Greetings
friends,
A
big thank you to people who supported my May Day appeal or in the
many ways that people do. My
13 May report outlined the initial itinerary from Central Hawkes
Bay District Council to my presentations at Horowhenua District,
Waikato and Taranaki Regional Councils and the effort to repair
Tinkerbell. Also there was Mike's presentation at Nelson City Council.
Next
up Tinkerbell requires the new windscreen and a warrant inspection,
if you are able to assist cheers: Public Advocacy Donations
Account 389017-0439360-00 ref:
TPP roadie
A
big week of LTP presentations
Monday
14 May last week local government LTP project took me to
Martinbourough to the South Wairarapa
District Council (SWDC). SWDC and their Maori Committee
both adopted the TPP policy solution mid 2015. Mayor Viv Napier
provided a warm welcome and and the councillors gave respectful
hearing.
Tracy
Livingston presented on behalf of the LTP project in Tauranga
City Council (TCC) Monday evening. A big thanks to Tracy.
Tuesday
15 May saw me in Paraparaumu to apeak to Kapiti
Coast District Council (KCDC) Tuesday afternoon. I had a
support team; Kay Fechney, Rick Swan and Stephanie Waters who
witnessed the presentation. That went well with encouragement from
councillors and the Mayor for the coming presentations to councils
and the FADT committee on Wednesday and Thursday. I get the sense
there's a fair amount of 'in principle' support for the LTP
paper and recommendations.
I
stayed Tuesday night in Palmerston North and drove to Taihape to
present to the Rangitikei District Council
at 10:10am. Mayor Andy Watson got proceedings away and I was first
presenter. The Mayor made it clear that Councillors were to offer
only questions to gain clarity not to utter their opinions on the
matters under sonsideration. Councillors Cath Ash and Soraya
Peke-Mason asked questions with Soraya saying she enjoyed reading the
paper. It appears that the women Councillors get the importance of
clean politics designed with integrity. Councillor Soraya followed up
with a subsequent question on CPTPP implications for Maori interests
as she was Councillor responsible for the Maori portfolio.
Next
up was Waikato District Council
310 klms north at Ngaruawahia. I stopped at Taumarunui for lunch,
then struck a traffic jam from Te Kuiti to Ngaruawahia, so arrived a
bit late. Allister West and Pene Torea were there waiting and I asked
Allister to inform the Council of my lateness. We have a friend in
first time Councillor Lisa Thomson from Raglan ward. Councillor
Jacqui Church asked a question about council liability in relation to
ISDS. She also said that she enjoyed reading the paper and agreed
with its content.
It
was then across to Te Aroha for the Matamata
Piako District Council. As I was behind in schedule I let
them know my eta. I was the last presenter. Mayor Jan Barnes thanked
me for the paper and indicated Council's appreciation of my efforts.
I
then turned Tinkerbell South just after 5pm to arrive in the Hutt at
just after 11:00pm. A big day - lots of fossil fuel burning to cover
almost 1000klms.
Thursday
morning saw me well received by Hutt City
Council at my 9:30am appointment. I thanked Mayor Ray
Wallace for Council's previous support for the TPP policy solution
before outlining the four (4) recommendations in the LTP papers.
Mayor
Wallace reported that Local Government New Zealand had considered the
4 Wellbeings in Recommendation #3. He also said that LGNZ were
considering the CPTPP – Ray offered to engage LGNZ and report back
to me on that status.
Cr.
Tui Lewis contacted me after the hearing to inform me that they heard
from Aaron from Generation Zero on the question of Climate Change a
couple of presentations after mine. I've answered her email
highlighting that not only in the council LTP paper but also in my
evidence to the parliamentary FADT select committee I had made
Climate Clubs a specific recommendation for future trade and
investment treaties.
I
proceeded to parliament for my 11:15am Foreign
Affairs Defence and Trade select committee (FADT) CPTPP treaty examination hearing and arrived
in time to hear Antony Maddock, Scott Andrew, Lou Hutchinson, Leona
from Hawkes Bay, and several more. There were significant points made
by civil society represeantatives – the question for many is the
value of participating at all given most sense that the CPTPP outcome
is predetermined. My perspective on that is that vacating the field
will not fix that problem – rather surrender will ensure civil
society get bad outcomes.
They
listened in silence and thanked me for my korero. I've been speaking
off the cuff to Councils as they assure me that councillors have read
the papers, which I find to be the case from direct feedback.
I
operate under the assumption that the select committee members read
my paper. National MP Simon O'Connor the FADT Chair offered at the
conclusion that he appreciated the live links in my paper which
allowed immediate access to website references.
After
the FADT committee hearings we retired to the Backbencher hotel for a
catch up with a coffee.
Porirua
City Council's hearing was next for a 1:50pm appointment.
Mayor
Mike Tana and Council were friendly and again listened politely and
attentively to my korero. There weren't questions however the Mayor
wanted to gather the pronunciation of my surname. After I left the
Council, as I was in the passage outside I was approached by
Councillor Dame Beverley Wakem.
She
has been the Ombudsman for two terms 2005-2010 and up to 2015 so
knows a bit about state secrets and how things work.
Dame
Wakem offered it was the most important submission to council's
process and placed local communities in the national and into the
geopolitical context. I thanked her and offered in response that her
words made me feel my efforts have been very worthwhile.
I
didn't recognise Beverley when she came out, but did once I looked at
the council website.
Also
Dale Williams is of interest as a Porirua Councillor as he is a
previous mayor of Otorohanga where he instituted the zero
youth waste policy and strategy. I saw Dale
Williams present in Motuek in 2013 where he explained the
initiative.
I'm
working on following up with papers to FADT and writing further
reports on the LTP 2018 democracy project and its progress.
Coming
week events
I
present to Upper Hutt City, Tararua District, Wellington City and
Greater Wellington Regional Councils next week plus attending the
Open Government Partnership workshop that will be determining the NZ
Government's civil society priorities. I'll be most interested in the
reform of the Official Information Act recommendation.
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For
more details go to my blogs:
To
sustain Greg continuing this work
Public
Advocacy Donations
Account 389017-0439360-00
ref: TPP
roadie
TPP
Action - tpp roadie facebook page:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/gregfullmoon
Many
thanks for your support.
Greg
Rzesniowiecki gregfullmoon013@gmail.com
.
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