Aotearoa Independent Media Centre

Six trade unionists in Kanaky (New Caledonia) have been sentenced to jail and a further 18 union activists recieved suspended sentences! Gerard Jodar, leader of the Union of Kanaky and Exploited Workers (USTKE), was sentenced to one year prison. Mr Safoka, who works closely with Mr Jodar, has also been condemned to one year in jail. Two other union activists were given ten months of jail, another one six months, another one four months.

The convictions stem from a industrial dispute with Air Caledonie in May, when hundreds of people stormed Magenta airport.

Links: USTKE | Kanaky continue the struggle against Capitalism and Colonisation (2006) | Clashes in Kanaky: USTKE calls one-day general strike (2008)

On Tuesday morning the trial of Sina Brown-Davis, an anarchist and mother of two from Aotearoa begins in Melbourne, Australia. Sina was arrested in the crackdown by the Australian state in the wake of vandalism at a stop corporate globalisation protest at the November 2006 G20 summit in Melbourne.

Sina is Ngati Whatua ki Kaipara now living in Melbourne. She faces one count of rioting in relation to the G20 protests. Sina is a long-time campaigner involved in campaigns such as the Black GST, Free Lex Wotton, Paying Respect and against the Northern Territory Intervention and against neo-liberalism in the Pacific. Now she is working to raise awareness of the devastating effects of the extension of the free trade agreement between New Zealand-Australia called the Closer Economic Relationship (CER) to the Pacific Island nations – a treaty call PACER

All the prosecution are saying she did was wave a flag and yell, and she is fighting riot charges, as well as charges of affray and criminal damage. Her trial begins on June 30.

On July 13 two men from Sydney go to trial. They are facing charges of aggravated burglary, which can carry a 25 year jail term, for allegedly walking into offices on ‘Corporate Engagement Day' with nothing more than glitter and water pistols. [ G20 Trials a Call for Solidarity ]

Solidarity Demonstration Tuesday June 30, 12:30pm at the Australian Embassy, 72 Hobson Street, Wellington. Bring NOISEMAKERS, banners, placards, etc.

Links: After G20 | uriohau blog

The June 2009 Indymedia Newsreal is complete and on its way to airing on Free Speech TV. This month's episode features dispatches from the anti-war movement in Colorado, the immigrant rights movement in Arizona, a performance by the Raging Grannies, and more. The program is downloadable HERE and DVDs are available to subscribers who sign up by emailing newsrealsubs at gmail.com

Newsreal is a longstanding IMC project, the show has been produced for over eight years. The newsreal team would like to take this opportunity to open up the project to the broader network, most of the material is currently produced in North America but we actively welcome contributions from other parts of the world. All producers, and future producers, should sign up to the imc-satellite at indymedia.org list. This is the main way we all communicate about this project. Get those videos seen!

DOWNLOAD JUNE 09 NEWSREAL | May09 Newsreal

"At the end of the day these workers will get justice. They'll get justice and then they will become part of this wonderful international movement of workers. And then we will go to the next point of injustice. And then the next. And then the next. We won't tire, we'll grow, we'll build." - Paddy Crumlin, Maritime Union of Australia

Dozens of Australian unionists blocked a major intersection outside an Air New Zealand office in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon, in solidarity with Air New Zealand flight attendants, currently campaigning for fair wages.

More: Media Release | Videos | Photos

Thursday, June 4 at 6:30pm
Owen Glenn Building Lecture Theatre 4
University of Auckland

The recent offensive by the Sri Lankan army against the rebel Tamil Tigers group prompted massive protests by Tamil communities around the world, and allegations that the Sri Lankans were attacking civilian refugees as well as rebel fighters. In recent weeks Western aid agencies and journalists have confirmed that large numbers of civilians died at the hands of the Sri Lankan army. Although the fighting is over in Sri Lanka, hundreds of thousands of Tamils are being herded at gunpoint into poorly-equipped internment camps, where the Sri Lankan government wants to keep them for at least a year. The Red Cross and other aid agencies have been refused access to the camps.

The Otaraua hapu in Taranaki began packing up their occupation camp today after finally protecting their wahi tapu, from Greymouth Petroleum's new pipeline.

After occupying the entrance to the well site and disrupting work on the new well for more than two months, the hapu's request to have Tikorangi Pa officially identified as a wahi tapu by the New Plymouth District Council, was approved for an independent review last night.

After previously demanding a written agreement from GMP, the hapu informed Greymouth Petroleum via fax yesterday, stating it was willing to accept a verbal statement by CEO Mark Dunphy that GMP would not drill a pipeline through Tikorangi Pa. The hapu seem confident that the District Council review, due out in a few months, will provide the protection they need for their pa.

Mr Doorbar said while the occupation had brought the hapu together and closer to achieving a common goal, the fight was "not over".

"It is important oil companies who work in our communities understand the impact they have, not just on tangata whenua but on the wider farming community … for ourselves we feel we have achieved the outcomes of why we undertook this occupation. Greymouth Petroleum did not drill through Tikorangi Pa. It remains to be seen whether or not we have to return to any form of peaceful occupation in the future."

Updates: Day 11 | Day 17 | Day 55

Yesterday around 10,000 people took to the streets of Auckland to oppose the National-ACT place governance of Auckland under the control of one 'Super City'.

The planned Super City does not include Maori representation. It also places all of Auckland's assets, such as water and the ports, under the control of one authority - meaning they would be much easier for a right-wing council to privatise. Under a Super City structure only very wealthy candidates will be able to stand because the planned Council Wards are so huge.

Squirrel from Resistance Photography has written a report of the demo and made an excellent photo essay. [More]

Today was the 50th birthday of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. At 9am, thousands of people attended a protest organised by the Get Across Campaign at the Curran St on-ramp calling for pedestrian and cycle access to the harbour bridge. Wayne McDonald, the Auckland regional director for the New Zealand Transport Agency told the crowd repeatedly he would not let them across, despite the fact that police were standing by to cooperate at his word.

Realising that simply asking wasn't going to get results, people began walking calmly around the newly erected chain link fence and straight through the police lines. Thousands of people streamed onto the bridge; walking, cycling and pushing prams, they laughed, shouted and sang their way all the way across and all the way back. Traffic was completely stopped for about 90 minutes.

The support shown today for pedestrian and cycle access to the harbour bridge was enormous and will be hard for Transit to ignore. Especially if people show up again next Sunday as many were suggesting!

Links: Get Across Campaign | Cycle Action Auckland

Auckland university student Stu Colquhoun today finished his hunger strike in support of Tamils being attacked by the Sri Lankan military. The hunger strike which went for six days was to draw attention to the huge loss of civilian life in the recent conflict between the Sri Lankan Military and the LTTE. Stu and the Tamil Supporters group which was recently formed at Auckland University are calling for open access for aid agencys to the conflict zone and immediate action by the New Zealand government to support those harmed in recent fighting.