up-to-date clinical evidence, lived experience from our communities, and Te Tiriti-based equity. We are calling on the New Zealand Government, Ministry of Health, and Te Whatu Ora to:  • Commission an immediate independent review and rewrite of the current 2020 endometriosis (mate kirikopu) guidelines, led by Endo Warriors Aotearoa in partnership with a national panel of experts and lived experience voices that we will bring together • Make the new guidelines official, enforceable, and mandated across the health system to ensure consistent and equitable care for all •  Support the establishment and funding of an expert panel — or work alongside Endo Warriors Aotearoa to apply for funding  to co-design the new guidelines. This panel will be led by Endo Warriors Aotearoa and include members of our Youth Advisory Board alongside:  - Clinical specialists including gynaecologists, pain physicians, pelvic physiotherapists, and youth health providers  - Māori and Pasifika health leaders  - Disability and neurodiversity advocates  - LGBTQIA+ and gender-diverse community voices  - Community educators and grassroots support providers Ensure the new guidelines include: • Clear diagnostic timeframes, red flags, and escalation processes • Funded access to multidisciplinary care including pain management, mental health, and physiotherapy • Non-hormonal and holistic treatment options made visible and validated • Specific guidance for adolescents, disabled people, neurodivergent people, and those navigating gender identity • A national registry to track wait times, surgical outcomes, and regional disparities • Consistent, inclusive language and trauma-informed approaches throughout

We request the House of Representatives to guarantee the right of Deaf/Hard of hearing voters/candidates to barrier-free Elections by 2020. Therefore we request the House of Representatives to update the Electoral Act 1993 and any relevant legislation to ensure the official languages of New Zealand have the legal means to be fully inclusive of New Zealand's Elections. Make available NZSL Interpreters for Electioneering (take participation in a campaign to be elected to public office - meet the candidates, multimedia election debates, campaign activities). Make available funding for captioning that voters and candidates on all multimedia platforms can use (Television and Internet). Make available access to new technology (video interpreter services) during voting periods at polling booths. Make available funding for NZSL Interpreters and communication supports (hearing loops, captioned content, note-takers) for Deaf/Hard of Hearing members to fully participate in their own choice of party or group annually.

As your constituents, we are calling on MP Tim van der Molen  our Member of Parliament, for the Waikato Electorate, Tim van der Molen, to support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill. [1]  If there are sufficient numbers voting on a conscience vote, this bill can be passed through the House. We call on you to:  • Support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill and its passage through the New Zealand Parliament  • Uphold the ruling of the International Court of Justice and respect New Zealand’s commitment of international law in response to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.