Successful Campaigns

This petition was delivered in July 2020: https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/122241314/30000strong-petition-to-make-matariki-a-public-holiday-moves-onto-next-stage. In September the Labour Party joined the Green and Māori parties in confirming they would make Matariki a public holiday if in government. Of course, it is not only this petition that led to Labour’s announcement. Many Māori over many years have been working for Matariki to be given the recognition it deserves. The first public holiday for Matariki will be 24 June 2022! https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/future-matariki-public-holiday-dates-revealed

Thank you for helping to make a difference. You were amongst the 32,337 who demanded the unfreezing of Radio New Zealand’s funding, and on 25 May the ice thawed. A month after we delivered our petition to Parliament (together with Jo Bond's Fund RNZ petition - see https://medium.com/actionstation/32-337-demand-government-unfreeze-radio-new-zealand-funding-2b310ed3271d), the Government responded with a $2.85m funding boost in the Budget 2017. People power has prevailed in this case. The quality independent journalism that RNZ delivers is crucial to maintain our democracy. The Government has finally done something to recognise this. But, it doesn’t go as far as we’d hoped. Dr Peter Thompson (Coalition for Better Broadcasting Chair) recently calculated that RNZ is now underfunded by $14m a year. When you compare this boost to the $60 million per year the Government has committed to attracting Hollywood Producers, it does make you wonder about priorities. While we celebrate the $2.85m boost there’s still work to do to ensure RNZ thrives beyond the next four years.

I want to give a massive mihi to all those who are continuing to mount the pressure on our elected officials to stand up and condemn the blatant genocide we have all been witnessing for at least the last 9 weeks, but which has been occurring for 75 years. Kia haha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Keep up the pressure and do not relent - they underestimate the power of the people. Whilst we had indications that the petition would be able to be added to the agenda at the final public hui of the year, December 14th, those verbal assurances were not honoured by those who uttered them. Instead, the petition has to be validated by governance, which must be done within 60 days or 2 meeting cycles depending on what comes first. Once validated and accepted, the petition will be added to the agenda and the public/petitioners should be invited to speak. We do intend to speak to council should the petition make it to an agenda, and bring up their utter failure on not honouring the critical nature of this issue and limiting their humanity to the bounds of ‘council policy’. We will update you in due course. BUT, THIS IS NOT THE END. I want to issue another call to action for you all. A suggestion of various actions you can and should take to make sure the pressure does not let up this holiday season. Continue to email and message Mayor Paula Southgate ([email protected]) and remind her that a private statement is not the same as a statement from HCC and does not mean much when her power is so much more - and reference the hypocrisy of all HCC did for Ukraine in 2022. Comment on HCC and elected officials instagram and FB posts with “Free Palestine”, “HCC must stand against genocide” etc. Let them know we’re judging them. Do steps 1 and 2 for our national government officials too! Keep an eye on local events, rallies, and vigils and SHARE and show up if you can. Presence matters. BOYCOTT AND CANCEL - https://boycott.thewitness.news/ https://bdsmovement.net/ Continue to talk about the issue with everyone, and keep sharing. Keep signing and sharing other petitions. Again, thank you for all you do/are doing. Keep up the pressure, we owe Palestine endurance. Mai te ara, ki te moana, Free Palestine. Ngā mihi, E

1 Feb 2021: The Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced she will introduce new legislation that will remove the ability to petition and block Māori wards on Councils who wish to have them. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/changes-to-fundamentally-unfair-process-to-make-way-for-mori-wards The legislation will be retrospective to allow the councils which have voted for Māori wards in the last few months to not have to face referendums. It will give other councils around Aotearoa until May to decide whether to introduce a Māori ward in time for the council elections in 2022. From next year our councils will have better Māori representation, make better decisions with better outcomes, and stronger connections to local hapū. Our hearts are with each and every person who has pulled it into reality.

The petition was delivered to Parliament on 21 March 2019, five days after being launched - later the same day the Government announced all military style automatic weapons will be banned. Watch: https://www.facebook.com/ActionStationNZ/videos/337544046965351/ Report from the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee: https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/SCR_87811/e39e119082aad70fc8b775b2320ff7cbcae993ef

December 17, 2020 was a very significant day for our tūpuna and whānau of Makaurau Marae, for the Ihumātao papakāinga and for the iwi and hapū who whakapapa to this whenua. The Crown announced it will acquire the contested land from Fletcher and activate a process to determine its future.

October 2019 A container deposit scheme trial has been announced! https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/returning-empty-bottles-refund-could-revived-v1 The Kiwi Bottle Drive team delivered our petition to Parliament on December 2nd, 2018. We handed over our petition, signed by 15,450 Kiwis (including offline signatures), to Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick with the support of her Parliamentary colleagues MP Gareth Hughes and Minister Eugenie Sage.

This petition has been delivered to Parliament. Fingers crossed!! We'll keep you updated.

May 2021 After months of campaigning we welcome the news that New Zealand will support temporarily relaxing patents on COVID 19 vaccines. New Zealand joins the vast majority of member states at the World Trade Organisation as supporters of a proposal that seeks to ramp up the production of vaccines and ease distribution in the Global South.

Today (2 July 2018) the Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has announced the limit on student-loan borrowing will be lifted to 10EFTS!