Category Archives: Corporations

Agenda 2030, Banking, Corporations, John Key, Money, News, NZ Government, War

Banker Key’s Corporate Repackaging of War

August 13, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

With the upcoming ‘celebrations’ around the 2016 NZ DIA (NZ Defense Industry Association) Forum being held in Auckland on 16 – 17 November in conjunction with the RNZN 75th Anniversary celebrations, Operation Neptune, I took a peek at their website. You can reserve your spot with cocktails and trimmings for just $10,000.

“The NZ DIA was formed in 1993, as an industry development initiative. Its major emphasis today is on networking, and encouraging the membership to work together on developing joint approaches to defence projects in NZ and overseas”

DSC10040 Allan found his Bro-in-law's grave at Cesena — A WW2 Vet weeps as he locates the grave of a comrade: 70+ million lost their lives in that war

Right there in the DIA’s mission statement is the strategic use of the word ‘defence’. The corporate bankers have need of war, it’s an integral part of the Rothschild banking empire, however, in order to not be too obvious, they need to sanitize it with ‘nicer’ words. Profiteering from war is no conspiracy but documented fact. Cheney’s Halliburton made $39.5 billion on the Iraq war. My elderly father who fought in one of the World Wars and was fortunate enough to return alive, had worked out that fact later in life … that “wars would never end because wars make money”. His oldest brother, a machine gunner, so deeply affected, he wept whenever he talked about war. So, there on the DIA’s website is the standard tribute of poppies to these brave men who served as basically cannon fodder for the war machine, a machine peopled by those who never spent one minute in trenches and never experienced the terror of combat. Remember Mrs Rothschild’s infamous words… “if my sons did not want war there would be none”.

Returning to the planned forum for November this year, Key’s corporation parading as a government (NZ is a US SEC registered corporation) put out a White Paper that was compiled we are told from the public’s and the academic community’s views, involving over 300 written submissions and meetings around the country. (See White Paper info here also).

I don’t particularly recall the road show, perhaps other readers do. Note the Ministry of Defence administers the Defence Act 1990, the era shortly after our nation became corporatized … courtesy of Rogernomics. Corporations are about profits. We are told in the White Paper that “… terrorism remains an enduring global problem”. Those who do their own research will know that the so called war on terror has been effectively drummed up since the very dodgy 9/11 attack that looked extremely like a controlled demolition. And the current threat to security, ISIS, has equally dodgy origins (watch Truth Media: the Origin of ISIS for more info on that).

The war industry is ticking along quite nicely in Aotearoa with banker Key at the helm, and synchronising equally as nicely with his growing partnership with the US. “The Government” [corporation] says Key, “has provided the Defence Force with a degree of funding certainty [$20 billion] that enables it to plan with confidence out to 2030 and beyond.” [Agenda 2030, see also Agenda 21/2030 in NZ] Download the White Paper and see what Key and Brownlee are spending your $20 billion on. Remember how ‘well’ they’ve managed the Christchurch disaster that they refer to in there. It’s an integral part of defence.

The ‘interdependence’ of planned global governance under Agenda 21/2030, already operative in both your Government and your Local Government

What I find particularly distasteful about this whole affair is the spin. One of my favourite investigative journalists John Pilger, describes their convoluted rhetoric so well in his essay, ‘Arming the World’ (in his book “Hidden Agendas” p 115). Describing the weapons (defence) industry he says: “Refined absurdity is always close at hand in the arms business. It squeezes into bed with secrecy, corruption and stupendous greed”. Asking what a British cluster bomb does (gleaming under “soft backlight, like the latest showroom Jaguar”) he is told they need his request in writing for MOD approval as the information is ‘classified’, the reason for which is also ‘classified’. The cluster bomb, Pilger explains “is not really a bomb at all, but an ‘area denial sub-munition’, a land mine in all but name. It is dropped from the air and explodes into forty-seven little mines, which are shaped like spiders.

images — The real victims of ‘defence’/war are civilians

These are scattered over a wide area and ‘deny’ life to anything that moves or grows.’ They’ve been found says Pilger, in Bosnia and Croatia where between two and four million mines threaten to main and kill long after the war ends. These salesmen he says, have great difficulty saying words like ‘people’, ‘maim’ and ‘kill’. Describing a cluster bomb’s ‘effectiveness’ he cites the little girl who in a Vietnam village lost her family …‘my mother and father were lying there covered in blood, and my sister … had pieces of metal in her, and so did her doll’.

The corporates know it is wrong, trading in weapons (they’re not averse to supplying both sides), this is why they have difficulty with these words. There is enough of old fashioned conscience there for them to need to cover their wording well, however not enough to stop the killing by curtailing their obscene greed. They are therefore very adept at reframing and repackaging. And so the weapons trade becomes the defence trade. The DIA have produced a video for their site to explain with typical corporate expertise, their modus operandi. Watching it you can almost hear the cash registers ringing (except we’re nearly cashless) complete with the bling of coloured lights as the cutting of steel flashes amidst the wording ‘Defence Industry Association’.

Now if you have any doubt still about the money involved here, check out the pages on the upcoming conference. Cocktails and food depending on your budget.

However, if you’re a bit strapped for cash, there’s always the $5,000 slot … minus accompaniments of cocktails and food.

For a list of members of the NZ DIA go here. You will see Fulton Hogan (that company that liberally sprays your streets and public places with carcinogenic glyphosate) along with Lockheed Martin and others. All proudly members of the Defence/Industry partnership.

And to put the proverbial icing on the cake, there are even awards for improvement to defence industry relationships.

The Award will identify the Defence person or persons who have best contributed to building or improving the Defence/Industry relationship.

The aim of the Award is to publicly recognise good performance in this area and provide the opportunity for the NZ DIA and Defence to promote constructive and collegial relationships between Defence and Industry.

Your PM Key continues to tax himself and friends at 2.8%, continues to profit from your country’s indebtedness and the so called global war on terrorism, and is intent on the TPPA agreement which will give both he and his corporate friends even more control. Let’s face it, he is likely not too interested in changing any of the current status quo.

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EnvirowatchRangitikei

Agenda 2030, Banking, Corporations, National, News, NZ Government

Blaming the Poor: NZ Govt Influencing WINZ & ACC Designated Doctors since 2008 “The Benefit is an Addictive Debilitating Drug – More Dangerous than Working on an Oil Rig” (Pt 2)

July 29, 2016 Pam Vernon 3 Comments

2 work — Part of a Powerpoint presentation for training GPs in the new welfare paradigm (download this & related pdfs at this link)

” … MSD did during 2008 conduct a nation-wide “training program ” for the “designated doctors “, who they use for getting second opinions, assessments and recommendations on recipients of, or applicants for, sickness and invalid’s benefits (now called deferred jobseeker and supported living benefits)”…” With the introduction of the Future Focus policies in 2010 the criteria for being considered sick, disabled and thus incapacitated to do any work, has been tightened substantially. WINZ expect their own Health and Disability Advisors, and the designated doctors they regularly use and work with, to now primarily look at what a client CAN DO, rather than what they CANNOT DO!”

On July 21st I posted an article on welfare reforms indicating that being on a benefit is now considered by the powers that be, addictive and bad for one’s health. Since 1995 (not too long note, in the wake of late ’80s Rogernomics) paradigms and policies have been changing. Since 2008 certain NZ GPs have been undergoing training in the latest paradigm, behind the scenes, and unbeknown to many of us, to promote the new rationale & its implementation. A bizarre rationale that will tell you they are considering your long term good health by denying you an income if you are unable to work.

With the introduction of the Future Focus policies in 2010 the criteria for being considered sick, disabled and thus incapacitated to do any work, has been tightened substantially. WINZ expect their own Health and Disability Advisors, and the esignated doctors they regularly use and work with, to now primarily look at what a client CAN DO, rather than what they CANNOT DO! “A television expose (or documentary) on what has been going on at ACC (’60 minutes’ programme, TV3 on 09 Sept. 2012, available via ‘On Demand’ or You Tube showed what appalling strategies were followed there. It was revealed that ACC targeted complex, high cost claimants, by using preferred, hand-picked medical assessors, to prepare reports that favoured ACC”.

The long and the short of it is, the current Nat regime is out to cut costs. We already know that being jobless can breed hopelessness and despair … contrary to government spin most people actually want work in order to live comfortably and provide for their families. That’s not rocket science. And we also know there is no work available, that is not rocket science either. All this time they’ve been quietly dismantling the welfare state. Calling benefit receipt addictive neatly shifts the blame off the system and onto the recipient.

Don’t fall for it and don’t assume any guilt. This is a system run by people who have us all $114 billion in debt at $172 interest per second … with the wealthy taxed 2.8% and the minimum wage taxed 28%. Go figure. It is useful however to blame the vulnerable and weak and has been the way of the wealthy since before the banking industry began. The ‘let them eat cake’ brigade is nothing new. Just different trappings.

These new changes that began in the ’80s saw benefits slashed by $50 per week! A system that undermined full employment and created any welfare dependency they are now pretending to be concerned about, then ordered austerity measures (for low income people) to balance the books. There was of course no corresponding belt tightening as they called it, for the wealthy elite. This ‘working smarter’ budget was really the result of predatory loans taken out by irresponsible governments two decades earlier. Of course with IMF (or any other) loans always come conditions as they are simply leverage to control other peoples’ land and resources – via the back door. Remember this?

imf — The IMF benefits from nations’ indebtedness

Those sweeping economic changes were precursors to what is going on now with our welfare system, the original safety net for those who fall through the cracks. Under full employment, providing food, shelter, warmth, education and health care were very achievable. Since Rogernomics, that has changed. Government departments and District Councils (enter your district council at the link & see) have become corporations that now run on a business model (some of us have noticed this) … the maximization of profits has taken precedence over people. That is their legal mandate. Even your country Kiwis is now a corporation. At the link on that, the question is raised, ‘can a corporation legally govern?’

Run as a corporation our pseudo-government is heading the way of other nations that are denying the sick and vulnerable mercy and care, controlling the food supply by denying the trading/growing of food , denying the option to choose natural healing over pharmaceuticals and making it illegal to collect rainwater off your roof. And so it will escalate if TPPA gets full sway.

The New Welfare Paradigm

All indications are, that here has been a clear attempt to influence the views, perception and judgment of designated doctors, which has led to “bias” of doctors involved (mostly GPs) when making assessments, decisions and recommendations about beneficiaries to Work and Income.

So, with the new restructuring agenda … came job cuts, funding cuts and the dismantling of everything pretty much that Aotearoa once stood for. And Doctors who formerly filled forms declaring a person was unfit for work, have been encouraged in the new model. Prescribing a benefit was actually going to be dangerous for their health.

1 work etc.png — *Part of a Powerpoint presentation for training GPs in the new regime*

Dr David Bratt training on why being on a benefit is bad for your health: At the source of this video (Youtube) you can watch the whole series

For further information on the history of this retraining of health professionals go to accforum.org
Following are some quotes from there:

“Major social welfare reforms came into effect in July 2013. They have led to some changes of the law and processes. WINZ are continuing to apply an ever more rigorous, yes very questionable approach, as they have already done since at least 2008. With the introduction of the Future Focus policies in 2010 the criteria for being considered sick, disabled and thus incapacitated to do any work, has been tightened substantially. WINZ expect their own Health and Disability Advisors, and the esignated doctors they regularly use and work with, to now primarily look at what a client CAN DO, rather than what they CANNOT DO! That is of course a bit of a catchy but ambiguous phrase, and naturally it can lead to subjective ways of diagnosing and assessing persons, as to what they can individually do or not do when it comes to any work activity.”

