Successful Campaigns

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.

As you may have heard by now Massey University has cancelled the 'Feminism 2020' event! (Massey University cancels 'Feminism 2020' event, 16 Oct https://bit.ly/35Qqs6i) Last week we delievered our petition of 6,000 signatures to the Massey Senior Leadership Team. Being able to have a conversation with our community completely changed the way they were viewing the event and framing the discussion around this hate speech. If you want to write to Massey and thank them for eventually coming around and making the right descision (and to ask them to continue to actively show support for the trans community) you can write to acting VC Giselle Byrnes at: G.Byrnes@massey.ac.nz Thank you for signing the petition and standing with our trans community, when we stand together we can make change. 

Local iwi Ngāti Manawa have now decided not to go ahead with the water bottling project until they can guarantee the protection of the precious wai (water). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503437&objectid=12273783

I'm pleased to update you and say that the Rodney Local Board who are driving the development of this park have included a fenced dog park in the initial needs assessment of what should be included in the reserve. This is an awesome result and one that wouldn't have come about if we hadn't had the support of our petition and of those who also completed the council online survey about what they want to see at Green Road Reserve. So a big thank you to you all. While the park is years away from being developed it is crucial that a dog park was in the mix from the beginning. We will let you know of any new developments/milestones. The next step is that a masterplan for the park will be developed, once that is available we will need your help again to make sure a dog park stays as a key component of the reserve. Thanks everyone! Claire Teirney, On behalf of the Hibiscus Coast Dog Training Club

Wellington City Council declares climate emergency, Stuff, 20 June 2019 https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/113633374/wellington-city-council-declares-climate-emergency-but-councillors-remain-divided

19 September: The annual refugee quota will lift from 1000 to 1500 by 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced! https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/107203279/Refugee-quota-lifting-to-1500-by-2020

Porirua city council has officially declared a climate emergency!! We would like to say a big thank you to Ana Coffey and Josh Trlin for their mahi to get our petition into council, the Extinction Rebellion team and other signatories who attended the petition reading last night but most importantly... you!! Without you signing the petition Porirua City Council would have never declared a climate emergency and for that we are thankful. However this is only the start, we need to make sure we hold Porirua City Council accountable and to let them know we will not settle until there are ambitious policies, initiatives and deadlines so we can create real climate action in our city. Thank you to every single person who signed the petition, your voices were all heard by the council, tēnā koutou katoa. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1906/S00705/porirua-moves-with-the-changing-world.htm

June 2019 - We’ve just heard that the plan by a company to build a water pipeline from Mt Aspiring National Park through a Kiwi sanctuary has stalled - the sanctuary is safe! You were one of many thousands of people who came together to preserve the home of the Haast Tokeka Kiwi. Together we protected their home and stopped a new bottled water business selling precious spring water overseas. The company, Okuru Enterprises Ltd, had permission (first given 25 years ago) to take and export 800 million litres of spring water each month from a catchment high in the mountains - right through a sanctuary for the Haast Tokoeka Kiwi. However the company's permission ran out last week and the Department of Conservation stopped considering their new application because of insufficient information. As a result of our combined people power there was constant pressure on the project, and on the politicians with the power to make decisions on the project. Okuru Enterprises still have permits from the District and Regional Councils for the water take, land use and coastal use. While there is nothing stopping the company trying to restart the project they will need to reapply for permission from the Department of Conservation all over again, and face public scrutiny each step of the way. For now the kiwi sanctuary and surrounding forest is saved! Here’s how our community made it happen it happen: 🌏 When news first broke in April 2017 we launched into action, launching a petition calling for the end of the project and save the Haast Tokoeka. 🌏 18,534 of us came together to support the call. 🌏 The petition showed public support which helped power media stories keeping attention focused on the issue. 🌏 We consulted with allies and conservation experts. 🌏 We targeted Maggie Barry, the then-Minister of Conservation to put pressure on her decisions on the project. 🌏 In August we went to Parliament to deliver it to MP Eugenie Sage - who a couple of months later became the new Minister for Conservation. ActionStation members chipped in to make it a positive, visual event. Volunteers dressed as kiwis and students from Tuia te Matangi, a bilingual Maori-English school from Nelson, stepped up to give the kaupapa awesome support. 🌏 We presented our crowdsourced submission to the politicians considering the issue sharing personal stories on why we need to save the Haast Kiwi. It included expert opinion from conservationists to the Environment Select Committee.[2] After our coordinated collective actions, it’s a win for the Haast Tokoeka Kiwi!

We did it! We had a full gallery of supporters and read out all your excellent comments, and they ALL voted in favour of the trial. We swayed even the most resolute, it would have been pretty hard to vote against in that room I can tell you now! Wonderful work everyone, and a special huge shoutout to all those who came in person, payback will be a leisurely, hassle free ride on a cycleway near you soon. Bike Mount Team

The petition got nearly 1000 signatures in a short time, and while that doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s now clear that along with all the other people, around the world, your voice was heard! As of the 1st of March Facebook has “add[ed] suicide-prevention tools directly into Facebook Live that will give users watching a live video the option to reach out to the person directly as well as report the video to Facebook. In addition, Facebook will provide resources to the person reporting the live video including the ability to contact a help line immediately.”