Canterbury Democracy Protest focus. Wednesday 19.09.12, 5.30pm, sunset. About 1 000 protesters gathered on Avon River bank by the Bridge of Remembrance. Suffrage Day, a day to kick PM Key's National minions who'd mauled Canterbury democracy since the 4 September 2010 Quake two 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 the Bridge of Rembmbrance, Cashel St. Both bridges were NZDF-cordoned, red-zoned since the 22 February 2011 Quake's State-of-Emergency.
Democracy was eroded by NZ National government's sacking of Environment Canterbury, ECAN's elected directors & replacing them with appointed commissioners. Although promising ECAN elections in 2013, PM Key's National government broke that promise, recently saying ECAN elections would be held in 2016. Quakes were the excuse minister of local government David Carter used for that travesty.
That allowed the National Party to mess Canterbury water, allowing cattle farmers to pollute Canterbury rivers & artesian wells with sewage & fertilizer on Canterbury Plains. Never mind the Maori Party's demands on the National Party for Maori ownership of waterways, seashore, electromagnetic spectrum airways, wind... What next? PM Key's National government was also selling public assets.
Since the quakes, National Party appointed CERA minions took over many functions of Christchurch Council. Mayor Parker & squabbling councillors enabled the National party to instal an appointed observer at Council to report Council shenanigans to PM Key's National government!
Cantabrians endured democracy erosion by two post-quakes' State-of-Emergency bannings from their own CBD. The CERA occupied CBD was cordoned by steel-mesh-fences with NZDF-soldier & cop checkpoints. Post 22 February 2011 Quake, the red-zone-CBD was cordoned for public safety & the red-zone gradually shrunk post demolitions during CERA's regime. Nineteen months post 22 February 2011 Quake, 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 ruined infrastructure & ruined buildings.
CCDU's Blueprint expected Christchurch ratepayers / taxpayers to pay for government dictated projects like the Convention Centre / Te Pae & the 35 000 seater, roofed stadium on government taken CBD-land. Those new buildings would be monuments to NZ National government's / CERA's occupation of Christchurch CBD. After the new Convention Centre was built it would block free flow of traffic along Gloucester St. In 2026 when the new stadium opened a wag called it "The Basket Fungus!"
CERA's vaunted Recovery? Not yet!
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 government's attack was MoE's announcement by education minister Parata & CERA's minister Brownlee that 13 schools would close, 18 schools would merge & seven schools would relocate. There was little consultation with principals, or school boards, or communities before that edict.
Cantabrians, whose land & buildings were damaged, 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!
Youngsters wearing yellow Hi-Vis vests were protest-marshals & cops representing NZ state lurked on the crowd edge across Cambridge Tce near their Hereford St, Central Police multi-storey which would be imploded by CERA.
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 & protesters sang too. After speeches a 15m white-banner was unfurled on the ground where protestors signed & commented. The 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
*Trekked Cambridge Tce. 162 images.
Friday 21.09.12, 1.35pm, M4.3 quake, 12km depth, 15km east of Christchurch (GeoNet). I 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 blog pics for her University of Canterbury / public lectures on Democracy.
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
Gave permission for the protest organizer to use my blog pics for public lectures.
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