The MSD has long been concerned about the growth of sickness and invalid’s beneficiary numbers, and hence looked at possible ways to contain the trend of more persons qualifying and going onto these types of benefit. The following extract from a report by Dr Neil Lunt, published in the Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, from March 2006 (Issue 27), under the section headline The background to reforming SB and IB, page 82 gives a brief insight, of what moves were made under the then National led government in the 1990s:

National’ s Welfare to Work brand (Player 1994, Ministry of Social Policy 2001) saw a new approach to medical certification for SB and IB. National’ s attempts at reform saw the introduction of the Designated Doctor Scheme in September 1995, with designated doctors having responsibility for assessing benefit eligibility, certifying applications for SB at 13 and 52 weeks, and certifying grants for IB, and recommending a possible review (12, 18, 24 months). From 1998, there was an alignment of SB rates with UB rates for new grants and the introduction of the Community Wage in place of UB and SB. In October 1998, the designated doctor review scheme was revised and doctors signing the certificate were able to certify SB for four weeks and then at 13-week intervals. For IB, designated doctors certify the granting of a benefit, with review being recommended by these doctors for two years, five years, or never. During the first part of 1999, there was also the trial of work capacity assessment for those with sickness, disability, or injury. A Phase one trial was undertaken but Phase two was never completed. The work capacity process for IB and SB sought to identify the level of work, if any, a beneficiary was capable of, and to determine what assistance would help them move into paid work (abridged from Wilson et al. 2005: 5 Table 1.1). Read more here.

The ‘independent’ designated Doctors are doing their best to push you off welfare into a jobless black hole of hopelessness and despair. Note the climbing suicide rate now. Those who create financial recessions show no mercy for such states of mind. Profit margins are more important.

“What is happening at MSD and WINZ at the moment may “appear” to be reasonable to many in the public, but there is much more to it than most think. The appointment of the Social Welfare Board by Paula Bennett shows that she and her government selected certain persons, who have also a strong “business” and staunchly resolute “work capacity” focused approach in reforming welfare in NZ. The appointment by Dr David Beaumont to the Social Welfare Advisory Board, a former chief advisor for ACC, and responsible for many appalling decisions there, gives reasons for utmost concern!

Ultimately the goal is to get as many persons off benefits and into any types of “open employment ” (on the market), which for sick and disabled will mostly be marginal, selected part time and casual work. The true agenda is cost saving, containing and possibly reducing beneficiary numbers, and the push to achieve this is now extremely forceful. It will cause immense pressures and in many cases actually harmful effects on person’s health. I honestly do not know how beneficiaries with mental illness and psychological conditions will cope. And we also know: The jobs are NOT there, even not so for the fit and healthy!

Most definitely there are many people, who have faced “designated doctor examinations ” that resulted in bizarre and clearly biased decisions, and in quite a number of cases the assessors or designated doctors being used did not have the particular, appropriate medical qualifications needed, to competently assess clients with specific and complex health conditions. GPs are the “standard ” “designated doctors ” now, also making decisions about mental health conditions they often have insufficient understanding of. Some handle a very high number of WINZ clients.

I hope this information will raise your awareness to these topics and issues, on which I can and will elaborate on a bit further in following ‘comments ‘.” SOURCE

Make no mistake, they have never been changing things ad hoc in Aotearoa. There is a definite agenda. Consider this quote from Arnold Toynbee way back in 1931:

“We are at present working discreetly, with all our might, to wrest this mysterious force called sovereignty out of the clutches of the local nation states of the world. And all the time we are denying with our lips what we are doing with our hands.”
Arnold Toynbee – International Affairs, p.809, November 1931

“All around the world, increasingly “socialist” central/local governments and councils, in collusion with the international bankers who fund them, are frantically getting deeper and deeper into unsustainable debt – or worse, are going bankrupt. Harsh austerity measures are being implemented, with drastic cuts in spending, privatization of assets and huge, onerous increases in rates and taxes on property owners – Is all this happening just by chance – or is it a deliberate plot? Is it a global phenomenon? Who is responsible? Where will all this eventually end? Using the small country of New Zealand in the South Pacific as an example, this account attempts to unmask exactly why all this is happening, and provides some unique answers how it may be stopped.”

Sound familiar? …. read Dr Naomi Jacobs’ ebook here.

The following satirical comedy sums up nicely what is now happening to our citizens. In no way is this intended to demean disabled or unemployed people – it simply illustrates how very ludicrous the system has become, and satire gets that point across very effectively. People with cancer are being forced to go find work! As the ‘WINZ’ worker here tells the client in the wheelchair, ‘if your hands work you can wash dishes’.

[Video credit Super City – see links at Youtube]

See our Agenda 21/30 pages for more info & links, &/or search categories for further related articles (at left of any page).

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EnvirowatchRangitikei

Corporations, News, Pharmaceutical Industry, Vaccines

Doctors Receiving ‘Merck Vaccination Service Awards’ for Pushing Vaccines

July 24, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

by Jefferey Jaxen

Where does your doctor’s allegiance lie? Does your healthcare professional listen to your needs and wants as a parent or are they nothing more than affiliate distributors for pharmaceutical companies? It was reported by independent journalist recently that some doctors offices are now demanding their patients sign an immunization contract. What’s an immunization contract you ask? The contract—created outside of law and denying informed consent—requires prospective patients to agree, by signature, to allow 25 vaccines to be injected into their child over a series of visits. Also uncovered in the same investigation, doctors can receive up to $225 per service achieved in the insurance provider category of “childhood immunization [combo 2]”.

As American families rapidly begin to weed out healthcare providers and doctors diluting the integrity and public trust of healthcare, immunization contracts could be a blessing in disguise. Once presented with such a contract upon arrival into a doctor’s practice, a parent can choose to walk out of the office immediately, instead of walking blindly into a belligerent doctor that may call child protective services on them. Although infuriating, immunization contracts add clarity about the doctor’s intentions, so that parents don’t get trapped by thinking there is room for their informed choice.

There is little question that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a troubled agency. The conflicts of interest and revolving doors leading directly to pharmaceutical companies has been well documented. The film Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe is spotlighting a senior CDC scientist turned whistleblower exposing high-level vaccine research fraud within the agency. CDC director Julie Gerberding, after protecting the alleged CDC vaccine research fraud, left the agency to become president of Merck pharmaceuticals vaccine division.

http://www.thevaccinereaction.org/2016/06/doctors-receiving-merck-vaccination-service-awards-for-pushing-vaccines/

See our Vaccine pages for more info & links, &/or search categories for further Vaccine articles (at left of any page).

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Corporations, Money, News

Banana Republic: the ugly story behind New Zealand’s most popular fruit

July 21, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

Here is how the corporate world we live in oppresses the vulnerable. (This is why Key & his cronies are for TPPA). Corporations now set up shop wherever there is cheap labour to be found. Six dollars per 18 hour day in this instance! Dole in this instance pays 27 cents in the Philippines per kg of bananas, that then sell for $3-4 per kg in NZ. Vulnerable families who have frequently been deprived of their ancestral lands, as was the case way back when the colonial predators first set foot, are forced to work for the invader who only visits their shores in search of investment opportunities … resources, cheap labour, a chance to make a buck basically. All the colonial claptrap about bringing civilization is just that … corporations owe their first and only allegiance to their shareholders. Human beings who work for them, who buy their goods, are not a consideration at all. Maximize profits is their bottom line. Remember this when you eat your bananas. Speak up & expose these predators for what they are. And spare a thought for the young parents who have little time to give to their families because of this.

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“Corporations are required by law to place the financial interests of their owners above competing interests. They are legally bound to put their bottom line ahead of everything else, even the public good” (Noam Chomsky, ‘The Corporation’).

From Radio NZ

Tess McClure Digital Journalist @tessairinitess.mcclure@radionz.co.nz

From the top of a rusting observation tower, the leaves stretch out in every direction: thick, glossy, utterly uniform, as far as the eye can see.

It is silent at the centre of the plantation. No birds calling, no hum of insects, only the low whine of planes dumping their loads of pesticide in the distance. Banana bunches wrapped in blue plastic hang like alien egg sacs from the branches. The plantations cover around 10,000 hectares, encircling small villages, networks of roads, and the entire lives of the growers, who work, eat, sleep, live and die among the trees.

She and her team work 15 to 18 hours per day to meet their packing targets of around 800 boxes. For that they are paid 200 pesos, the equivalent of NZ$6.

Francisco B. Milallos, 65, has worked here his whole life, but this season he was too old to be granted a contract. He helps his wife with her work, and today has taken it upon himself to act as guide. Pausing to scuff the ground, he spits, and sweeps out an arm to gesture at the trees.

“So! This is where your bananas come from.”

Filipino workers forced to work 18 hour days, paid as little as 30 cents per hour, constantly exposed to toxic chemicals, and threatened with violence or death when they campaign for better conditions.

Corporations, Electricity, Money, News, Power

“Clean green” NZ massaging the corporate electricity monopoly with an official green light to “kill solar power”

July 19, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

Now wouldn’t you surely want to encourage solar power? After all aren’t we CLEAN AND GREEN here in Aotearoa? Well apparently not. Again we have the Gov/Corporation comfortably in bed with its corporate mates. Like Local Govt is. They all parade around pretending they are democratically elected government bodies acting for we the people when in fact they are each corporations running on the essential maximize profit bottom line. Which is what corporations are about. However the divide is getting wider and the spin less and less credible by the day.

Think about that. Clean Green NZ wants to quash solar power? Do the math, join the dots & see just who is working for you. It’s not JK that’s for real. Remember this come election time.

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Greenpeace

From the Daily Blog

New Zealand’s electricity watchdog is not fit for purpose and is working with big energy companies to destroy the future of rooftop solar power in New Zealand, according to Greenpeace NZ.

Yesterday, the Electricity Authority (EA) ruled that a controversial move by Hawke’s Bay lines company, Unison, to charge its solar users an extra fee was not in breach of any regulations.

The ruling came on the heel of public uproar, which saw formal complaints being laid with the authority, and a petition asking it to protect solar collecting more than 30,000 signatures in just three weeks.

Greenpeace climate campaigner, Simon Boxer, says the ruling now gives lines companies throughout the country the green light to follow Unison and put a tax on solar.

“This is a blatant move by the EA to wash its hands of protecting and promoting renewable energy like solar so that it can continue to massage New Zealand’s electricity monopoly,” he says.

“It’s no secret that the EA isn’t big a fan of solar. In the past it has even publicly advised New Zealanders not to rush into installing it. By giving the nod for Unison to penalise solar, the EA is effectively attempting to kill the uptake of solar in our near future.

Banking, Corporations, Money, News

Corporations – Sucking our Planet Dry

June 28, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

A corporation has been defined as “… a business structure whose sole reason for existence is the earning of profits by manufacturing products for as little as possible and selling them for as much as possible. It does not matter whether the product does good or evil; what counts is that it be consumed – in ever-increasing quantities”.

(Note: therein lies the root of our whole recycling problem … think of all the packaging that goes with those products … plastic wrapping, meat trays, polystyrene and plastic bottles just for starters).

Giant multinational corporations have become society’s most dominant institution. As a student of social policy in the early 1980s I well recall being told there would come a day when corporations would control governments … difficult at the time to conceive of … nevertheless this is exactly what has happened. It was difficult to conceive because it was an era when unemployment was low, benefits for the few who required them were at a livable level and education was relatively free. We were a welfare state. That has changed for we were sharply reminded we were a capitalist welfare state.

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cancer, Corporations, Medical Industry, Money, News

Maori Leaders Standing up to Big Tobacco Corporates who Target the Vulnerable

June 27, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

Maori Party Co-Leader Marama Fox featured on the news on Saturday (25 June 2016) having walked out on a discussion with a tabacco company spokesman on TV3’s program ‘The Nation’. She testily put down her microphone and left the interview telling him he should “crawl back into the hole that is reserved for the corporate executioners”. I couldn’t help but agree with her sentiments. Interviewer Lisa Owen rebuked and reminded her that Imperial Tobacco’s Axel Gietz was an invited guest … we know what side she is on of course … serving her corporate employers.

The purpose of the discussion was the fact that NZ had decided to go down the road of compulsory plain tobacco packaging and Gietz had not ruled out the possibility of suing the NZ government for this.

“Imperial Tobacco make billions of dollars every year profiting off misery and death. You are a peddler of death, that is what you get your money from and … you come to NZ in some public service to help us in the debate when we already knows that it kills our children” … Maori Party Co-leader Marama Fox

“For the last 27 years I have not attended a funeral of someone in our family” said Fox, “and I’ve attended numerous funerals – who has died of natural causes”.

