Save Happy Valley Campaign Update 7
Kia ora Koutou!
The occupation is just hours away. Sending the message of Save Happy Valley! Stop Solid Energy! far and wide this week is crucial for the success of this campaign – and we need your help. Please make the effort to tell people about the issues, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, and write to Helen Clark urging her to support saving Happy Valley. Distribute postcards, display the poster or buy a raffle ticket. You can also support the occupation directly: see http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/occupation.htm. You can also checkout this page for regular updates, blog entries and photographs. Let’s make this huge!
Join Us!
There will be more than 60 people tramping into the valley on Saturday. We are meeting at 9am at Les Warren Park in Westport. If you can’t make this weekend but would like to join us in the coming days and weeks, we will be collecting people at 11am on Mondays and Saturdays (and Thursdays if numbers warrant) from outside the Information Centre, 1 Brougham St, Westport. Please contact the transport co-ordinator in the Valley to let us know you are coming: Kristin 021 838083. For more details, see www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/occupation.htm.
It is important to keep in mind the extreme first risk present in Happy Valley. During summer, the Valley becomes exceptionally dry and fire poses a significant risk - all the more if you are trying to save the Valley! There is a total fire ban in the valley, and all precautions must be taken when cooking. At the campsite we will be cooking in a central area away from scrubs and with both extinguishers and water on hand.
Write Now!
This week, we need people around the country to write to the Prime Minister and urge her to step in and stop this mine. Helen Clark is the only MP who, as Minister of Conservation, ever made a stand against mining (Coromandel, 1980s). Today, she needs to make a stand for Happy Valley. This mine is not necessary, and it is unacceptable that the Government have such disregard for Biodiversity, or for the climate. Please write:
Helen Clark
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Postcards, Posters, Raffle Tickets
The Save Happy Valley Coalition has printed postcards to the Minister of Conservation, the Minister of State Owned Enterprises and the Prime Minister, asking them why the Labour Government want to turn Happy Valley into an opencast mine pit. Please sign these; better yet, take some extras and ask your family / friends / workmates to sign them too.
There is also a Save Happy Valley poster. This full colour A3 poster shows the shocking contrast between the beautiful Happy Valley and the Stockton Mine. Put this up and let others know what’s going on.
To fundraise to maintain an ongoing presence in the Valley, we have a SHVC raffle. Tickets are just $1, and prizes are as follows:
* 1st Prize: $250 cash
* 2nd Prize: Goodies basket (incl: organic beer, cake, etc)
* 3rd Prize: Organic Vege Hamper
* 4th Prize: Happy Valley T-Shirt
Raffle closes March 31st 2006. Drawn April 4th 2006. Limited to 1,500 tickets.
Please contact:
The Green Room
16 Bedford Row
Christchurch
(03) 372 1375
chchgreens@xtra.co.nz
Specifying:
* Number of postcards required
* Number of posters required ($2 donation appreciated, but free is fine)
* Number of raffle tickets required ($1 each)
* Your address
Occupation Press Release
This mine will be such an ecological disaster that we are left with no choice but to use non-violent direct action to stop Solid Energy’s destruction of such a pristine environment. The Happy Valley mine will destroy the habitat of numerous endangered species including great spotted kiwi and the carnivorous snail Powelliphanta patrickensis, release 12 million tonnes of climate changing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from the burning of the coal, and pollute local waterways with acid mine drainage.
Despite having the power to stop this mine, the Labour government is actively pursuing a path of environmental destruction for the sake of profit. This mine is a rejection of any commitment by Labour to stop climate change or protect the endangered kiwi.
We will occupy the mine site until Solid Energy and the Government propose plans for sustainable West Coast development that do not include mining Happy Valley.
The media contact in the valley is Frances Mountier on 021 426 662
Wellington and Auckland Groups Activated
Recent weeks have seen a surge of enthusiasm and organizing in Wellington and Auckland. The Wellington group now has a media working group, two spokespeople, a treasurer, stall co-ordinator; research team; networking co-ordinator; a national SHVC liaison and a general co-ordinator. The Auckland group will be holding stalls; postering and doing media work very actively from early February.
If you want to get involved in these groups, please contact:
wellington@savehappyvalley.org.nz (Wellington)
jomcveagh@varsity.co.nz (Auckland)
The Third National SHVC Hui
The hui held over 7-9th January was well attended. It was a great chance to plan for the occupation – and to attend workshops on Non Violent Direct Action, Climate Change, media work and Mt Augustus. It has been followed by a busy three weeks of logistical preparation as well as great media coverage. Three strategy sessions have also been held.
Augustus Update
On January 14th, fifteen members of the Save Happy Valley West Coast and Christchurch groups climbed Mt Augustus to make a clear statement to the Minister of Conservation that state-sponsored species extinction is unacceptable. This last remaining habitat of endangered land snail Powelliphanta augustus is still under threat from Solid Energy – in a proposed mine extension completely separate form the one at Happy Valley! TV1 covered the protest.
Keep that pressure on the Minister; it is up to him to rule against Solid Energy’s application to shift some of the snails by hand and heavy machinery (such as bulldozers). Even if this transfer was successful, they ought to wait a number of years to ensure the new population actually establishes. For these, and many other reasons, even Solid Energy’s expert witness has stated that not mining is the only way to ensure augustus does not go extinct.
Please write to:
Chris Carter (ccarter@ministers.govt.nz)
Minister of Conservation
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Public Meeting and Cake Evening, Christchurch
Over 80 people attended the public forum on Monday night. Jeanette Fitzsimons, Teall Crossen and the Coalition members gave excellent presentations on coal, climate change, biodiversity and the campaign to save Happy Valley.
Did you know that:
* The Granity Creek (polluted by operations at Stockton) has an acidity of ph 3.
* Levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are at the highest they have been for over 650, 000 years.
* In 1997 Department of Conservation State of the Environment report the decline in indigenous biodiversity was identified as New Zealand’s “most pervasive environmental issue.”
* 90% of New Zealand’s wetlands have been lost.
Happy Valley is home to 13 threatened species, including great spotted kiwi (roa), South Island kaka, western weka, long-tailed bat, South Island fern bird and Powelliphanta patrickensis
* 190ha of unique pristine vegetation would be destroyed by a mine in Happy Valley; that’s 380 rugby fields.
Donations
As always, we also need funds to keep producing resources and keep lobbying (as well as to fund the occupation, purchase gear and cover legal costs). If you would like to set up a regular donation to us, please download the Automatic Payment form (PDF) or email us and we'll send one out to you. A regular donation of just $5 helps us out a lot!
Alternatively you can make a one-off donation. Cheques can be made out to "Save Happy Valley Campaign" and send to
Save Happy Valley Campaign
PO Box 9263
Te Aro
Wellington
Direct transfers are also welcome. Our account details are:
Account name: Save Happy Valley Campaign
Account number: 38-9003-0334146-00
Resistance Energy is Solid!
Frances Mountier and Torrance Hodgson
Save Happy Valley Coalition
P.O. Box 9263, Te Aro, Wellington
contact@savehappyvalley.org.nz
www.savehappyvalley.org.nz
