Save Happy Valley Campaign Update 8
Kia ora koutou!
The occupation of Happy Valley has begun. On 28th January over 75 people made the 3 hour tramp (which quickly became a 6 hour trek!) into the Valley to begin the indefinite occupation of the planned Happy Valley mine site. It's now 17 days into the occupation and we've maintained a constant 10-15 happy campers in the Valley. Check out the occupation blog at http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/blog
We need support for the continued occupation. If you want to come visit Happy Valley or support us in other ways then head to http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/occupation.htm for more information.
The media coverage of the occupation has been extremely good. We've had quite widespread coverage on national tv, a host of generally positive newspaper articles around the country, a feature opinion piece in The Press, and a feature article in The Herald on Sunday (for which we had a journalist staying at the camp with us for a few days). Now for the first time at street stalls we're approaching people who are quite aware of the issue.
The occupation also was visited by Alan Mark, one of New Zealand's most renowned wetland ecologists, as part of a One News segment. He had a close-up look around Happy Valley, before doing his interview in which he proclaimed Solid Energy's proposed plans to transfer the wetlands and put them back after mining to be impossible, citing the failure of the world's only other attempted wetland transfer, which was smaller.
Related Press Releases
Occupation of Happy Valley
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_25-01-06_shvc.htm
Indefinite Occupation of Happy Valley begins
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_29-01-06_shvc.htm
Happy Valley Occupation Day Seven
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_04-02-06_shvc.htm
Kiwi Spotted in Wellington
The newly formed Save Happy Valley Wellington group organised and performed its first action - a bit of street theatre. 150+ inflatable Kiwi were unloaded from a large van into Midland Park, which is in the heart of the Wellington CBD. A few people went around handing out flyers and a large banner was unfurled. Soon after Solid Energy miners arrived and were instructed by Don Elder on a megaphone to round up the Kiwi. Enjoyed by all, especially kids present.
Related Press Release
Kiwi Spotted In Midland Park
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_10-02-06_welly.htm
Gregor Siebock - World Walker
The occupation was joined during its first week by Gregor Siebock from Austria who is 3 years into literally walking around the world in an effort to raise consciousness around climate change and sustainable living. He made a 150km detour from his 13,000km journey so far to come up the West Coast and walk into Happy Valley.
"Walking into Happy Valley was very special for me... if you are familiar with classical music it was like a crescendo, it got better and better and when I was in there I felt so happy. That is what I want to share with the people of the West Coast, it is such a beautiful place and worth so much more than its weight in coal." (from the Westport News)
Activists in Court - Reparations of $150,000 Sought
Three Save Happy Valley members are appearing in court for their part in the train blockading action that took place in August. Save Happy Valley Christchurch blocked 4 coal trains for about 4 hours by having two people locked directly onto the train tracks and a third hanging 30m from a tree with his support rope attached to the tracks.
The three have been charged with Trespass (Railways Act), Interfering with a Railway Line and Wilful Trespass. Solid Energy is also seeking reparations of $150,000. The two that were directly locked onto the train track appeared in court on the 10th of February. During a three hour hearing the court was adjourned when the judge suggested a new charge relating to Transport under the Crimes Act. The judge has withheld his decision until the 22nd of February.
Good news, however, for the activist hanging from the tree who appeared in court on the 13th of February and had his case dismissed.
Related Press Releases
Save Happy Valley members in court
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_09-02-06_shvc.htm
Solid Energy to seek costs of US$150 000 from Happy Valley Activists
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_09-02-06b_shvc.htm
Solid Energy Fails its Own Environmental Goals
Solid Energy recently announced that it had "come close" to achieving its own environmental goals for 2005, and that it was 2% away from having a net positive effect on the environment. Save Happy Valley Coalition countered this highlighting their continued poisoning of rivers and waterways and their evasion of considering their contribution to climate change. Furthermore, the net positive effect model, which essentially allows for an area to be trashed as long as this is made up for elsewhere, is a ridiculous measure of environmental impact.
Related Press Release
Solid Energy's green audit is a sham and a PR stunt
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_07-02-06_shvc.htm
Mt. Augustus Ridgeline Update
In a related but separate story to Happy Valley, Solid Energy has continued pushing for the mining of the Mt. Augustus ridgeline at its Stockton mine and thus the extinction of the newly discovered Powelliphanta augustus snail. It has made a last minute appeal of a High Court decision that would force it to apply to the Ministers of Conservation and Energy for a special concession to mine the area that is habitat to the endemic snail. As mitigation, Solid Energy has proposed to move the snail, despite DOC claiming this will surely lead to its extinction.
Moreover, DOC has granted Solid Energy a concession to drop boulders and shower debris on a tiny sliver of the original habitat of the snail on DOC land that will remain (hopefully) under the cliffs after almost all the rest of the habitat has been obliterated. Snails will be doubled-up on this sliver on the basis that pest control will improve the habitat. There is no evidence this will work. DOC has told The Press there are no snails on this sliver, but our Official Information Act request shows there are. In our opinion, DOC lied to The Press to assist Solid Energy.
This all has huge implications for protected species, especially the Powelliphanta patrickensis snail in Happy Valley.
Postcards and Posters
There are postcards available to be filled in to voice your opposition to the Happy Valley mine and sent to the Prime Minister Helen Clark, Minister of Conservation Chris Carter and Minister of State Owned Enterprises Trevor Mallard. We strongly encourage that you get hold of a set of these yourself, or some for friends too, and send them away!
For your postcards, please contact:
The Green Room
16 Bedford Row
Christchurch
(03) 372 1375
chchgreens@xtra.co.nz
There are posters also available, for a donation (recommended $2).
Donations
We're up against Solid Energy's well funded PR machine and trying to run on the smell of an oily rag. It's hard work, but donations make it a lot easier and we're hugely appreciative of the donations we've received so far! Please consider helping us out and making a donation, or better yet setting up an Automatic Payment (just $5 a week keeps us alive).
Automatic Payment forms (PDF) can be downloaded at:
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/ap.pdf
Cheques can be made out to "Save Happy Valley Campaign" and sent 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
Thanks for all your support!
Torrance Hodgson
Save Happy Valley Coalition
P.O. Box 9263, Te Aro, Wellington
contact@savehappyvalley.org.nz
www.savehappyvalley.org.nz