This was reminiscent of Hone Harawira’s challenges to the tobacco corporates. He often cites a statement by one of Big Tobacco’s CEOs:

“We don’t smoke this shit – we sell it. We reserve the right to smoke it, to the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid.”

Hone_Harawira,_Mana_Party_leader — Hone Harawira, leader of the Mana Party speaks out strongly against the tactics of tobacco companies [Photo: Wikipedia]

Back in 2006 he questioned them on that statement at the launch of TOA (Tobacco Out of Aotearoa). Harawira said … “today we launch a campaign to rid our country of bastards who think like this, the companies they work for, and the poison they sell us”. Statistically he said, cigarette smoking accounts for one third of all Maori deaths and Maori women have the highest rate of lung cancer in the world. Tobacco also accounted for 4500 Kiwi deaths in 2006. (Read more about his campaign at this link).

Back in March 2010 at the Auckland hearings of the Māori Affairs Select Committee inquiry, British American Tobacco NZ (BAT NZ) representatives were grilled by a Select Committee that included Harawira, following their presentation on tobacco. (Read more on that at the link).

Targeting the Vulnerable

Whilst the point is always made by all sides of the argument that people have a choice, while that is true, I would add nevertheless that these companies are decidedly predatory. They aggressively target the young and vulnerable. This is documented in their own internal planning documents exposed in this documentary on how Indonesian children as young as two years old have an addiction to cigarette smoking. These companies target nations that have little or no regulatory frameworks around tobacco sales so they exist in the same time warp the West did back in the ’40s and ’50s when the medical profession was promoting tobacco as good for one’s health.

The point here is, the tobacco companies now know that smoking is a health risk, yet they are taking full advantage of the ignorance of this fact by poorer countries. Now if that is not predatory I don’t know what is.

If you doubt that children are targeted, check out this documentary on BAT which goes undercover and exposes their tactics, unashamedly targeting and recruiting eleven year old children. The children in the Indonesian link above believe that smoking will make them wise and intelligent and help them pass their exams.

They know no shame so why not shame them publicly, like Fox and Harawira have? Why pander to these wealthy “corporate executioners” who have no qualms about trading in children’s lives.

Corporations

Corporations, for any who aren’t aware, are about profits not people. A timely reminder. Our country NZ is a corporation as also are many if not most of its former so called government departments. So also are our District Councils. Again, their focus is profits and the fact they are corporations explains their flagrant disregard nowadays for democratic processes. Corporations simply aren’t democratic. They operate for the shareholder first and foremost. They need to be challenged.

The same medical industry that claimed smoking was good for our health is still at it by either condoning or failing to speak out about the health risks of other products like glyphosate, fluoride, GM food and mercury . Corporations often conduct little if any research before their wares are released … what is required is often done in secret and the results are often kept from the public. Then they foist them upon the public without prior consent and often without our knowledge, as has been the case with GM food. We are not guinea pigs and it will only be when people like Fox and Harawira stand up and challenge them, and when we the public refuse to buy their wares, that any changes are going to come about. As for our media, having lost any last vestiges of ethics and honesty as they continue their corporate mergers … there is little point in listening to them any more.

Stand up folks and put a stop to their monopoly.

See our Corporation pages for more info & links, &/or search categories for further corporation articles (at left of any page). In particular I recommend you watch the doco on the Corporations page (scroll to bottom) called ‘The Corporation’. This explains what a corporation is and how it works. It will join dots for you in terms of what is currently happening in our country.

Please also consider liking our FB page &/or following our blog, and do spread the word on all the untruths we have been told!

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RELATED:

Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox – interview
http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/profile/maori-party-marama-fox-interview/

LINKS:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00711.htm

http://www.sfc.org.nz/tcu/TCU139.html

Corporations, Government, Money, News, Poverty

WINZ takes ‘let them eat cake’ to a whole new level – while white collar corporate criminals go free

June 24, 2016 Pam Vernon 9 Comments

Copy of donut-791837_1280 — NZ Govt taking ‘let them eat cake’ to a whole new level

This really takes the cake so to speak, bringing ‘let them eat cake’ to a whole new level! The Daily Blog reports on the reception a legally blind woman had from her case worker recently in Auckland. Firstly she says to her “you don’t look blind” then she pulls out a piece of paper, hands it to her, folds her arms and demands she read it and prove her wrong! These are the depths to which our government/corporate offices have sunk nowadays. Bonuses are earned (I’ve heard from a former WINZ worker) by those who manage to save the company funds.

There are humane workers at WINZ offices who respect people. But there are also many, unfortunately, like this poor specimen, who humiliate and denigrate their customers (forgetting that without their customers they would have no job themselves). These stories have been rolling out of late with the current homelessness crisis and people sleeping rough in the cities, or in their cars even. We’ve also heard stories of people with cancer and leukemia being told to look for work, the latter in particular, a man with two children to support, and at the time sick in his hospital bed.

tie-690084_1280 — White collar crime is responsible for far more tax dollars lost than benefit fraud

This attitude reflects the great disrespect our corporately biased system has for the lower income bracket particularly those without jobs and in this case, the disabled. White collar workers on the other hand, who defraud the system are treated very favourably, particularly by the justice system.
Dr Lisa Marriott, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University, has stated that:

“Benefit fraud cost New Zealand $22 million in 2010, or around $5 for each New Zealander. While it is difficult to get accurate figures for tax evasion, the Tax Justice Network estimates New Zealand missed out on more than $7.4 billion of tax revenue in 2011, or around $1,500 per New Zealander…

So the figures for tax evasion are phenomenal while they are relatively small for benefit fraud…”

On top of all this the corporate media makes much of the vilified beneficiary who cheats the tax payer of the said $5, whilst it seldom if ever mentions the white collar criminal who cheats the same for $1500. Indeed it quite blatantly misleads the NZ public with its failure to mention these stats, stirring up hatred and disinfo against the less fortunate in our midst.

John-Key-Swimming-Pool-Metro-2006 — Prime Minister Key who doesn’t believe we have a homeless problem

So much for justice and equity in our once prosperous welfare state. And let’s not forget, we once had full employment in this nation of ours. There was a job for everybody. And what happened to change that? It wasn’t the fault of people on benefits as the corporate media often subtly misleads us to believe. Let’s lay the blame squarely where it belongs…Rogernomics and the new neoliberal experiment … irresponsible governments that borrowed us into the big black hole we are now in. That has left an ever widening gap between rich and poor, and a crisis of homelessness that isn’t going to go away any time soon. Finally, keep in mind we are a corporation and corporations are about profits and not people.

See our Money/Banking pages for more info & links, &/or search categories for further related articles (at left of any page).

Please like our FB page &/or follow our blog (right of any page) and do spread the word on all the untruths we have been told!
EnvirowatchRangitikei

Corporations, News, Vaccines

Big Pharma: Merck Lies Under Oath – Still Trust their Wares?

June 20, 2016 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

From LA Times via The Truth About Vaccines … “You know. The same company that the CDC helped cover-up the link between the dangerous MMR vaccine and autism. The same company that has TWO of it’s own scientists fighting them in court right now over falsifying the effectiveness of the mumps portion of the MMR vaccine….the same company that uses aborted fetal cells in the rubella/R portion of the MMR vaccine.”

Judge finds Merck lied in patent trial, overturns $200-million verdict

By Michael Hiltzik

The public already holds drug manufacturers in low esteem – and now they’ve got more fuel for their opinion. Federal Judge Beth Labson Freeman of San Jose last week found that Merck & Co. lied to a business partner and to the court itself. Freeman threw out a patent infringement judgment Merck had won against Gilead Sciences, and overturned a $200-million jury award.

This was a big deal, involving one of the most profitable drugs on the market today — Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead’s blockbuster Sovaldi treatment for the hepatitis C virus — and the world’s fourth-largest drug company Merck.

It’s also an enormous black eye for Merck, whose activities the judge said consisted of “systematic and outrageous deception in conjunction with unethical business practices and litigation misconduct.”

But the case does more than raise questions about the integrity of a huge corporation. It’s a window into the extent to which the nation’s overworked patent inspectors can be misled by applicants backed by big corporate war chests in pursuit of billions of dollars in potential profits.

See our Corporations and Vaccine pages for more info & links, &/or search categories for further related articles (at left of any page).

Please like our FB page &/or follow our blog, and do spread the word on all the untruths we have been told!

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Corporations, News, Water

Here’s why you should boycott Nestlé – from the horse’s mouth

May 24, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfy6LL-8sTg

This greedy man, CEO of the largest food company in the world, believes water is not a human right! His company thinks nothing however of siphoning water off from countries not their own… for mere peanuts … and selling it for huge profits. We allow these predators to survive by buying their stuff. Boycott them! Enough is enough!

21,000 new millionaires made in WW1 … exposing the racket that is war … remembering our loved ones who died needlessly because of it

April 25, 2016 Pam Vernon 4 Comments

Those of us who remember our loved ones who either died in war, or who returned, ever to live with the horrific memories of war, we do so from deep respect. We are not glorifying war. These men and women were of a very unique breed. They went in love, desiring to defend their loved ones, us, and their beloved countries. They never wanted war, they were caught up in events against which they had very little, if any, ability to influence. My uncle was so deeply affected by war he would weep when he remembered it. These men on return had no counselors to hear their trauma, they just got on with life and raising families, and buried their grief. They bore a great cost.

DSC10076 too many kiwis... — 50 million lives lost in WW2 … “newly placed gravestones, mangled bodies, shattered minds, broken hearts and homes” (Maj Gen Smedley Butler) – the senseless heartbreak of war.

War is a Racket – literally

Although every ANZAC we honour these our forbears, we also now know that these loved ones who truly did sacrifice their lives, were pawns in a much larger scheme of events. My father, who went off to WW II with his four brothers at the tender age of 17, said in his latter years that wars would never end because ‘wars make money’. Because our true histories are little known and because the media provides us with a very narrow slanted view, then it’s not widely known that the so-called mother country, Great Britain and the royal family deal in the arms trade. Yes they actually profit from wars. Major General Smedley Butler in his famous lecture: ‘War is a Racket’ clearly outlines whom war serves – the corporations. In the age old rationale of ‘defending democracy’ – the military are really defending the mother country’s rights to plunder resources. Hear his speech here.

So, as always, we need to follow the familiar money trail.

So called ‘Maori Wars’ were Actually Land Wars

Copy of March 16 001 — Some of the lands confiscated in Aotearoa by Te Kooti Tango Whenua, The Land Taking Court

It’s little known that some of our own Maori soldiers returned from those World Wars to find their ancestral lands confiscated by the very government they fought for.

Those who read beyond those official histories we all heard in school (who know that ‘Maori Wars’ and ‘Indian Wars’ were actually ‘Land Wars’) will also be aware of the role of the Rothschild family in fomenting and profiteering from wars for hundreds of years, boasting even of funding both sides. These people, incredible as it sounds to real human beings, are dealing in blood. (The following video is the short 12 min version of ‘War is a Racket’, the longer one is found at this link).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58pTA2fUxA8

The death toll from WWII was over 50 million lives.

“I care not what puppet is placed upon the throne of England to rule the Empire on which the sun never sets. The man who controls Britain’s money supply controls the British Empire, and I control the British money supply”…Nathan Mayer Rothschild

“If my sons did not want wars, there would be none”… Mrs Rothschild

Our loved ones were simply pawns.

Nevertheless, again, we honour the fact that our loved ones went honourably and served their beloved countries and peoples. If you want to get angry at the so called ‘celebration’ of war, please direct this not at our commemorations, but at these other people, the profiteers, who have blood on their hands. Blood that one day, they will have to answer for.

When your children are old enough, teach them the true histories, tell them how it really was and still is. We want wars to stop, but the truth needs to be told about the origins of those wars. You will have to uncover those histories for yourselves because mainstream media is not about to. They guard this dirty little secret well.

Read our pages on Banking, The Money Trail and Corporations.

