Save Happy Valley Campaign Update 9
Kia ora koutou!
It's been a little while since the last campaign update, which came out just after the Happy Valley occupation began. Now, the occupation is into its 13th week and is well prepared for the onset of Winter. It's been visited by well over 150 supporters. During this time, the Coalition has been busy maintaining the occupation, keeping a presence in the media and on the streets, fighting to save the snails on Mt. Augustus from extinction (see below), as well as protests all over the country.
Solid Energy has still not made any physical attempts to move into the Valley, and there are few signs that they intend to do this in the near future. In fact, their website says that mining preparation will now not begin until "late 2006" - so we may in fact have a bitmore time to get more people into see the Valley.
Occupation
The occupation is into its 13th week! To keep it going through winter, we need more people to join (even if just for a few days)! If you want to come visit Happy Valley or support us in other ways then please phone 021 161 0929 or email occupation@savehappyvalley.org.nz
For more information, check out http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/occupation.htm and remember we're still filing entries to the blog which is at http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/blog
Mt. Augustus: State sponsored species extinction
As you may have heard, on 12th April, the Minister of Conservation signed a permit that is likely to mean the extinction of the endangered land snail Powelliphanta augustus. This Gondwanaland relic, of which there are less than 500 individuals left (due to Solid Energy's past mining), lives only on Mt Augustus (4km West of Happy Valley) and occupies only 4 hectares. Chris Carter had before him a decision whether to allow the removal of the snail so that Solid Energy could mine beneath, or instead to deny Solid Energy that small parcel of coal.
Against the warnings of his own department about the probable extinction of the species, Carter decided that the economic benefits outweighed those threats and allowed Solid Energy to proceed with the relocation and mine 94% of that area. It is likely the scare tactics employed by Solid Energy such as threatening that the entire Stockton mine and all jobs would be lost created an immense amount of fear on the Coast and obviously swayed Carter.
The conditions requiring the company to shift the snails are simply greenwash - there is no guarantee that they will work, and in the meantime, the source population will be destroyed.
Check out the press releases for more info, write a letter to the editor, and watch this space for future work to ensure that this species does not become extinct.
Related Press Releases
Carter signs off on species extinction
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_12-04-06_shvc.htm
Solid Energy misleads public
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_13-04-06_shvc.htm
Updates
Black listed miners
Two Stockton mineworkers who started Ngakawau Riverwatch and have subsequently been blacklisted by Solid Energy went to the media in early March.
Public forum in Motueka
A forum on the proposed mine was held on Tuesday 7th March. Official speakers at the event were Alan Liefting of the Save Happy Valley Coalition; Debs Martin, Top of the South Conservation Officer from the Forest and Bird Society; and Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos. Solid Energy and the Department of Conservation turned down the invitation to speak, and Labour MP Damien O'Connor had to send his apologies at the last minute due to complications in Wellington airport.
4th National SHVC Hui
This was held in Wellington on the 25th-26th March, with the main purpose being to strategise for the coming months. The hui are open to all members of local groups plus all members in other centres. If you too are keen to get more actively involved, please email contact@savehappyvalley.org.nz
Rooftop demo and banner drop
Three Save Happy Valley Coalition activists scaled Solid Energy's Christchurch headquarters in February, and a street protest was held in solidarity with those occupying Happy Valley. They face charges of unlawfullying being on a building, and one of wilful trespass. Daniel Rae, Kristin Gillies and Raoni Hammer all pleaded not guilty and face trial on the 27th August. If you would like to contribute to these and other legal costs, donations can be made to account 38-9003-0568540-00.
There were also banner drops over the motorway in Wellington.
Street protest and rooftop demonstration
Related Press Releases
Save Happy Valley Members Arrested for Rooftop Demo at Solid Energy
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_15-02-06b_shvc.htm
Save Happy Valley members in Court
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_21-02-06_shvc.htm
Easter Tramp, Metiria Turei MP condemns species extinction
Forty-five people made the tramp in to Happy Valley to join the occupation for Easter weekend. The group included people from the Coast, Christchurch, Dunedin, Motueka, Wellington, and Auckland. Another group clambered up to Mt Augustus, in order to see just what we must save in order to ensure the survival of Powelliphanta augustus. Metiria Turei, Green MP and Conservation spokesperson who has strongly condemned the Government's actions on this matter, joined those occupying for four days.
