National - what's on

11 April 2000

*** NATIONAL ***

~ 16 to 21 April - national speaking tour by Denis Halliday, Wellington - 17April, Lower Hutt - 18 April, Christchurch - 19 April, Auckland - 20 April (see under ‘local’ for public meetings in your area). A former United Nations assistant Secretary-general, Denis Halliday resigned in late 1998 in protest at the sanctions against Iraq, ending a long and distinguished diplomatic career. He comes to New Zealand direct from London where he has been filming a documentary on the civilian impact of sanctions with John Pilger (for ITV). In New Zealand, Denis Halliday will address the issues of the legality of the sanctions, their humanitarian impact on Iraq's civilian population and how the sanctions have strengthened the hold that Saddam Hussein's regime has on Iraq. Dennis’s visit is being co-ordinated by the Iraq Sanctions Medical Alert Group (ISMAG), ISMAG contact - Dr. Marten Hutt, fax: (04) 463 6568, marten.hutt@vuw.ac.nz

~ 17-18 April - ‘Flaxroots Technology: Claiming the Internet for Community’ inaugural national conference for people interested in community development through the use of information and communication technologies to empower their communities. For more info contact Stephen Blyth, Community Development Group, PO Box 805, Wellington, stephen.blyth@dia.govt.nz, tel (04) 494 0580, fax 495 9444, http://www.community.net.nz/flaxroots-technology/a>

~ 24 - 28 April - 'Just Peace?' conference, to be held at Massey’s Albany campus, check out http://www.massey.ac.nz/~wwsocial/homepage.htm

~ 1 May (MayDay2k) - a global day of action against capitalism is planned, in the spirit of the June 18 protests last year. For info on what is happening in Aotearoa, contact grumpyanarchist@hotmail.com (for Wellington details, see also under ‘local’) or nzmayday2k@hotmail.com (Christchurch).

~ 6 - 8 July - ‘Treaty Conference 2000 and beyond’, to be held in Tamaki Makaurau / Auckland, contact Betsan Martin b.martin@auckland.ac.nz or Ingrid Huygens pma@xtra.co.nz

***** LOCAL *****

*** AUCKLAND

~THURS, 20 April - Denis Halliday on ‘UN sanctions against Iraq: Where to from Here?’, 7-30pm at the Aotea Chapel, Methodist Central Mission, Queen Street. Contact: Joyce Brown (09) 638 8715; fax (09) 377 5541.

~ WEDS, 17 May - launch of 'Thanks Not Spanks' by Mary Cornford, 7pm at One World Books, Karangahape Road. 'Thanks Not Spanks' is a new book about making child raising easier and parenting more rewarding, filled with easy to follow, practical suggestions. For more info contact Natasha Weightman, at The Peace Foundation, tel (09) 373 2379, fax (09) 379 2668, peace@fps.ak.planet.co.nz

*** LOWER HUTT

~ TUES, 18 April - Denis Halliday speaks on ‘Humanitarian conditions in Iraq: the impact of sanctions’ at the Waiwhetu / Lower Hutt Peace Group meeting, 8pm, Uniting Church Hall, 6 Trafalgar Street, Lower Hutt. Contact: Arthur Quinn, tel (04) 567 0533.

*** WELLINGTON

~ TUES, 11 April - Peter Watson (Peace Brigades International) speaks about his recent visit to West Timor, where he worked as part of a PBI project with Timorese still displaced in the camps on the border. Lunchtime meeting with interested people, 12-10pm to 1-10pm, Caritas Meeting Room 2, First Floor, Catholic Centre, 22-30 Hill Street, Thorndon. Bring your lunch if you wish.

~ TUES, 11 April - NZ Network against Food Poverty meeting, 1pm to 3-30pm, at St John’s Church, cnr Willis and Dixon Streets, contact Downtown Ministry tel (04) 384 7699 for more details of a copy of their last year’s report ‘Hidden Hunger’.

~ TUES, 11 April - planning meeting for Friday and Saturday’s stall and vigil to coincide with the international protests against the IMF and World Bank, 5pm at the Olive Cafe (170 Upper Cuba St). If you are keen to participate (and join a roster), have some ideas about theatre, music, or can contribute something for sale please attend this planning meeting, or contact Paul Bruce, tel (04) 389 8699, pbruce@actrix.gen.nz

~ TUES, 11 April - ‘E-social work - the impact of the computer’, Jim Higgins speaking, 6pm for shared meal, 7pm for meeting, at the Social Work Dept., VUW, 91 Kelburn Parade. Contact Sylvia (04) 569 8422.

~ WEDS, 12 April - meeting to discuss what (if anything) peace people in Wellington wish to do about the 25th anniversary of the ending of the Vietnam War, 6pm, at the PMA offices, Rooms 16 and 17, First Floor, Trades Hall, 126 Vivian Street. If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to have your views aired at it, please email them to PMA by Tuesday, 11 April.