Corporations, News, Water

Nestlé Denies that Water is a Fundamental Human Right – from the company with a disturbing health & ethics record on baby formula

April 20, 2016 Pam Vernon 3 Comments

The most basic thing you as a consumer can do to these behemoths like Nestlé, is boycott them. If all consumers failed to buy their many products they would not survive. They require your ‘consent’ in a sense to function, consent as in purchasing what they make. For more insight into this global takeover of the world’s water supplies read Maude Barlow’s ‘Blue Gold’ – also available on video. Check out our Water pages also.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

By Kevin Samson

Global Research, March 22, 2015

Originally published in December 2013

The current Chairman and former CEO of Nestlé, the largest producer of food products in the world, believes that the answer to global water issues is privatization. This statement is on record from the wonderful company that has peddled junk food in the Amazon, has invested money to thwart the labeling of GMO-filled products, has a disturbing health and ethics record for its infant formula, and has deployed a cyber army to monitor Internet criticism and shape discussions in social media.

This is apparently the company we should trust to manage our water, despite the record of large bottling companies like Nestlé having a track record of creating shortages:

Large multinational beverage companies are usually given water-well privileges (and even tax breaks) over citizens because they create jobs, which is apparently more important to the local governments than water rights to other taxpaying citizens. These companies such as Coca Cola and Nestlé (which bottles suburban Michigan well-water and calls it Poland Spring) suck up millions of gallons of water, leaving the public to suffer with any shortages. (source)

But Chairman, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, believes that “access to water is not a public right.” Nor is it a human right. So if privatization is the answer, is this the company in which the public should place its trust?

For further articles on water go to categories at the left of any page

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Corporations, Media, News

New Tech Shows Why You Can’t Trust Anything You See on the News

March 30, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

Most people who’ve learned to question will know by now that what is called ‘mainstream media’ (I call it lamestream) can no longer be trusted to inform you of news facts in an unbiased and truthful manner. The ownership of the media for starters is now down to around six corporations, from many times that say ten years ago.

Remember, corporations don’t have your best interests at heart. What we see and hear is carefully funneled to us … selectively at that. What you don’t get to see, just as important as what you do, creating the desired perception of reality to suit. You may not have been aware but during recent TPPA protests throughout NZ, the Herald reported a few hundred protesters, when in fact there were 25K+. Currently then your best shot at getting to the truth of all news is to visit truth sites on the internet. Your daily newspaper is just not going to do that for you. Unless of course you are only wanting data on last week’s dog trials and some gardening and culinary advice.

To complicate matters further, according to this video, you will see how what you learn is manipulated to an even more devious degree with even more refined technology that can artificially create the reporter’s body language for you … and more …

EnvirowatchRangitikei

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdRvsa2OulE

Published on Mar 21, 2016

https://youtu.be/YKkuWX406q4 I’m not even sure what to write for a description. What else can you say? It’s the Matrix.

More info on Stanford’s website: http://www.graphics.stanford.edu/~nie…

Face2Face: Real-time Face Capture and Reenactment of RGB Videos (CVPR 2016 Oral): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohmaj…

We Need to Talk about Sandy Hook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxTaf…

H/T Dag Wood

Truthstream Can Be Found Here:
Website: http://TruthstreamMedia.com
FB: http://Facebook.com/TruthstreamMedia
Twitter: @TruthstreamNews
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bbxcWX

Corporations, Money, News

Top multinationals pay almost no tax in New Zealand

March 21, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

How the corporations get away with murder. They know all the loop holes, they have well paid lawyers, they do pretty much what they like and who has the power or the funds to argue with them? Time and again the cause is dropped because it’s ‘not cost effective’ to argue with them in court. Their bank accounts appear bottomless, not surprising given the profits they accrue. These entities are nearing tyrannical proportions.

And here we have them scamming us by avoiding tax. On top of that our top echelons pay peanuts for tax, John Key for instance, pays a mere 2.8% tax whilst the real workers pay 28%! How is this fair? It’s not.

Next time you hear folks bashing beneficiaries for their hand outs and blaming them for our debt, point them here to these stats. What we didn’t learn in economics lectures is that a poor class is essential to capitalism – they supply a cheap labour force and the benefit system is a safety net that keeps it all in place, giving it all a human face. There are some of us still alive who remember the days of full employment when we all had jobs and as a consequence warm homes and food enough for our families. Unemployment began when previous governments borrowed us down the river and into long term unrepayable debt. The poor of course are conveniently blamed for this and told to tighten their belts, while little of that is going on in the upper ranks. Hence the aforementioned pathetically small income tax these leaches pay on their immorally large salaries. Or should we say – ‘hand-outs’? Unless you call ‘working’ for the Stock Exchange work.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Top multinationals pay almost no tax in New Zealand

Matt Nippert – NZ Herald
A major Herald investigation has found the 20 multinational companies most aggressive in shifting profits out of New Zealand overall paid virtually no income tax, despite recording nearly $10 billion in annual sales to Kiwi consumers.

The analysis of financial information of more than 100 multinational corporations and their New Zealand subsidiaries showed that, had the New Zealand branches of these 20 firms reported profits at the same healthy rate as their parents, their combined income tax bill would have been nearly $490 million.

The companies in question, including Facebook, Google, Pfizer and Pernod Ricard, said they followed New Zealand laws and differences in profitability between its New Zealand operations and elsewhere were the results of different business models.

United Future leader Peter Dunne, who was Minister of Revenue from 2005 to 2013, said that experience meant he was not altogether surprised by the disclosures in the Herald.

Determining what share of income large companies should be taxed for, in what country was “becoming more and more impossible”, he said. Finding a way forward was a matter of urgency.

U.S. Corporations That Pay No Taxes

SOURCE: “Every working American is required to pay income taxes, but American companies get away with paying zero…

This year, the IRS collected roughly $1.4 trillion from U.S. taxpayers on April 15. Even individuals exempt from the federal income tax are subject to payroll taxes – and even the 14% exempt from both still must pay a sales tax.

S&P 500 Corporations That Don’t Pay Income Taxes

Company	Symbol	Net income 2014
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.	Nasdaq: GT	$2.45 billion
TE Connectivity Ltd.	NYSE: TEL	$1.9 billion
Eaton Corp. plc	NYSE: ETN	$1.79 billion
Tyco Int’l PLC	NYSE: TYC	$1.73 billion
Masco Corp.	NYSE: MAS	$856 million
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.	NYSE: RCL	$764.1 million
Wynn Resorts Limited	Nasdaq: WYNN	$731.6 million
Darden Restaurants Inc.	NYSE: DRI	$666.6 million
Level 3 Communications Inc.	NYSE: LVLT	$314 million
FirstEnergy Corp.	NYSE: FE	$299 million
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.	NYSE: COG	$104.5 million

*Sources: S&P Capital IQ, USA TODAY

**Uses data from calendar year 2014.

Fortune 500 Corporations That Don’t Pay Income Taxes

Company	Symbol	Net income 2014
CBS Corp.	(NYSE: CBS)	$1.8 billion
Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.	(NYSE: IPG)	$365 million
Mattel Inc.	(Nasdaq: MAT)	$268 million
Owens Corning	(NYSE: OC)	$106 million
PG&E Corp.	(NYSE: PCG)	$1.84 billion
PEPCO Holdings Inc.	(NYSE: POM)	$406 million
Priceline Group Inc.	(Nasdaq: PCLN)	$73 million
Prudential Financial Inc.	(NYSE: PRU)	$3.49 billion
QUALCOMM Inc.	(Nasdaq: QCOM)	$3.21 billion
Ryder System Inc.	(NYSE: R)	$270 million
Time Warner Inc.	(NYSE: TWX)	$4.3 billion
Weyerhaeuser Co.	(NYSE: WY)	$960 million
Xerox Corp.	(NYSE: XRX)	$629 million

*Sources: Corporate 10-K Annual Reports, TheAntiMedia.org

Corporations, Health, Medical Industry, News, Pharmaceutical Industry

The Top 15 Lies You’re Being Told About Health and Mainstream Medicine

March 4, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

By Marco Torres

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

Do you ever question what doctors, nutritionists, institutions and even science tells you about your health, food, environment and lifestyle? You should, because we live in an era of deception and duplicity where the most trusted and valued sources of information are hijacked by much bigger interests than you can imagine.

The reason they’re failing us is because corrupt governments, corporations and the media are constantly feeding us lies on a daily basis, which through repetition, the public eventually accepts as truth. The internet is one of the last frontiers for truth, informing and educating billions on why our systems of health, agriculture, medicine and many other areas we depend on are failing us….

LIE #1. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Can Feed the World
LIE # 2. Electromagnetic Fields and Wireless Radiation are Not Harmful to Humans
LIE # 3. Medical Screening and Treatment Prevent Death

Read the remaining 12 LIES HERE

Agenda 2030, Corporations, District Councils, Horowhenua, News, Pollution

“The tactics Horowhenua District Council used to discourage people from commenting on sewage spills is long-standing and insidious” … More revelations from former Councillor Anne Hunt

March 2, 2016 Pam Vernon 15 Comments

“The tactics Horowhenua District Council used to discourage people from commenting on sewage spills is long-standing and insidious … the whole thrust of one workshop was aimed at undermining the credibility of WECA (Water and Environmental Care Assn Inc.) members”

“We were given a plausible explanation from staff” and then urged to “get [the message] out there because these people who were complaining didn’t know what they were talking about … as I was generally kept out of the loop, only occasionally did I hear what tactics they were planning to use to discredit these people”

Former HDC Councillor, Anne Hunt

In our previous articles on the topic of the Horowhenua District Council’s role in pollution of its waterways with inadequately treated sewage (see links to articles below) former Councillor Anne Hunt described how Mayor Brendan Duffy had coerced Councillors into supporting the Council CEO’s assertion that HDC was not guilty of polluting Lake Horowhenua. In other words “deny it”.

In 2007 Councillors Were Expected to “Toe the Line” on Shannon’s Waste Water Treatment (or lack thereof)

Mrs Hunt also described a second occasion when she and her fellow Councillors were expected to “toe the line”. (Go here to read of the first).

This occurred shortly before the election in 2007, the year she first contested the Mayoralty.

Once again, the problem was the Shannon waste water treatment.

In the Environment Court a couple of years later, HDC would admit “pumping 5.1 million litres of partially treated sewage into the Manawatu River” (Dominion Post 2007).

Here in the video you will see straight sewage going into Stansell’s Drain

Horizons lawyer Ben Vanderkolk told the Court that 5000 cubic metres of sewage was pumped into Stansell’s Drain over 48 hours. “Rudimentary” filter screens including plastic netting had been erected at the entrance to the drain, but this had not stopped contaminants and some sanitary items entering the stream. (Dominion Post 2007)

At the time, HDC had tried to hush it up, and ironically it was Ross Campbell who alerted Cr Hunt to the problem. Stansell’s Drain feeds into the Mangaore tributary of the Manawatu River. There were whitebaiters downstream, so it was a serious health issue.

“There were whitebaiters downstream, so it was a serious health issue”

Horizons had decided to take legal action against the Horowhenua, admitting that it should have been harder on Horowhenua earlier, so that the years of waste being pumped into the drain could have been stopped.

It was dubbed by Green Party MP Russel Norman as a “terrible example of environmental pollution” and Massey University ecologist Mike Joy said the discharge would have had a big impact on the river which was already severely polluted.

“…once again the elected members were expected to support the public relations spin from HDC”

Behind the scenes, there was a flurry of e-mails highly critical of Horizons, Mrs Hunt remembers, and once again the elected members were expected to support the public relations spin from HDC.

Ratepayers would be stung twice with legal costs for their district and regional councils, and ultimately the fine.

David Ward as district’s chief executive at the time would later try to claim that by pleading guilty, the council was ‘taking a responsible attitude”, and ratepayers ‘should be pleased’ additional legal costs had been avoided.

HDC’s resource consent for Shannon had expired in 2001, but a temporary renewal was issued for four years while a new consent was sought.

Despite a council meeting that week, Councillors were not notified when an application for a new resource consent was eventually filed in 2005. WECA filed a submission on this proposal. When Councillors were finally allowed to have some input into an amended proposal, Mrs Hunt says …

“…the whole thrust of this workshop was aimed at undermining the credibility of *WECA members …”

Mrs Hunt says the tactics used to discourage people from commenting on sewage spills is longstanding and insidious.

