GE Free Hui begins with Public Meeting
Discussion and update space for the National GE Free Strategy Hui taking place in Auckland this weekend.
A public meeting beginning at 6:30pm on Friday 25 July about genetic engineering will kick of this weekend's National GE Free Strategy Hui at Auckland's Trade Union Hall. A warm welcome is extended to all members of the public who are interested in learning more about the issues surrounding genetic modification of food plants, trees, viruses and animals. Workshops take place on Saturday, 9am-late and Sunday, 9:30-4pm.
Genetically engineered trees have already been planted in Rotorua, even before the end of the Labour government's moratorium in October this year. Worse, in a classic case of neo-liberal state-corporate collusion, the Labour government are supporting a US case to the World Trade Organisation, who meet again in Mexico in September, which if it wins will force European Union countries to accept imports of genetically engineered products. Only active co-operation between all the affected communities in Aotearoa can resist the continuing release of GMOs into our enviroment by profit- driven interests. A 55% of people will avoid knowingly buying genetically modified food. In August of last year the Greens predictably celebrated the extension of the Labour government's delaying policy against genetic engineering experiments in Aotearoa. But even NZ First are concerned about the potential consequences when the moratorium expires.
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The Friday before...
If you don't like long stories skip to the next comment.
Too jaded by the time I got the feature sorted out and check all my correspondence for hours, the screen burning my retina with its terrifying glow. Couldn't make it to the public meeting last night. Not if I wanted to get to my guest spot on Planet FM's WSP talkback show. For a rundown on what the meeting covered email auckland@indymedia.org.
I walked from Kingland to Grey Lynn across the motorway at Bond St and through the park. As I mounted the skateboard ramp to get my bearings security guard came to lock chains across the it. I asked him whether it was for safety and he told me he was just following orders. Nice fellow, doesn't really get democracy much at all though.
Picked up by the host at the panel operator's place and taken to Planet's studio near the university. Only one caller but a good effort by all concerned. Half an hour goes so quickly when you're considering the destiny of the working class and the destruction of the wage/ profit system in pure marxist style. Check them out in their new social centre in Manurewa kids. Tell 'em Strypey sent ya.
The rest of Friday night was a blur. Straight as a jesuit preacher I listened to someone who might have been Katchafire playing "Redemption Song", then dropped off at the house, ate and dossed down.
First day of workshops
Woken up every three hours until around 9 Saturday morning. Diagnosed the sound problem in their computer to a missing software driver for the PCI card. No email. A strange silence falls over Auckland.
The taxi to Trade Union Hall cost $15 as the taxi driver didn't know where it was (on his side of the road too) and I ended up having to get him to stop so I could look it up on a payphone directory book. I arrived at the venue an hour late and was immediately asked if I wanted to join the 'summarize your project' round. Friendly lot.
Introduced by facilitator Gaye Dyson as being from Indymedia and we were given a rousing applause for our coverage of last year's GE Free march. Gave a quick 'come and use the site' rant and put the URL on the crowded whiteboard. Lot's of different projects and wide variety of people present except that they were all bloody greenies (no offence guys ;) and good on them for it.
Summary of workshops:
Intros carry on till lunchtime. After lunch we talk coalition building and networking skills, enforable GE Free zones with a couple of regional councillors and a supportive MP's legal reform perspective. An illuminating discussion on how to culture jam the commercial mass media voices that the mainstream people of New Zealand listen to with AUT's Wayne Hope. Direct action and direct communication discussion with Logan Petly of Green Gloves.
This proved one of the more contentious issues of the day and it might go better when we approach it in the role-dividing at the end of tommorrow. Rolled back to another house to post this and eat and then off to sleeeep.
I don't think I'll go to any conferences mext year (except the AIM one) so if people is going to grassroots meetings please use AIM as a public summary space. Consultative democracy works better when people can be aware of what's going on inside other community organisations than their own and I feel this is very much a part of Aotearoa Indymedia's purpose.
Full sumary of the conferences outcomes tommorrow. Hopefully from Hamilton.
Second Day of Workshops
Made it to Hamilton. Looking at yesterday's postings - what a mess I must have been. Just as well I got some a solid block of sleep last night.
Arrived on time this morning, thanks to Metiria Turei for the lift. Big thanks to Met and her partner Worik for being such welcoming hosts while I've been catching up with the state of independent media in Auckland. What with the strong Auckland IMC group, Aotearoa Black Press paper, cell performance group, FleetFM and UpFM doing microbroadcasting, community access to the airwaves through Planet FM and Triangle TV and lots of indendent film making the only thing missing is an independent media centre which may soon become a reality through the ECCO collective, look at www.enzyme.org.nz for more details.
First session of the day was a discussion of Tiriti o Waitangi issues with Dell Wihongi and Peter Pangari. For me the two most pertinent memes that came out of this session were that Maaori trust boards are appointed by central government (which might explain the neo-liberal behaviour of some of them) and that there is a Waitangi Tribunal claim - WAI 262 - about protecting Maaori intellectual property and other intangible taonga. Next was a well-researched presentation on the human reproductive technology bill by Dennys Trussel of Friends of the Earth.
The session on animal rights issues rapidly segued into the beginning of the strategy session as SAFE's Gary Reese challenged the validity of the 'keep it in the lab' slogan on the basis that a lot of genetic engineering should not be happening anyway - contained or no. One thought I had was distinguishing between genetics *research* (increasing human understanding of genetics) and genetic *engineering* (developing genetic technology for commerical application).
Strategy session was intense and at times frustrating with such a broad range of people present that even agreeing on a short press release as a concrete outcome from the Hui was contentious. But in the end a list of activities and contact people was identified and a plan made to circulate a summary of the conference notes through the various existing contact networks and possibly through a new 'national GE Free strategy email list'.
If anyone is interested in receiving copies of the summary keep an eye on the feature (or this page) or email me.