Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Year 2 CERA. Reckoning: 19.09.12. Canterbury Democracy Protest

Canterbury Democracy Protest focus. Wed 19.09.12, 5.30pm, sunset. About 1 000 protesters gathered on Avon River bank by the Bridge of Remembrance. It was Suffrage Day, a day to kick PM Key's National minions who'd mauled Canterbury democracy since the 04.09.10 Darfield Quake 2 years before.

The Democracy Protest was held in the Park of Remembrance near a WW1 Victoria Cross hero's bronze statue. Further along Avon River bank by Worcester St Bridge & Our City ghost, a NZ Suffragettes bronze monument stood. Our City ghost was still in the banned red zone CBD. Worcester St Bridge still had a steel mesh fence across it, so too Cashel St, Bridge of Remembrance. Both bridges were NZDF cordoned, red zoned since the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, State of Emergency.

Democracy was eroded by NZ National govt sacking of Environment Canterbury, ECAN elected directors & replacing them with appointed commissioners. Although promising ECAN elections in 2013, PM Key's National govt broke that promise, recently saying ECAN elections would be held in 2016. Quakes were the excuse minister of local govt David Carter used for that travesty.

That allowed National Party to mess Canterbury water, with cattle farmers polluting Canterbury rivers & artesian wells with sewage & fertilizer on Canterbury Plains. Never mind Maori Party, MMP coalition partner's demands on the National Party for Maori ownership of waterways, seashore, electromagnetic spectrum airways, wind... What next? PM Key's National govt was selling public assets.

Since the quakes, National Party appointed, CERA minions took over many functions of Christchurch Council. Mayor Parker & squabbling councillors had themselves to blame, enabling the National party to instal an appointed observer at Council to report Council shenanigans to PM Key's National govt.  

Cantabrians endured democracy erosion by 2 post quakes' State of Emergency bannings from their own CBD. CERA occupied CBD was cordoned by steel mesh fences, NZDF soldier & cop checkpoints. Post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, the red zone CBD was cordoned (for public safety) the red zone gradually shrunk post demolitions. 19 months post 22.02.11 Killer Qake, the shrivelled CBD was still cordoned, public banned. Those allowed red zone CBD access at NZDF checkpoints needed CERA passes.

Since the quakes, Cantabrians endured dictatorial bureaucracy: EQC, CERA, SCIRT, CCDU & a host of contractors leeching Canterbury, harassing with threat signs, sewage sucker trucks, demolition vehicles, construction vehicles, orange, plastic, road cones, detours, door knocking & allegedly fixing quake trashed infrastructure & bldgs.

CCDU's Blueprint expected Christchurch ratepayers / taxpayers to pay for govt dictated projects, like the Convention Centre / Te Pae & 35 000 seater, roofed stadium, on govt taken, CBD land. Those concrete monstrosities would be monuments to NZ National govt's / CERA's occupation of Christchurch CBD.


CERA's vaunted Recovery? Not yet! PM Key played juggler, wobbling on his unicycle, juggling balls: Brownlee, Sutton, Isaacs, Ford, Parata, Sharples, Tariana, Dunne, Banks, Carter, Bazley, Parker...

PM Key was shocked & apologised to Kim Dotcom & Kiwis, by revelations that Key's National security spooks had spied on Dotcom, a NZ resident on trial for extradition to USA for internet shenanigans. What next? Bugging / tracking of citizens' phones & laptops? House bannings? Indefinite detentions without trial?


The latest NZ National govt attack was MOE's announcement by education minister Parata & CERA's minister Brownlee, that 13 schools would close, 18 schools would merge & 7 schools would relocate. There was little consultation with principals, boards, or communities before that edict.


Cantabrians, whose land & buildings were damaged by quakes, endured CERA's land zonings, over many months, then endless squabbles with inept EQC & slow insurers for payouts. The latest: IAG insurer hadn't even got its inflation index calculations correct, over many years, thus underpaying customers' quake claims.


Although youngsters in yellow, Hi-Vis vests were protest marshals, cops represented NZ state on the crowd edge, across Cambridge Tce from Hereford St, Central Police.