This week, her priority is supporting Cr Ross Campbell who is facing a code of conduct complaint as a result of his comments on TV 3. Mrs Hunt had several of those during her time on council.

So Who is your District Council Representing?

Being kept “out of the loop” meant that Mrs Hunt was effectively prohibited from representing your (the rate payers’) wishes with regard to protecting your resources. I would reiterate here, these Councillors are elected by you. You should rightfully expect that your views are going to be reasonably represented by them. This is fundamental to democracy. It is very reasonable to expect that the voiced concerns of Councillors who are fulfilling their role, will not be overridden by a CEO. However, this is where the conflict lies. These CEOs are operating as directors of companies. Consider, your local District Councils are registered on Dun and Bradstreet’s website as companies. (Check this out for yourself). A company is:

“… any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership, association or individual proprietorship…” SOURCE

We need to be asking ourselves, to whom do our Councils (that are really companies) owe their allegiance? To you the ratepayer/citizen? Or to corporate/company interests, given they exist ‘for profit’?

As for silencing District Councillors from speaking out, people should be more than outraged at this. It is a clear abuse of the role entrusted to them by you the public.

On a final note, these courageous Councillors who have put their heads above the parapet and spoken truth deserve our thanks. Do consider emailing them in that regard, or leave a comment here. And the same goes for the local residents, in particular Mr Andrews, who have also stood up and been counted.

If you agree with this article please like our Horowhenua &/or Rangitikei FB pages and share – help us to expose lies and promote truth.

See our Local Govt Watch pages (Horowhenua sub page) for more info & links, &/or search categories for further articles (at left of any page).

Please also consider following our blog (right of any page) and do spread the word on all the untruths we have been told! Use the share buttons!

Thank you!

EnvirowatchRangitikei

*(Note, WECA is also on Facebook)
See below for references for this article

“Toe the line and deny any pollution by the HDC” was the clear message given by Mayor Brendan Duffy to Horowhenua District Councillors – a former HD Councillor speaks out

Horowhenua District Council’s pollution whistleblower has been served a trespass warrant – so what’s to hide?

“HDC is a top drawer polluter” says another Horowhenua District Councillor who filmed similar pollution to Shannon’s 14 months ago – he says HDC’s recent take was “misleading & full of half-truths”

SOURCES FOR ARTICLE:

3 Oct 08 Manawatu Standard-Lake Horowhenua Contamination from Sewage Confirmed

Sad Time for Lake Horowhenua – Green Party Press Release 2 Sept 08

Sewage Ponds Overflow at Lake Horowhenua Green Party Press Release 21 Aug 08 – Russel Norman gets offside with local Council 26 Aug 08

Banking, Corporations, Government, Money, New Zealand, News

KiwiSaver accounts missing millions

February 27, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

At the same time as this news item we’ve had the case of the blown$200 mill … lost because the NZ Government (aka corporation) loaned it with the help of Goldman Sachs, to a Portuguese fail-safe Bank that subsequently collapsed. No wonder they’re chasing up $29.3 mill. How many folks I wonder have noticed this news item, as in the $200 mill that’s down the gurgler? And if they consider it prudent to leave their money in KiwiSaver? On the larger scale check out the money borrowed under John Key’s watch. And check out how he made his millions. He’s certainly rubbed shoulders with the Goldman Sachs peeps. Better still, check out the links at the end to a less superficial look at how he made his millions.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Anusha Bradley – @AnushaBradley

Tens of thousands of workers are missing millions of dollars from their KiwiSaver accounts because their employers have failed to either pass on payments docked from their pay, or pay their own employer contributions.

Figures obtained by RNZ News show Inland Revenue is chasing thousands of employers for $29.3 million in outstanding payments and penalties that have accumulated since the retirement savings scheme was launched in 2007.

At the end of June 2015, 1663 employers had failed to pass on $15.3m in KiwiSaver payments deducted from their employees’ own salaries to the IRD.

These deductions were government guaranteed so workers would eventually get the money.

But since 2007, 2210 employers had failed to pay $10.6m in KiwiSaver contributions to 46,154 employees.

Businesses are legally required to pay 3 percent of an employee’s gross salary towards their KiwiSaver.

IRD collections manager David Udy said the vast majority of the businesses that had failed to pay were small and employed between three and five staff.

A Goldman Sachs-organised, ‘risk-free’ loan of $200 mill Kiwi Savers’ funds is now LOST after the bank collapses – still trust your government?February 24, 2016

The Serious Fraud Squad Should Investigate John Key and Merrill Lynch’s Involvement With the Cullen Fund!February 15, 2016

John Key confesses to his role in destroying the global economy on breakfast TVFebruary 15, 2016

Does John Key personally profit from NZ’s growing indebtedness? Hear him explaining his shares with the Bank of America – the bank that’s ‘too crooked to fail’February 9, 2016

John Key is a shareholder in the Bank of America – Major conflict of interest with the TPPAFebruary 4, 2016

Corporations, District Councils, Horowhenua, Money, News, Pollution

“Toe the line and deny any pollution by the HDC” was the clear message given by Mayor Brendan Duffy to Horowhenua District Councillors – a former HD Councillor speaks out

February 26, 2016 Pam Vernon 17 Comments

” … during my time on council … I was placed under pressure to toe the line and deny there was a [pollution] problem” Former HDC Councillor Anne Hunt

Former Horowhenua District Councillor Anne Hunt, who is backing the claims made by both Councillors Campbell and Feyen (see links at bottom of page) regarding the HDC’s role in pollution of Horowhenua’s waterways, has revealed that on two occasions they as Councillors were given a clear message by Mayor Brendan Duffy that they were to “toe the line and deny pollution by the Council”. The first of those occasions concerning a 2008 visit by Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman is addressed here, the second which relates to the pollution of Shannon’s waterways, will be covered in another post.

Mrs Hunt has previously stated on Maori Television in a documentary about the pollution of Lake Horowhenua that HDC is its “worst polluter” and she still stands by this statement (see video at 3.56 minutes).

Dr Russel Norman’s Visit in 2008

Mrs Hunt described an occasion in 2008 when Dr Russel Norman came to Levin to speak with HDC’s Mayor, CEO and representatives about the pollution of Lake Horowhenua by Levin’s nearby waste water treatment plant. At a Council workshop on the day prior, they were told, said Mrs Hunt, that TV3 was coming up to interview the CEO David Ward. Cr Leigh McMeeken suggested they should all stand around him as a show of support. She describes the workshop:

“We were all sitting around the council table, and Brendan [Mayor Duffy] asked each councillor individually to speak to this and voice their support [of the CEO’s stance]… finally coming around to glare at me. I felt most uncomfortable and managed to mumble a non-committal answer. But the message was clear that I was not to step out of line. The Mayor and every other councillor supported the staff position on this, and agreed that Dr Norman was simply political point scoring”.

Put simply, Mrs Hunt says they knew they were to deny that their Council was polluting the lake.

dr russel norman by lake pic credit green party — Dr Russel Norman standing by Lake Horowhenua on his visit to HDC in 2008 – he correctly concludes the lake was contaminated with E.coli [Photo Credit: Green Party]

During his visit Dr Norman was given the opportunity to fly over the lake and take photographs. It was not until a couple of months later that he was proven right by Horizons official tests (3 Oct 08 Manawatu Standard) about the sewage pollution when samples showed high levels of E coli, confirming faecal contamination.

WWTP and Lake — Aerial photograph by Dr Norman showed groundwater from earthworks at the plant was pouring into the lake and creating a plume of dirtier lake water

Dr Norman’s Conclusions on the Sewage Contamination

Dr Norman concluded there was absolutely no doubt sewage was seeping into the lake and said it was turning out to be one of NZ’s worst sewage disasters in years. Official tests found high levels of E.coli between council sewage ponds and Lake Horowhenua. He commented that the HDC had a history of resource consent breaches including a then recent court appearance regarding Shannon’s sewage ponds. Mayor Brendan Duffy and CEO David Ward he said, have constantly downplayed risks, with Mayor Duffy calling any critics of his waste disposal practices ‘ill-informed’. The council had given priority he said to a $10.4 mill council building over proper waste treatment.

The new Council building … “an edifice to stupidity” – Cr Michael Feyen

The Sewage Pollution of Lake Horowhenua was FACT

This has been an abbreviated revision of Dr Norman’s conclusions. Fuller coverage will be the subject of a later post. It serves here in its brevity to illustrate that in spite of HDC denials, the pollution of Lake Horowhenua by sewage was factual, as official tests later proved. And the point of this post being to endorse the actions of Mr Andrews (the 70 year old Shannon environmentalist who was recently assaulted at his home by intruders) and Crs Ross Campbell and Michael Feyen, in endeavouring to film what appears to be deliberate pollution by the HDC, bringing it to the notice of the public. A public that elected these representatives to manage their public resources, prudently and not negligently.

Particularly, it exposes, thanks to Mrs Hunt, the clearly unethical tactics employed by the HDC in coercing its Councillors to think and ‘vote’ a certain way.

You have a situation here where your Councillors that you vote for on election day, the people whom you are expecting to represent your views when important decisions are made at your local District Council … they are actually being told how to vote … and that is according to the directive of the CEO.

Is this democratic?

Clearly not.

What we have here it seems, is an illusion of democracy. Behind those closed doors Councillors are not permitted to represent you … their hands are tied. Clearly there have been three Councillors here who were willing to speak the truth … at great cost to themselves. For that I applaud them.

“When we tolerate what we know to be wrong–when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened–when we fail to speak up and speak out–we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice”. – Robert Francis Kennedy

Finally, bear in mind that your local District Councils are registered on Dun and Bradstreet’s website as companies. (Check this out for yourself). A company is:

“… any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership, association or individual proprietorship…” SOURCE

So we need to be asking ourselves, to whom do our Councils (that are really companies) owe their allegiance? To you the ratepayer/citizen? Or to corporate/company interests, given they exist ‘for profit’? Does this not explain a few anomalies?

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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Horowhenua District Council’s pollution whistleblower has been served a trespass warrant – so what’s to hide?

“The whole thrust of one workshop was aimed at undermining the credibility of WECA members” … More revelations from a former Councillor on Horowhenua DC’s “long-standing & insidious” tactics

SOURCES FOR ARTICLE:

3 Oct 08 Manawatu Standard-Lake Horowhenua Contamination from Sewage Confirmed

Sad Time for Lake Horowhenua – Green Party Press Release 2 Sept 08

Sewage Ponds Overflow at Lake Horowhenua Green Party Press Release 21 Aug 08 – Russel Norman gets offside with local Council 26 Aug 08

Corporations, District Councils, Government, Horizons, News, Pollution, Sustainable Development, Water

“HDC is a top drawer polluter” says another Horowhenua District Councillor who filmed similar pollution to Shannon’s 14 months ago – he says HDC’s recent take was “misleading & full of half-truths”

February 25, 2016 Pam Vernon 12 Comments

“HDC is a top drawer polluter. This is not the first time accurate film footage has been taken of wilful contamination of the Manawatu River … I took extensive film footage 14 months ago and was ridiculed at the time”
Cr Michael Feyen

In recent posts we have highlighted the ongoing pollution of Horowhenua’s natural water resources (see posts here and here). Now another Councillor, Michael Feyen, has backed the claims of Councillor Ross Campbell about the Council’s role in this pollution, and says he made similar video footage to Cr Campbell’s 14 months ago for which he was ridiculed.

“… council’s take on the issue was misleading and full of half-truths”
Cr Michael Feyen

Seventy year old Shannon resident John Andrews, who was with Cr Campbell recently while filming the sewage discharging into Stansell’s Creek, featured in news headlines shortly afterwards when he received a late night bashing by 3 to 4 men. There may or may not have been a connection between the two incidents, however, you can read the article and draw your own conclusions about that. The matter will still of course be under Police investigation.

Cr Feyen has been reported by the Herald as saying: the “council’s take on the Shannon issue was misleading and full of half-truths”. He himself has posted around 80 other videos on Youtube (watch these at the link) documenting the deliberate pollution of both Horowhenua and Manawatu waterways with both sewage and farm effluent. (The above video features pollution of the Manawatu).