~ From WEDS 12 April - Video showings in the lead up to May Day 2000 in Wellington, to promote awareness and discussion on topics related to free trade, the World Trade Organisation, G8 etc. - at the Aro St Community Centre from 5-15pm to 7pm. Discussion will follow each screening : * April 12 - "Undercurrents" exciting direct action footage contributed by activist groups from the UK and countries around the world... from rain forest protests in Australia, to animal rights in England; * April 19 - "Maaori and Globalisation" a look at the devastating impact of free trade and globalisation on Aotearoa and on Maaori in particular; * April 25 - "June 18th" and "Reclaim the Streets" footage from the June 18 'Carnival against Capital" in London on the day of the G8 summit in Koln, Germany, also, a video about "Reclaim the Streets", an international (initially London-based) organisation that holds street parties / protests based around campaigns such as community action against motorways, in support of strikers etc.

~ THURS, 13 April - An Introduction to the Privacy Act, 9am to 12-30pm at Unisys House, 5th Floor, The Terrace, tel (04) 474 7590 to register, $110. Organised by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

~ FRI, 14 April and SAT, 15 April - Stall and vigil to coincide with international protests against the IMF and World Bank - a celebration of local democracy and a demonstration of support for the demands of developing countries for fair trade and development, 12 noon to 5pm on Friday in Cuba Mall; 10am to 2pm on Saturday. Contact: Paul Bruce tel (04) 389 8699 pbruce@actrix.gen.nz

~ MON, 17 April - Denis Halliday speaks on ‘UN sanctions against Iraq: Where to from Here?’, Institute of International Affairs public meeting from 5-30pm to 6-30pm, at the MacLaurin Theatre 103, Kelburn Parade, Victoria University of Wellington. Contact Major Peter Thorp, tel (04) 389 7103, fax (04) 389 7301,

~ TUES, 18 April - ‘Social service sector ‘compact’ with government’, Carolyn Wait (NZCOSS) speaking, 9-30am to 11am, at the WELCOSS meeting room, 7th floor, 75 Ghuznee Street.

~ SAT, 29 April - Earth Day celebrations ! The Campaign for a Better City (CBC) contribution to the Earth Day celebrations in Wellington is the 'Reclaim the Streets' party/picnic/protest starts 2pm at Civic Square. Come for a walk and fun - People not Cars!!

~ MON, 1 May - Timetable for May Day 2000 - 12 noon to 1-30pm, street party outside the Freedom Shop, 272 Cuba St, celebrating the 5th birthday of the anarchist bookshop... free food, drink and music; 2pm to 2-45pm - Food Not Bombs will be serving free food outside McDonalds, Manners Mall. (see http://www.mcspotlight.org for more information); 2-45pm - meet outside James Smith Market in Manners mall for leafletting against sweat shop labour conditions in clothing factories; 3pm - starting point for Carnival against Capitalism meets in Manners Mall; 4-30pm - meet for general protest against capitalism outside the Business Round Table. For more information contactgrumpyanarchist@hotmail.com

~ THURS, 4 May - Wellington Peace Lunch Forum - an informal lunch time session to exchange peace news, bring your lunch, your leaflets, your news and views, tea and coffee provided, 1 pm to 2pm on the first Thursday of each month at the PMA offices, Rooms 16 and 17, Trades Hall, 126 Vivian Street, Wellington. The May meeting will begin with a 20 minutes or so focus on nuclear disarmament, with a guest speaker from British CND. If you are not able to attend in person, or live outside Wellington, you can send leaflets, notices, whatever you want to share to the lunch forum via PMA, PO Box 9314, Wellington, tel (04) 382 8129, fax (04) 382 8173, pma@xtra.co.nz

~ TUES, 9 May - 'Confidentiality and Safety Issues when Working with Young People', 1pm to 4-30pm, St Johns Conference Centre, cnr Willis and Dixon Streets, more info from Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation, tel (04) 499 7532, fax (04) 499 7533, register by 1 May, $30 to be collected on the day.

*** NELSON

~ TUES, 18 April - Protest against the IMF and World Bank, street theatre in Trafalgar Street, Nelson commencing 12 noon, starting from Wakatu Sq. and going up Trafalgar St. It is intended to have a structure with "FAT CATS" at the top being supported by the "IMF and World Bank" and carried by "SLAVES".

The Protest Action is timed to support the Washington D.C. Mobilisation on the 16th-17th April. Participants will include representatives from St Johns Methodist Church, Proutist Universal, Nelson Action Group, BUWT. Further information: Bruce Dyer tel (03) 548 7284, bdyer@prout.org or Joe Rificci: tel (03) 546 6871.

*** CHRISTCHURCH

~ WEDS, 19 April - Denis Halliday on ‘Iraq and sanctions: International politics and international law’, 12-45 pm, University of Canterbury, Students' Association Contact Prof. Ron MacIntyre r.macintyre@pols.canterbury.ac.nz

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