Features

Two years ago to the day, New Zealand woke to the so-called 'Terror Raids'. Police Operation 8 was in full swing; Ruatoki was locked down, a school bus was stopped, other children were held in sheds and over 60 different places across the country were raided. 17 people ended up remanded in custody. It took a month for all of them to get bail. Remember 15th October 2007 - Drop the charges!

The long-awaited Explosive Expressions Art Exhibition opened at Thistle Hall on Tuesday night in Wellington with crowds gathered outside waiting for the doors to open before the 6pm advertised time. The artworks have been viewable on-line for some weeks now, but were well worth queueing to get into the Gallery to see face-to-paint. [ More ]

The October 15th Solidarity group asks "Is it an act of provocation and arrogance or just simple ignorance that the Justice and Electoral Select Committee is meeting on the 15th of October to hear submissions on the Search and Surveillance Bill? [...] This bill legalises the dodgy and arguably illegal police tactics used in Operation 8. It is not at all extreme to suggest that this law creates a police state. The Parliamentary response to police breaking the law should not be to retrospectively legalise what they have done and give them more power." [ More ]

From October 27 ACC is changing its criteria for covering the cost of counseling for survivors of sexual abuse. Under the new criteria, survivors will only be eligible for ACC covered counseling if they have been diagnosed as having a mental injury, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV.

According to Dr Peter Jansen, ACC clinical director in charge of the proposed changes, “ACC's legislative role is clearly defined. We are only able to assist those who have a diagnosed significant mental injury resulting from the abuse/assault they've suffered,” and the rule change is aimed at bringing ACC practice in line with legislation.

But Dr Kim McGregor, who chairs the tauiwi (Pakeha) section of the National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together, has said that “some counsellors are ethically opposed to using a psychiatric diagnosis for sexual violence.”

Making survivors jump through bureaucratic hoops to get the support they need contributes to the trauma of sexual abuse by further disempowering people who've already been through a traumatic and disempowering experience.

Workers Party Press Release: Workers Party activists Heleyni Pratley and Joel Cosgrove have been trespassed from Victoria University for two years for participating in a student protest against University fee rises of over 90%.

Joel was involved in the throwing of a solitary egg which did not hit anyone.  Heleyni threw nothing and instead stood prominently holding a Workers Party banner calling for ‘free education from kindergarten to PhD’. They and other activists cleaned up the eggshells before leaving.

Let us be very clear. Joel has been trespassed for throwing an egg which he cleaned up afterwards. Heleyni has been trespassed for nothing other than speaking her mind. She is being publicly attacked by the university for exercising her democratic right to protest and express free speech. She is being punished to make an example to anybody else, student or otherwise, who is considering standing up to university injustice.

Please note there is another picket at 6am on Thursday 17th at Bridgeman Plant, 55 Crooks Road, East Tamaki. Police presence likely as we block cement trucks again.

“An indefinite lock-out of workers by Bridgeman Concrete in Manukau City shows increasing employer militancy taking advantage of the recession and growing unemployment,” says Robert Reid, General Secretary of the National Distribution Union.

“The Bridgeman lock-out is an appalling example of an employer paying under industry rates with inferior redundancy agreements and trying to starve its workers into submission.  These workers are key for Auckland infrastructure projects and start work early every day while the rest of the country is asleep.  These guys are the battlers.  They are the unsung heroes who help build a better life for us all.  Yet they are shown no respect by an employer who will not even front up to the workers and hides behind his hired gun,” says Robert Reid.

More: Photos | NDU | Warehouse Profits at Expense of Workers during Recession

Other disputes: Polytech strike photos | For workers' control! - Lessons of recent struggles in the UK | Subway workers hold 'no fare' protest and strike in Buenos Aires | Organising the precariat in Israel-Palestine

Upcoming actions: EPMU Telecom picket on the corner of Ponsonby Rd and Hopetoun Street, Auckland at 7.30am Monday 21^st September | NDU Bridgeman picket 6am on Thursday 17th at Bridgeman Plant, 55 Crooks Road, East Tamaki