The people mandated with protecting our environments, our District Councils and Horizons, who all adhere (on paper at least) to the goals of sustainable development, are in fact complicit in polluting them. This is happening both NZ and world wide.

“Two-thirds of more than 160 monitored river swimming spots in New Zealand have been deemed unsafe for a dip” NZ Herald 30/1/2015

And further food for thought … your local District Councils are registered on Dun and Bradstreet’s website as companies. (Check this out for yourself). A company is:

“… any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership, association or individual proprietorship…” SOURCE

Stand up people and make these folks accountable. Our clean water is almost gone. Few rivers are clean enough to swim in any more. Your silence is taken as acceptance of the status quo.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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“On two occasions Horowhenua District Councillors given a clear message by Mayor Brendan Duffy ‘to toe the line’ and deny any pollution by the HDC” – a former HD Councillor speaks out

Corporations, District Councils, Horowhenua, News, Pollution, Water

Horowhenua District Council’s Pollution Whistleblower has been served a trespass warrant – so what’s to hide?

February 23, 2016 Pam Vernon 21 Comments

Further to our recent article on the Horowhenua District Councillor who alerted the public to the pollution of Shannon’s waterways by allegedly raw sewage, the Horowhenua District Council has served a trespass warrant on their own Cr Ross Campbell. This is the man who filmed the raw evidence (see footage below) of what appears to be equally raw sewage and toilet paper spewing into the Stansell Street creek at Shannon. (I can find no news links to the serving of a warrant – I saw it on Facebook and it has since been removed). Although the District Council is saying the video is a distortion of the facts Cr Campbell says the video speaks for itself and “he’s not changing his stance on the issue”. He had received a number of calls on the day from concerned locals who had seen the sewage discharging into water where children were swimming. A call to Horizons resulted in a post inspection comment that the HDC was abiding by their consent.

“It’s a joke really. This is absolutely shocking … the stench was horrible. This was straight sewage, no treatment, no nothing. It’s putting everyone at risk who uses the stream.”
Cr Ross Campbell

See the toilet paper for yourself. The HDC have claimed it has been put there deliberately by somebody. But what would that somebody have to gain from such actions? Definitely a lot of stress given this outcome, and who ever would pay them for exposing pollution? The claim doesn’t really hold water.

Copy of 12734196_1068580989871855_1943581013906074310_n — The trespass notice Horowhenua District Council has served on their own Councillor Ross Campbell

Above is a copy of the trespass warrant that was removed from Facebook. (I note other news links from the event are now no longer operative).

So why has the Horowhenua District Council served a trespass warrant on the Councillor who filmed the sewage? If they are so above board then what have they got to hide? Why are they not inviting the public to inspect for themselves and see that everything is good.

And why, as citizens of our ‘clean and green’ paradise, we need to ask, are Councils polluting and not protecting our environments …. according to their stated mantra of ‘sustainable development’? Consider, your local District Councils are registered on Dun and Bradstreet’s website as companies. (Check this out for yourself). A company is:

“… any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership, association or individual proprietorship…” SOURCE

This kind of carry on is NOT sustainable!

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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“On two occasions Horowhenua District Councillors given a clear message by Mayor Brendan Duffy ‘to toe the line’ and deny any pollution by the HDC” – a former HD Councillor speaks out

Corporations, Government, New Zealand, News, TPPA

TPPA – John Key plans to push ahead with changing NZ’s laws and won’t be waiting to see if the US is going to ratify the agreement

February 22, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

Kennedy Graham

Yesterday in Parliament I asked the Prime Minister if he is planning to change our laws to implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), even before it is clear if the US Congress will ratify it.

The Prime Minister said he was going to push ahead with changing our laws and wouldn’t wait to see if the US was going to actually ratify the agreement.

If Congress doesn’t agree to the TPPA, or if the Japanese Parliament doesn’t, the whole deal falls apart. This is because the TPPA requires ratification by countries representing at least 85 percent of the total GDP, and that means the US and Japan have to be on board.

The problem is that it’s far from clear if the US Congress will ever ratify the TPPA in its current form. A majority is currently opposed. Some members are demanding further concessions for the US tobacco industry or the big pharmaceutical companies, which would be bad for New Zealand. While President Obama is supportive, none of the Democratic or Republican front-runners to replace him support the TPPA.

We could find ourselves in a lose-lose situation where we’ve changed our laws to suit the TPPA, but the TPPA itself never comes into force so the tariffs and other trade barriers don’t disappear for our exporters.

So then I asked, if the TPPA becomes null and void because the US Congress dumps it, will New Zealand reverse the changes to our laws that we’ll have already made?

The Prime Minister’s answer was no. The Government won’t delay introducing and passing legislation to ratify the TPPA, and then won’t reverse the laws if it doesn’t go ahead.

He seems to be saying that we could be left with several alarming changes to our laws, with absolutely no trade benefit in return. These include:

Raising the threshold at which Overseas Investment Office approval is needed from $100 million to $200 million, making it easier for overseas investors to buy up our farmland and industry.
Changing the length of copyright from 50 years to 70 years, with an annual cost of around $55 million. We’ll also need to establish new enforcement powers for Customs, and new civil and criminal penalties for copyright infringement.
Changes to the Patents Act, which are likely to complicate Pharmac’s access to cheaper medicines.
Changing the Plant Varieties Act, making it harder for farmers to save seeds for use in the following season, and the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act to strengthen the rights of agricultural chemical manufacturers.
Changes to the Tariff Act and the Customs and Excise Act – dropping our tariffs for other TPPA countries.
Changes to the Trade Marks Act.

Thankfully, some of the most alarming aspects of the TPPA, such as the investor state dispute process that allows corporations to sue governments, don’t require legislative change. So if the TPPA does fall apart in the US Congress, we won’t have already swallowed that particular dead rat. But we will have swallowed others.

SOURCE: https://blog.greens.org.nz/2016/02/17/jumping-the-tppa-gun-could-backfire/

cancer, Chemicals, Corporations, News

Ford spent $40 million to reshape asbestos science

February 21, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

Shocking evidence here of why you must research everything today. Honesty is a thing of the past in the name of profits. (If you don’t believe this, search the various corporations and see how they are regularly fined (peanuts) for their false claims). Playing with people’s lives like this is tantamount to murder. How many people have been exposed to asbestos without ever knowing until it’s too late? And on top of that, the medical industry does its best to downplay holistic and statistically more successful protocols to treat us with. EnvirowatchRangitikei

Over the past decade 109 physicians, scientists and academics from 17 countries have signed legal briefs affirming that asbestos in brakes can cause mesothelioma.

The Center for Public Integrity
In 2001, toxicologist Dennis Paustenbach got a phone call from a lawyer for Ford Motor Company.

The lawyer, Darrell Grams, explained that Ford had been losing lawsuits filed by former auto mechanics alleging asbestos in brakes had given them mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer virtually always tied to asbestos exposure. Grams asked Paustenbach, then a vice president with the consulting firm Exponent, if he had any interest in studying the disease’s possible association with brake work. A meeting cemented the deal.

Paustenbach, a prolific author of scientific papers who’d worked with Grams on Dow Corning’s defense against silicone breast-implant illness claims, had barely looked at asbestos to that point. “I really started to get serious about studying asbestos after I met Mr. Grams, that’s for sure,” Paustenbach testified in a sworn deposition in June 2015. Before that, he said, the topic “wasn’t that interesting to me.”

The World Health Organization and other research and regulatory bodies maintain that there is no safe exposure level for asbestos and that all forms of the mineral — including the most common one, chrysotile, found in brakes — can produce mesothelioma.

Thus began a relationship that, according to recent depositions, has enriched Exponent by $18.2 million and brought another $21 million to Cardno ChemRisk, a similar firm Paustenbach founded in 1985, left and restarted in 2003. All told, testimony shows, Ford has spent nearly $40 million funding journal articles and expert testimony concluding there is no evidence brake mechanics are at increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This finding, repeated countless times in courtrooms and law offices over the past 15 years, is an attempt at scientific misdirection aimed at extricating Ford from lawsuits, critics say….

Corporations, District Councils, News, Pollution, Sustainable Development, Water

Exposing the pollution of your waterways may well incur a violent backlash as two Horowhenua residents found out – the ongoing lip service Councils pay to Iwi, the RMA & ‘sustainable development’

February 20, 2016 Pam Vernon 10 Comments

Copy of attack jpeg — John Andrews, environmentalist, says he was attacked on his own property [Photo: Maori TV]

“A 70-year-old man has been bashed in a late night attack at his home in Horowhenua. Staunch environmentalist John Andrews says he may have been a target as he had highlighted pollution issues from the Shannon Sewage Treatment Plant into the Otāuru River.” (Maori Television)

Mr Andrews said he had been attacked from behind on his own property, kicked and bashed in the head and other parts of his body. He said he saw three men in the attack and a possible fourth as well. When this incident first appeared on Facebook he was reported as saying that the parting comment of one of his attackers were words to the effect of “Lord Duffy said ‘hello'”. (Here is a link to Stuff’s report on the attack).

Although the Facebook post made it clear Mr Andrews was just relaying what was said, and not saying he connected the incident with Levin’s Mayor Brendan Duffy, ensuing comments in the media have understandably, correctly or otherwise, suggested there is a link. Any connection with the incident however is denied by the Mayor.

“We had had an altercation with the Regional Council earlier in the day out there and I don’t know if there’s any connection and I would only be speculating if there was, but this fight has been going on for years,” John Andrews. (by Maori Television)

Shannon, where Mr Andrews lives, lies within the jurisdiction of the Horowhenua District Council.

2Copy of statements — Horowhenua Chronicle

Mr Andrews had been at the Mangaore Stream earlier in the day with Horowhenua District Councillor Ross Campbell, when C r Campbell filmed footage of the treatment ponds and the discharging of raw sewage into the steam. Cr Andrews had then talked with a worker at the plant, who agreed to turn the pump off.

3Copy of statements — Horowhenua Chronicle

Subsequently, footage of sewage and toilet paper in the water was posted on social media, footage that the HDC claims is a distortion of facts, even suggesting the toilet paper was put there by somebody. (View footage here). (There were other videos posted also which may or may not be related but do indicate the concern that exists with this pollution).

The Pollution of Lake Horowhenua

P1160151 — Lake Horowhenua, its water now so toxic it could kill, polluted for decades by discharge of local sewage and farm effluent

This is not the first time this Council has come under the spotlight for pollution of its natural water resources, or that people who have highlighted pollution have incurred a violent backlash. As indicated, the fight over pollution has been going on with the HDC for years. This claim is borne out in the history of Lake Horowhenua, a natural resource that is owned by the Muaupoko Iwi. This once pristine lake, dubbed by the Listener as the ‘lake of shame’, had been transformed from a valuable source of income and kai … into a literal toilet bowl. Raw sewage had been pumped into it for two decades starting in the 1950s (tantamount to emptying a septic tank’s contents onto your vegetable garden) and although it ceased in the 1980s, the lake has continued to be polluted to this day by effluent from surrounding dairy farming, by some sewage and from local agricultural activity. The price tag to clean up the pollution and realize the dream of having swimmers cross the lake last ANZAC day (2015) was estimated by Horizons to be $2.886 million. It is one of the top ten most polluted lakes in New Zealand and testing has revealed just a small glassful has the potential to kill a small child. A former HDC Councilor Anne Hunt said when in office, that one of the worst polluters of the lake was the HDC (see video at 3.56 minutes). The Crown has admitted this:

“The Crown has conceded it failed to protect Lake Horowhenua from pollution, breached the Treaty of Waitangi on multiple occassions and left the Muaupoko iwi virtually landless…”(Waitangi Tribunal Hearing 2015)

The lake’s guardian, Phil Taueki, Muaupoko, explains:

“We agreed to share it with the public but there are certain rules we ask them to respect to protect the lake … we have to hold those who are accountable for allowing our most prized taonga to be turned into the town’s toilet … “

The following video explains the lake’s history and the fight by its owners for decades to keep it clean. See also the Listener’s article here.