There were many protest speeches on side steps of the Bridge of Remembrance: MC, organizer Bronwyn Hayward, school kids, women, Labour MP, Ruth Dyson, councillor Livingstone. School girls sang & the crowd sang too. After speeches a 15m white banner was unfurled on the ground, where protestors signed & commented. Banner headline:

TOGETHER WE
   PLEDGE TO
     PROTECT
 DEMOCRACY


Protest placards & banners:

BRING BACK
DEMOCRACY,
AND DIGNITY


                     SOS AVONDALE
                         HANDS OFF
                             HEKIA!
                     IT'S MY SCHOOL!
                 IT'S MY COMMUNITY!
KIA KAHA CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLS


  NO MORE
   BROKEN
  PROMISES
   RETURN
     ECAN
ELECTIONS


DEMOCRACY
 HARD WON
 DEFEND IT

       RESTORE
   DEMOCRACY
       RECLAIM
* OUR SCHOOLS
* OUR CITY
* OUR FUTURE


DEMOCRACY NOT AUTOCRACY
            STOP THE HIJACK

      NOT TOO
   SHAKEN TO
        VOTE
- THANK YOU

 

KEEP OUR ASSETS [banner]


   RESTORE
DEMOCRACY
       NOW


   KEY & CO
HANDS OFF OUR
   DEMOCRACY


  HONOUR THE
SUFFRAGETTES
      DEFEND
       WHAT
        THEY
        WON


 NATIONAL
 SUPPORTS
  QUALITY                    Yeah right [mock Tui advert]
    PUBLIC
EDUCATION
                                             Tui


SUFFRAGE WON
 WONDERFULL! [sic]
MAKE SURE WE
       KEEP IT


        PUT
EDUCATION
 AHEAD OF
       $ $ $


   QUALITY
     PUBLIC
EDUCATION
          4
       ALL

    'E CAN'T
    DO THIS
we're a
DEMOCRACY



     EDUCATION CHOICE
                    NOT
BUREAUCRATIC DICTATE


          KEEP
           OUR
        ASSETS
      SIGN THE
PETITION HERE


WHAT DO FIJI AND NEW
    ZEALAND HAVE IN
            COMMON?


      WE'RE ONLY GOOD FOR
              CLEANING UP
NOT FOR WORKING OUT OUR
                     FUTURE

     SHAKEN OUT OF
           OUR CITY
   NOW RIPPED OUT
OF OUR COMMUNITY


           JOHN KEY WANTS
        TO SELL AOTEAROA
          NEW ZEALAND TO
   HIS FOREIGN EMPLOYERS.
WELL WE EMPLOY YOU NOW!



         VOTING IS A KEY RIGHT
ECAN DECISION IS A KEY WRONG


NOTHING
  ABOUT
      US
WITHOUT
      US



   FORCED ASSET SALES
                    NO!
FORCED SCHOOLS CLOS-
             URES NO!


    SAVE
     OUR
SCHOOLS


RESTORE
  DEMO
  CRACY
IN CHCH


 NEXT YOU'LL
 MERG CHCH
        WITH
WELLINGTON


             NZEI TE RIU ROA
NZ EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
            QUALITY PUBLIC
                EDUCATION
                   FOR ALL!!


GETTING SUFFRAGE WAS
           A BATTLE WON
           NOT THE WAR.
      FIGHT TO PROTECT
           DEMOCRACY

 DUMBLEDORE
WOULDN'T LET
 THIS HAPPEN!


SAVE OUR
  SCHOOL
       MY
  SCHOOL


HOME RULE FOR
  CANTERBURY
   BRING BACK
  DEMOCRACY


  STOP THE
 CREEPING
TAKEOVER


BRING BACK
DEMOCRACY


     CLOSE DOWN
     UNWELCOME
         POLICIES
NOT OUR SCHOOLS


           LET US REMEMBER THE
       CLASSROOM OF CHILDREN
      ABORTED EVERY WEEK FOR
DECADES IN CHRISTCHURCH - 70 000...
 


   WE DID NOT
VOTE TO LOSE
 DEMOCRACY!


OURS
 NOT
MINE


     DON'T
  GIVE UP
THE VOTE!
KIA KAHA
    CHCH


     SACK
NATIONAL


      PROTECT
           OUR
 CHILDREN AND
THEIR SCHOOLS

OUR VOTE
        IS
OUR VOICE
 LISTEN UP


 EDUCATION
COMMUNITY
DEMOCRACY
           =
        NON
NEGOTIABLE


DEMOCRACY
 HARD WON
  DEFEND IT


   STOP THIEF
 GIVE US OUR
VOTES BACK!