Related Press Release
Green Supporters of Save Happy Valley Join Occupation
http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/pressreleases/pr_14-03-06_shvc.htm
Court update
Two Save Happy Valley members who blockaded Solid Energy's coal trains in August 2005 were convicted without fines. Both activists were found guilty and discharged without conviction; the only costs were reparations to Toll. The third charged was found not guilty.
Raffle winners
The raffle was drawn on April 4th, with winning tickets as follows:
1st prize: 0031
2nd prize: 0011
3rd prize: 0375
4th prize: 0220
(Winners have been notified) . Many thanks to all those who supported - and especially those who sold tickets!
Did you know?
1. A recent NIWA report used Westport as a case study of the impacts of climate change. It found that, under a worst-case-scenario, by 2080, a one-in-50-year flood would cover 79.1% of the town (whereas a similar flood now would cover 4.3% of the town). Climate change is a global problem, but Buller is highly vulnerable.
2. New Zealand's Kyoto Protocol commitments mean we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, or take responsibility for higher emissions if we fail to do so.
3. If we did nothing to reduce our emissions, we would be well over this mark; in 2003 our emissions were already about 37% higher than they were in 1990.
4. New Zealand is signatory to the UN Convention on Biodiversity and also has its own Biodiversity Strategy, goal 3 of which requires actions to "halt the decline of New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity."
5. Don Elder earned more than $670,000 in the 2005 Financial Year, yet this state owned enterprise is doggedly determined to increase production and exports - at the expense of this natural heritage and everyone's future!
SHVC in the media
As well as the Augustus decision, there has been media coverage of Solid Energy using private investigation firm Thompson & Clark to spy on the Save Happy Valley Coalition, and vigilantism on the West Coast targeted at long time conservation campaigner, Pete Lusk (60 minutes). There has also recently been a feature article on the occupation in the Press, and a Forest and Bird perspective piece on Powelliphanta augustus in the Dominion Post. Look out for the Viewpoint piece in the upcoming New Zealand Geographic. Even the Listener made a mention of kiwi, snails and Pete Lusk in a recent editorial.
Upcoming Events
Benefit Dinner - Christchurch, Thursday 11th May
3 course (vegan) Banquet and Slide show Presentation
6.30pm @ the MEDIA CLUB [191 ARMAGH ST (near Madras St cnr)].
Tickets are $15 WAGED and $10 UNWAGED. Limited to 100 tickets so be early or book your ticket now by emailing savehappyvalley@yahoo.com
Nationwide Roadshow June-July
Are you able to help distribute fliers or arrange a community hall near you? Watch this space for more information.
Activate! What you can do to Save Happy Valley:
- Go postering! Ask local cafes / libraries / community centres to display the colour poster, or download and print your own A4 posters: (PDF [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] )
- Display the sticker! Wear the patch or a Save Happy Valley t-shirt!
- Talk to people about Happy Valley and Powelliphanta augustus - and how it connects with the issues of climate change. species extinctions, sustainability, lack of public involvement in decision making, profit driven corporations, and the Labour Government's responsibility for this issue (since it has allowed its state owned enterprise to increase production on the West Coast in an utterly unsustainable industry). Tell them about www.savehappyvalley.org.nz
- Distribute the Save Happy Valley Coalition leaflets, and the postcards to the Minister of Conservation, Minister of state owned enterprises, and the Prime Minister.
- Write Letters to the Editor.
- Get a copy of the Happy Valley PowerPoint and present it to your friends / environment group / workmates / classmates.
- Get involved in your local group. For contact details, see: http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/contact.htm
- If there isn't yet a group near you, set up a team of people to run stalls, go postering and fundraising (cake-baking, donations jar, etc)! Contact chchgreens@xtra.co.nz to get your resources, and email contact@savehappyvalley.org.nz if you have any queries.
- Join the occupation! Email occupation@savehappyvalley.org.nz
For your posters (both colour A3 and black and white A4), bumper stickers, patches [$1], t-shirts [$15], leaflets, postcards or CD with SHV PowerPoint please send your name and address, plus quantities needed, to:
The Green Room
16 Bedford Row
Christchurch
(03) 372 1375
chchgreens@xtra.co.nz
Donations
We also need resourcing so that we can all continue raising public awareness and public opposition to this mine, as well as funding the non violent direct action that is so crucial in ensuring that this ecosystem is saved. If you can donate to Save Happy Valley - or better yet, set up an Automatic Payment - it would be tremendously appreciated.
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.
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
Many thanks for all your support.
Stop the Mine! Save Happy Valley!
Frances Mountier & Torrance Hodgson