Lack of Respect for Sacred Sites & Blatant Disregard for the Resource Management Act 1991

Local Maori in Shannon, Ngati Whakatere, have recently protested (late 2015) about the Council’s lack of respect for sacred Maori sites with regard to their excavations. (See video BELOW). The Resource Management Act 1991 clearly requires consultation with local Iwi around any intentions to excavate, however the Council simply is not listening.

In the first video about Lake Horowhenua (at 6 minutes), Mayor Duffy (interviewed by Karley Hemopo of Marae TV) clearly displays his blatant disrespect both for Maori values and for the Resource Management Act which the HDC (that he represents) is legally required to observe and adhere to. He states when asked what the objections by Maori regarding excavation by the Council were (in the case of the Queen Street storm drain) he states:

“Oh God knows … it’ll be around … it’s a burial site or … a burial site? … I don’t think so…”
Mayor Duffy

The Resource Management Act, dating from 1991, lists “matters of national importance” that are to be protected in any decision:

Matters of national importance (The Resource Management Act 1991)

“In achieving the purpose of this Act, all persons exercising functions and powers under it, in relation to managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources, shall recognise and provide for the following matters of national importance: …..

(e) the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, waahi tapu, and other taonga:

(f) the protection of historic heritage from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development:

(g) the protection of protected customary rights…” (SOURCE: RMA)

Soon after Mayor Duffy’s statement in the video (at 6.23 minutes) an interview with a land owner and lake trustee Vivienne Taueki reveals she approached HDC about their own objections even before construction began in 2004 yet Council states they have no record of such objections.

The Ongoing Lip Service Councils Pay to ‘Preserving & Enhancing Natural and Cultural Resources’ and ‘Sustainable Development’

For a few years now we’ve been hearing that term ‘sustainable development’. It’s often accompanied by the term ‘smart’, implying clever and is related to goal setting and achievement. You can read the full definition of these two terms here however below is a small quote:

Smart growth values long-range, regional considerations of sustainability over a short-term focus. Its sustainable development goals are to achieve a unique sense of community and place; expand the range of transportation, employment, and housing choices; equitably distribute the costs and benefits of development; preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources; and promote public health. SOURCE

You will see these terms displayed on our Regional and District Council websites, and on our Horizons websites, those authorities that are entrusted with the care of our environment. The Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) for instance “will not only protect and conserve our valuable hill country soil resources, but also address water quality issues and improve downstream flood protection.”

So, with the rhetoric that exists in all of these policy statements relating to the oft quoted Long Term plans, we should have very clean water at least. Yes?

But no. NZ wide we have waterways that are unsafe to swim in any more. The Manawatu River has earned the dubious ‘honour’ of being the most polluted river in the Southern Hemisphere. See here and here, short video clips about the pollution of that river by a HDC Cr Michael Feyen. Clearly the Horowhenua waterways are no exception.

So, ironically, the authorities mandated with protecting our natural environment and resources seem to be failing miserably in their ‘performance objectives’ (you know, ‘sustainable, smart’ and all of that?) Here in the Rangitikei we have the same issue going on with the pollution of our own Tutaenui Stream where our District Council (RDC) has a long legacy of non compliance with consents and no in-stream biota survey (assessing the aquatic life of the stream) for over a decade, a report that’s required three yearly. (I asked our Mayor Andy Watson twelve months ago when there would next be one … he advised me to email the Council on that … no reply yet). And the fudging of the amounts of leachate dumped into our WWTP (waste water treatment plant) by a very considerable amount (like up to 12 tanker loads per day not the stated 2-3 per 1-2 days). These authorities appear to act more favourably towards corporate interests than those of the people who elected them.

The Alleged ‘Unhealthy Relationship’ that Exists between HDC and Police

Consider also the unhealthy relationship cited by Phil Taueki that’s alleged to exist between the HDC’s Mayor and the Police. In the Lake Horowhenua video above, Mr Taueki, when arrested (see at 1.07 minutes) for trying to enforce protection of the lake, was refused permission by Police to lock up his premises, and returned the next day to find his property and car trashed. Where is the due process of the law and justice in these matters when Mr Taueki attempts to highlight matters of pollution? Additionally, Mr Taueki says that 75% of the charges against him over the past two years in this respect have been dropped before they ever got to Court.

To offer you food for thought on all of that, consider this; your local District Councils are registered on Dun and Bradstreet’s website as companies. (Check this out for yourself). A company is:

“… any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership, association or individual proprietorship…” SOURCE

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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Horowhenua District Council’s pollution whistleblower has been served a trespass warrant – so what’s to hide?

Corporations, News, TPPA

TPPA Updates

February 16, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

Bulletin #84

10 February 2016

What an amazing protest!

Thanks to all who supported the protests, in Auckland and across the country, on 4^thFebruary 2016. More than 15,000 people (some estimates put it as high as 30,000) marched down Queen St in one of the biggest protests in a decade. During the day, activists undertook rolling blockades of traffic across the city centre around the Sky City casino where the TPPA was signed. It has shaken the government and they are on the back foot. Despite the barrage of media spin in favour of the TPPA (especially in the Herald) we are winning the battle for public opinion.

What happens next?

In terms of the official process, the National Interest Analysis (a biased sell job, prepared by MFAT) has been tabled in Parliament. It’s Our Future responded calling for evidence not spin.

MFAT is holding TPP Roadshows

MFAT says: “The roadshows will present the outcomes of the TPP negotiations. Members of the public are welcome. The roadshows will also help businesses prepare to take advantage of new opportunities presented by TPP’s entry into force. The morning session of each roadshow will provide an overview of TPP, and afternoon workshop sessions will have a more technical focus.

· Auckland, 7 March, Rendezvous Hotel, corner Mayoral Drive and Vincent St, Auckland Central

· Christchurch, 11 March, Rydges Hotel, 30 Latimer Square, Christchurch City

· Dunedin, 14 March, The Dunedin Centre, 1 Harrop Street, Dunedin

· Wellington, 18 March, Westpac Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington

Registrations close on 1 March 2016. More roadshows will be held in other regional centres in the coming months. Locations are likely to include Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Nelson, Palmerston North, Tauranga, and Whangarei. Updates will be published on this website, or you can contact tpp@mfat.govt.nz if you would like to register to be updated.”

It’s Our Future will provide fact sheets and questions for those who want to attend the meetings.

Waitangi Tribunal TPPA Urgency Hearings

The hearings will be held on 14-18 March in Wellington. Register here.

Select Committee hearings

The Foreign Affairs Trade and Defence Committee of Parliament is expected to hold hearings on the TPPA in the March-April timeframe (we don’t yet know the timetable or locations for the hearings, but hopefully there will be a number of them across NZ). We are planning actions around those hearings:

· Hold meetings in each city before the Select Committee hearings to give everyone the latest update on research and analysis

· Debates and events are being organised in several cities

· There may be protests linked to the hearings in some cities

· ActionStation will be organising standard on-line submissions

Parliamentary Debate

After the Select Committee report and the government response, a combined bill covering eight pieces of legislation will be introduced to Parliament. This will need to be voted on by Parliament, but at present it looks as if the government has a majority (even without the threat of Labour MP Phil Goff voting for it). We will look at the potential for holding some big rallies around the Parliamentary vote.

General Election in 2017

The TPPA will not come into force before 2018. This means there will be a general election in New Zealand before it is actually implemented. We need opposition parties to stand firm in rejecting the TPPA, and, if we are not able to stop it, to commit to withdrawing from it in future. We will run a campaign to let political parties know that voters want a clear NO to the TPPA!

TPPA Ratifications

Even if the TPPA goes through the ratification process in New Zealand, it won’t come into force until it is ratified by countries making up 85% of the combined GDP of TPPA countries. There is opposition from almost all leading candidates for the US Presidency and the TPPA is looking shaky in Congress. The new Trudeau government in Canada has undertaken to consult properly on the TPPA and warned that they may not ratify. It is possible that the TPPA will be significantly delayed, or even never implemented.

For more details on the TPPA process, see the research paper authored by Jane Kelsey.

Take Action against the TPPA

In addition to the above actions, there are a number of campaign actions that you can take. A summary of those is on the It’s Our Future Take Action page:

· Sign the petition to the Governor-General. Following the handover of initial signatures on a petition to the Governor-General, calling for him to withhold his assent for ratification of the TPPA, the petition has been re-launched. Please download the petition here and build pressure for him to act.

· Sign the petition calling on the government not to ratify the TPPA. We only launched the petition a few weeks ago and it’s now up to 53,000. Please Sign Now!

· Declare your space a TPPA Free Zone. You can declare your home, neighbourhood, community centre, school, workplace, bike or car as a TPPA Free Zone. Download signs and materials and join Facebook for ideas for action. TPPA Free Zone stickers (13cm X 10cm) are available at $35 per 100. Tony Hartnett (thartnett@ihug.co.nz) has offered to collect up orders to send to the printer.

· Congratulations to Waiheke Local Board for becoming a TPPA Free Zone. Get involved with your Council or Local Board to declare a TPPA Free Zone.Motueka protester Greg Rzesniowiecki has been doing an amazing job in supporting Council actions, on his two year anti-TPPA roadtrip. Greg will write to all Councils in the next few days inviting them to declare their territory or region a TPPA Free Zone. There will be a new kit developed to assist activists, using the resources developed in the lobby on Waiheke, Upper Hutt and Christchurch Councils. Contact him at gregfullmoon013@gmail.com to discuss Council resolutions.

· Target the media. The mainstream media have got away with biased reporting that has under-stated the numbers on our protests, ignored our message and disrespected protesters. Meanwhile there has been a constant barrage of government PR spin echoed by journalists. We need to build our movement on social media and through our own networks, but we also need to respond to the media with articles, letters and, where necessary, complaints.

Protest events around New Zealand

This is a partial list. Events have also taken place in many other centres including Nelson, Blenheim, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Tauranga, Hastings, Whangarei and the hikoi, cars against the TPPA and many others. Please let me know at itsourfuturenz@gmail.comif you have news and footage of events against the TPPA in your community. Information will be updated on www.itsourfuture.org.nz.

Dunedin

There was a lunchtime protest outside MP Michael Woodhouse’s office, which is on a prominent intersection. Lots of tooting in support! Workers stand to lose.

Christchurch

Catchy youtube video on the Christchurch Council action. The action resulted in the Council agreeing to hold a workshop on a TPPA Free Zone. And Christchurch’s Josie Butler grabbed headlines in New Zealand and internationally with her well-aimed dildo thrown at Steven Joyce! In her words.

Wellington

The rally for democracy and sovereignty at the Governor General Gates on 30th January delivered 4300 signatures to the Governor General’s Official Secretary, Gregory Baughen in a solemn ceremony. There was an earlier hikoi from Waitangi Park to the Governor’s gates.

News reports on the fantastic Te Papa banner drop: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/extremely-disrespectful-tpp-protesters-target-anzac-exhibition.html

A ‘not-a-rent-a-crowd’ protest of around 600 gathered at Wellington’s cenotaph beside Parliament for a rally and speeches, joining the calls against TPPA signing.

Raglan

Hundreds (about 20% of the population) jumped from Raglan footbridge in a chain bomb, or watched, and when many signed the petition to the Governor-General.

Auckland

The march organised by It’s Our Future was HUGE! It was led by kapa haka groups, followed by elders and leaders from trade unions, NGOs and political parties, with a colourful array of placards and banners. The march was load, passionate and a strong signal to the government that a majority of Kiwis are against the TPPA. Check out the analysis of on-line TPPA protest activity.

Earlier on, protesters organised by Real Choice surrounded Sky City where the TPPA was signed, with chanting and drums. There was a rolling blockade of intersections around Sky City and onto the motorway, joined in the afternoon by the Hikoi against the TPPA.

Images from these events are posted at TPPA Images. Please add your photos and videos to the page. For more photos of the event, check out these great albums:

· TPPA Free Zone photos by Dominic Hartnett

· TPPA Protest photos by Kina Sai

· TPPA Blockade photos by Pati Solomona Tyrell.

· Anti TPPA Blockade photos by Baz Mantis Photography

· Blockade the TPPA Signing! photos by Emily from Accompany Collective.

With the exception of John Campbell’s interviews and possibly TVNZ’s reporting , the mainstream media coverage was insulting and patronising, trawling through hours of footage to give the impression the protesters were ill-informed.