     RESPECT
         OUR
LOCAL VOTE


      GIVE ME
     BACK MY
DEMOCRATIC
       RIGHTS


  VOTE?
wECAN't


PIN THE TAIL ON THE
         DON KEY [3 tails]


EDUCATION IS
... [banner]



    JOBS WILL BE
   LOST, FAMILIES
+ CHILDREN HURT.
    HASN'T CH-CH
  BEEN THROUGH
          ENOUGH


LABOUR






HANDS OF HOPE


  DON'T GIVE
UP THE VOTE




       GREEN PARTY PRINCIPLES
APPROPRIATE DECISION MAKING:

        FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
    ECOLOGICAL WISDOM AND SOCIAL
  RESPONSIBILITY, DECISIONS WILL BE
MADE DIRECTLY AT THE APPROPRIATE
           LEVEL BY THOSE AFFECTED.






       SAVE
DEMOCRACY





GREEN


          ORWELL
                IS 
         PROUD OF
JOHN KEY & CO!!
DOUBLE-SPEAK KEY...





VOLDEMART IS
       BEHIND
          THIS








      GIVE US BACK OUR
            DEMOCRACY
ECAN FOR CANTERBURY





COMMUNITY
      UNITY

 

KEY
LIES


  GET
  THE
HEKIA
 OUT!!

  SAVE OUR
DEMOCRACY


                         HELL NO
                           HEKIA.
                   OUR CHILDREN
              AREN'T GUINEA PIGS.
         STOP EXPERIMENTING ON
                            THEM.
              THE MAIN HOPE OF A
               NATION LIES IN THE
PROPER EDUCATION OF ITS YOUTH


      DITCH KEY
AND BROWNLEE


       NATIONAL
     KNOWS THE
COST OF EVERY-
THING AND THE
     VALUE OF
     NOTHING



    SAVE
OURUHIA
  SCHOOL








IS ANYBODY REALLY
      LISTENING TO
    THE CHILDREN??






DEMOCRACY
      MEANS
     CHOICE



WE'RE NOT ENDING
WITHOUT A FIGHT!


      WHAT THE
HEKIA THINKING




 THERE ARE OTHER
    VOTERS IN THIS
COUNTRY BESIDES
          JOHN KEY

 

I LIKE
MY
TEACH
ER!


NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL
      COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
         INDEED IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.
MARGARET MEAD


KAUA E
 HONO







DEMOCRACY 
 LOCKED UP?
  ITS TIME TO
CHANGE THE
        KEY!


COMMON
   GOOD
ANYONE?






     STANDING
            UP
             4
          OUR
COMMUNITIES


WELL BEING
  B4 PROFIT!

SHIT


  DON'T
   GIVE
UP THE
 VOTE!


RESTORE
DEMOCRACY


   VOTE FOR
 YOUR RIGHT
         TO A
 MEANINGFUL
         VOTE.
          2012
           TO
2013... AND ON!
          KIA
        KAHA
        CHCH


   LOCAL
  VOICES
MUST BE
  HEARD!


SAVE OUR WATER...


   JUSTICE AND
        JOY FOR
CHRISTCHURCH



DON'T GIVE UP
     THE VOTE!


WHOSE INTERESTS
        ARE BEING
          SERVED?


    JOHN
        +
    JOHN
        =
    A BAD
MANDATE


REBUILD WITH US
     NOT FOR US!!!










               GAME
               OVER!
  THE GOVERNMENTS
GONE TOO FAR WITH
            THIS ONE.
                 KIA
               KAHA
               CHCH












Dictatorial politicians needed to look citizens in the eye & see their grace.  

*Trekked Cambridge Tce. 162 images.

Fri 21.09.12, 1.35pm, M4.3 quake, 12km depth, 15km E of Christchurch (GeoNet). Didn't feel it as I was driving. Leah felt it shake her London St school.

I gave protest organizer, Bronwyn Hayward permission to use my Democracy Protest, blog pics for her University of Canterbury / public lectures.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

1 comment:

  1. Gave permission for the protest organizer to use my blog pics for public lectures.

    ReplyDelete