As the Trade Ministers arrived on the preceding day, they were met with banners and an LCD screen as an ‘Unwelcome Committee’, with a Don’t Sign the TPPA message.ActionStation (New Zealand), Leadnow.ca (Canada) and SumofUs covertly projected visual protest images near the Auckland Sky Tower. The Artists Collective put on a music event, the protestival in the weekend before the signing.

Waitangi

Strong opposition convinced the Prime Minister not to attend Waitangi Day events, but other political parties took the opportunity to send a strong anti-TPPA message.

International

Our New Zealand protests were part of a global protest with events taking place across most of the 12 TPPA countries (eg. Chile takes to the streets), and 250,000 people in Germany against the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Research and Fact Sheets

Five research papers have now been published on the TPP Legal website, onParliamentary process, Investment, te Tiriti, Environment, and the Economics of the TPPA. Others on Internet/IP and Local Government will follow soon.

A simple flyer with a summary of the key facts on a double side A4 is here. Copy it and share it far and wide. ActionStation has launched a new series of Fact Sheets on different aspects of the TPPA.

Funding the campaign

We launched a Give a Little page to fund the speaker tour and ongoing campaigning. Please donate generously.

Thanks for your amazing campaigning. The past few weeks have changed politics in our country. Now it’s time for us to ramp up the pressure! Kia kaha!

Barry Coates

It’s Our Future spokesperson

itsourfuturenz@gmail.com

Corporations, Government, Money, News, Poverty

Under Key’s watch Rape crisis centers closing and food banks doing a brisk trade – Green Party’s Gareth Hughes

February 12, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

“You delivered tax cuts the country couldn’t afford and leave us $120 billion in debt, a superannuation crisis, crippling student loans and a generation locked out of home ownership” Gareth Hughes, Green Party

Our country NZ that we like to think of as being a democracy, technically has been one in name only for quite some time now. We are actually a corporation, listed on the Security and Exchange Commission website (SEC) as such, with the Queen as the listed owner. Indeed our local District Councils are also companies, listed on the Dun and Bradstreet website. Check it out. A company is ‘any formal business entity for profit which may be a corporation, a partnership or individual proprietorship’.

This has ramifications for how they both function. If corporations and companies have profits for shareholders as their primary concern, then how can they be true to democratic aspirations, or truly fulfill that function? We’ve already been seeing the outworking of this incompatibility for quite some time now. Constantly corporate interests are overriding any care for the environment, in spite of Horizons and District Councils’ much touted mantra of ‘sustainable development’. Big business aka corporations are not interested in cleaning up the damage they inflict and they hold little interest in preserving the environment. At least not beyond lip service anyway. They’re claiming ownership of our water supplies to sell off shore for profit, and charging local farmers far higher prices to tend to our own agricultural concerns. In our own district corporate interests are wrecking our roads and trashing our waterways with our own local Rangitikei District Council turning a blind eye and on loading the expense to the rate payers. Sustainable?

So here is a scathing address to John Key on the state of our nation by Gareth Hughes of the Green Party at the opening of Parliament. Laid bare, the facts are astonishing … he speaks truth …

“Hungry kids up, inequality up, pollution up, debt up, housing costs up, electricity costs up, foreign ownership up, corruption up ….”

wanderer-814222_1280 — Homelessness is a growing problem in NZ, and the government continues to sell off our state housing stock, the former pride of our [once] Welfare State

Other insights included:

Once you attacked the nanny state of efficient lightbulbs but then presided over the most wide reaching mass surveillance state in our country’s history
Our most poll-driven PM ever, yet after all these years we still don’t know what you stand for
Scientists have been ridiculed and silenced and NGOs have had their funding and voice cut
You delivered tax cuts the country couldn’t afford and leave $120 billion in debt, a superannuation crisis, crippling student loans and a generation locked out of home ownership.
After selling our assets you are now selling out our sovereignty to corporates and the Hollywood industrial complex
You grew up in a state house but now that you’re on the 9th floor you’re even selling them too
300,000 kids growing up in poverty

Read More at The Daily Blog:

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/02/11/debating-the-prime-ministers-statement/?utm_content=bufferbe7f7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Corporations, News, TPPA

See who else is opposed to the TPPA & why you’re not hearing about it

February 6, 2016 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

12654269_819927578129452_8801136069769379266_n — Photo credit: Action Station

Our mainstream media is carefully conveying the impression that those opposed to the TPPA are a rag tag bunch of trouble stirrers (all 32,000 of them) who are anti trade. Not so. What folks are most anti on is that the whole deal has been negotiated in SECRET. And see the map above of the many other nations that protested. Mainstream media is doing its best to shape up a bad public perception of any opposition to this trade agreement. On the 4th, the day of the protest here in NZ, the Herald invited comments to their Facebook page and bloggers found (myself included, and not for the first time) that all comments were blocked, as also was the option to share their info. They relented eventually, published a few comments then closed it to further discussion. Six media giants now own 90% of our media, controlling what we read, watch or listen to. Still think we have a democracy?

See here a list of notable people and organizations who are also against the signing. Our own Dr Jane Kelsey for one, and US Senator Elizabeth Warren is yet another (but hang what would these women know about it?) and in Germany a quarter of a million folks marched there against O’Bama’s Free Trade Agreement. And Key calls us ‘rent-a-crowd’! We are being conned folks!

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Banking, Corporations, Money, News, TPPA

Kelsey wants opponents to keep fighting the TPPA, ‘NZ opposition strongest of anywhere’

February 6, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

Paul Henry interviews Prof Jane Kelsey
[VIDEO AT SOURCE]

newshub.co.nz Although the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is being signed today, there’s still a long way to go before it becomes set in stone.

Auckland University Professor of Law Jane Kelsey an ardent opponent of the deal says it’s important that protesters keep letting the Government know they are unhappy with it.

“The Government has turned a deaf ear not just to the analytical work that we’ve done, but to the views of people throughout the country,” Dr Kelsey told the Paul Henry programme this morning. “We’ve had big protests, as you know, peaceful protests, family-friendly protests throughout the country over the last couple of yearsâ€¦ people saying again ‘Don’t sign, we don’t want this deal’.”

As a small country, New Zealand’s fate will be particularly influenced by the deal, she says.

“For us it does make a difference and from what I hear from people internationally, the opposition in New Zealand is the strongest of anywhere.”

And even though pen is being put to paper today, there is still a lot more work to be done before the deal is pushed through.

“What the Government is going to sign today, and it will sign it no matter what people say, is not going to be the end of the deal because the current text cannot get through the US Congress,” says Dr Kelsey.

Corporations, News, TPPA

US Senator Elizabeth Warren urges colleagues to reject the TPP

February 5, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

Senator Elizabeth Warren Published on Feb 2, 2016

Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke on the Senate floor on February 2, 2016 about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.

Just one of the reasons she offers is that it will tilt the playing field in favour of big multi national corporations.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Banking, Corporations, News, NZ, TPPA, USA

As US Signs TPP In New Zealand, protesters also gather in 7 countries & 38 US cities!

February 5, 2016 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

With a massive turnout yesterday of some 32,000 protesters NZ wide, 25,000 in Auckland alone, clearly there is massive opposition to the TPPA. It’s not over yet.

Additionally, we are left to the impression given by mainstream, corporate, offshore media, that we are the only ones protesting against this deal that’s been composed in secret, without consultation with either Iwi, NZ’s Treaty partners, or the general public. We are expected to trust these people? NZ has just slipped on the corruption scale I read recently – it’s not the Pollyanna, squeaky clean nation many thought it was.

So here is evidence of protests beyond our shores, in collaboration with the world-wide opposition that is rising against this corporate robbery of our sovereignty, in the name of profits and world control.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Protests in 38 US cities and 7 Countries

map — Cities/regions where protests occurred against the TPPA/TPP (Map courtesy of Flush the TPP)

“White House Protest Kicks off Nationwide Days of Action in 38 US Cities Protests Also Held In Seven Countries

By Flush the TPP.

Washington, DC – As the US Trade Representative signs the TransPacific Partnership on behalf of President Obama at the Skyland Casino in New Zealand on the evening of February 3^rd (Eastern US time), protests are happening across the United States and around the world. See map of protests http://www.flushthetpp.org/actions/.

Several hours before the signing TPP opponents in Washington DC protested at the White House with a 24 foot “TPP is Betrayal” banner and other signs that visually highlighted the negative impacts of the TPP on the economy, environment and workers…”

Corporations, News, TPPA

John Key is a shareholder in the Bank of America – Major conflict of interest with the TPPA

February 4, 2016 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

John Key is a shareholder of the Bank of America (page 29 of 2015 register of financial interests for MPs) a major conflict of interest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3kE-k_nOE

Some interesting facts here on the conflicts of interest not only with PM Key but Tim Groser also. An interview by Vinny Eastwood with activists Penny Bright and Jacquelyne Taylor. The TPPA’s just been signed today (4/2/16) by Key, with 25,000 peaceful protesters in Auckland alone, so it’s not over yet. See what has yet to happen:

From the Daily Blog:

“Here is the step by step legislative process the Government need to undertake now Key has signed the TPPA…

Text and National Interest Analysis are tabled in Parliament

Text and National Interest Analysis are referred to Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee

Executive can ratify TPPA after the select committee reports or 15 sitting days elapse, whichever is earlier.

If legislative change is required to comply with TPPA the Executive will not normally ratify until the legislation is passed

Select committee can elect to hear submissions on TPPA

Select committee reports to Parliament

Parliament may decide to debate the select committee report

Parliament may decide to vote on the TPPA

Executive must report its response to any select committee recommendations within 90 days

Any legislative changes required to bring NZ into compliance with TPPA are introduced in a Bill

The Bill follows standard parliamentary process, normally including submissions

Executive ratifies the Agreement at a time of its choosing, normally after the Bill is passed

NZ notifies the TPPA repository (NZ) that its domestic processes are complete

TPPA comes into force when required number of parties notify completion of domestic processes”

Comrades, brothers and sisters, we can fight this abomination every step of the way, and with 25 000 turning up in Auckland alone, we have the numbers to fight this and slow it down.”

See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/02/04/breaking-after-massive-show-of-force-john-key-too-frightened-to-go-to-waitangi-day/?utm_content=bufferee1d8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.SNvNWmms.dpuf-

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The New Welfare Paradigm

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From Radio NZ

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Targeting the Vulnerable

Corporations

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Judge finds Merck lied in patent trial, overturns $200-million verdict

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War is a Racket – literally

So called ‘Maori Wars’ were Actually Land Wars

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Top multinationals pay almost no tax in New Zealand

U.S. Corporations That Pay No Taxes

S&P 500 Corporations That Don’t Pay Income Taxes

Fortune 500 Corporations That Don’t Pay Income Taxes

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In 2007 Councillors Were Expected to “Toe the Line” on Shannon’s Waste Water Treatment (or lack thereof)

So Who is your District Council Representing?

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Dr Russel Norman’s Visit in 2008

Dr Norman’s Conclusions on the Sewage Contamination

The Sewage Pollution of Lake Horowhenua was FACT

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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EnvirowatchRangitikei

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EnvirowatchRangitikei

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The Pollution of Lake Horowhenua

Lack of Respect for Sacred Sites & Blatant Disregard for the Resource Management Act 1991

The Resource Management Act, dating from 1991, lists “matters of national importance” that are to be protected in any decision:

Matters of national importance (The Resource Management Act 1991)

The Ongoing Lip Service Councils Pay to ‘Preserving & Enhancing Natural and Cultural Resources’ and ‘Sustainable Development’

The Alleged ‘Unhealthy Relationship’ that Exists between HDC and Police

EnvirowatchRangitikei

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What an amazing protest!

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EnvirowatchRangitikei

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With a massive turnout yesterday of some 32,000 protesters NZ wide, 25,000 in Auckland alone, clearly there is massive opposition to the TPPA. It’s not over yet.

Protests in 38 US cities and 7 Countries

“White House Protest Kicks off Nationwide Days of Action in 38 US Cities Protests Also Held In Seven Countries

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From the Daily Blog:

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Watching our environment … our health … and corporations … exposing lies and corruption