Report from Protests against Alexander Downer@National Party Conference

Protests in solidarity with Aboriginal Australia were held yesterday outside the annual National Party conference at the Langham Hotel, on Auckland's Symonds Street. Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, was one of the conference's invited quests. Everyone was in high spirits. Many had stayed the previous night at the tent embassy , in a near by park.



Demonstrators highlighted that the National Party had invited a man from a racist government that has stolen Aboriginal land and sent troops to Iraq as a guest of honour. This shows that despite Don Brash resigning the National Party hasn't changed at all - it's still a party that represents the rich and powerful against the interests of working people and the Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa.

At 2:30pm a group of around 30-40 people picketed the conference. Placards had messages such as "Save Aboriginal children from Howard" and "Downer and John Key. Which one is the closet racist?" Maori and Aboriginal sovereignty flags were flown. Lots of passing motorists tooted and waved to show support. Some National Party members came outside in their flash suits to have a look and Prime News filmed.

We were going to have a demo at 7pm to co-incide with the start of Downer's dinner time address but it was decided the demo should be moved foward to 5:30pm in the hope it would recieve more media attention (the Downer speech was closed to the media) A group of about 15 people braved the pouring rain to provide an extremely rowdy welcome for Downer. With the help of whistles, loud hailer and shakers made from tins filled with rocks we made heaps of noise. We circled the Langham Hotel chanting "Downer, Downer we know you. You're from a racist country too", "Always was. Always will be - Aboriginal Land!" and "National, National, we know you. You have racist policies too!". A TVNZ cameraman came out and filmed us and a NZ Herald photographer took some photos. When one demonstrator started singing about how he couldn't hear what he was saying because of the ear plugs in his ears even the cops, guarding the conference, in their fluro yellow rain coats started laughing.



Lots of leaflets calling for an end to Howard's land grab in the Northern Territories and the Seabed and Foreshore Act in Aotearoa were handed out to people walking past. Even some National Party members seemed quite interested. I tried handing a leaflet to one National MP and two Nat women but they politely declined. It was quite funny they appeared to be leaving the Langham to go to an Italian restaurant across the street, just as Downer's dinner was about to start. Maybe they didn't want to pay the 90 or so dollars to enjoy dinner with a member of a racist and militaristic colonial government.
The demonstration made news headlines on ABC in Australia

http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/73459/index.php

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Downer-targeted-over-indigenous-action/2007/08/05/1186252528087.html

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/05/1996946.htm?section=justin

Protesters at National Party conference

4/08/2007 16:07:19


Protesters have made their mark today at the National Party's annual
conference underway this weekend in Auckland.


After camping out near the venue - the Langham Hotel - overnight,
around two dozen members of ImagineNative Action and the Youth Action
Group picketed outside the conference this afternoon.


They are protesting over the Australian government's intervention
into Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Australian
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is a guest speaker at the
conference.


There was a strong police presence and the protest passed without
incident. However police remain at the conference as protesters have
indicated they intend disrupting Mr Downer's speech later this
evening.


Inside the Langham business at the conference continues, with the
crucial importance of the party vote being hammered home MPs and
delegates.


National Party President Judy Kirk left no doubt that building the
party vote has to be the top priority for the next election. She told
the gathering Labour eked out its victory in 2005 by marshalling
votes in Auckland and Christchurch.


Ms Kirk says National has to do the same in its own strongholds.


The conference continues all weekend

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=121965

Stolen Land, Invaded Children and Rugby Union

"Members of ImagineNative Action will be in place outside Eden Park from 5.30pm this evening, handing out educational leaflets and placards that communicate support for Aboriginal Self-determination to the crowd attending the match. We will encourage match-goers, in a friendly and engaging manner, to take a placard into Eden Park with them and display it to the global audience that comes with such major sporting events."



Te Kanikani Tangata Hara said "Our aims are to raise awareness and to send a message to the colonial government of Occupied Australia that the invasion is unacceptable. Most importantly, ImagineNative Action recognises the Howard colonial government desire to break the spirit and will of Aboriginal people to resist the colonisation and exploitation of their lands. Every display of solidarity with Aboriginal people, such as the one planned for All Blacks vs. Australia this evening, will lift the wairua of the people and help strengthen their resolve."



In response to the question of fairness and good sportspersonship to members of the Australian team Te Kanikani Tangata Hara replied, "Our intention is not to shame or distract the Australian players. We realise that the Australian Rugby team is in no way responsible for the horrific actions of their colonial government. Shame should be reserved for John Howard and Helen Clark - a supposedly great Humanitarian - who has thus far refused to condemn Howard's violation of the basic human right of Aboriginal peoples."



"ImagineNative Action is also confident the Australian team consists of highly trained professionals; therefore our action will have no effect on their performance. We in fact call on members of both teams, as morally upstanding sporting leaders in our communities, to show their support of justice and basic human rights for Aboriginal people by wearing black, yellow and red armbands during the match."



ImagineNative Action kaikōrero (spokesperson), Te Kanikani Tangata Hara is available for further comment on 02 11 55 11 54 or via indigenous.solidarity (at) gmail.com

--

Stolen Land, Invaded Children and Rugby Union

Press Release: Stolen Land, Invaded Children and Rugby Union



Tēnā koutou katoa.



Today, Saturday July 21st, at 7.30pm the All Blacks are playing Australia at Eden Park in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). ImagineNative Action spokesperson Te Kanikani Tangata Hara says "we believe the moral and political background to Aotearoa's national Rugby team playing Australia now is similar to the All Blacks playing South Africa in the 1960 to 1990s. Colonial Australia has a history of perpetrating cultural and ethnic genocide against Aboriginal peoples, a history often more brutal and repugnant than that of South African Apartheid."



Te Kanikani Tangata Hara continued, "However, rather than advocating the disruption of this evening's Rugby match, ImagineNative Action will use it as a platform to raise awareness regarding the true nature of John Howard's invasion of Aboriginal communities. ImagineNative Action recognises Howard's plan as an attempt to alienate the people from their land for the purposes of economic (i.e. mining) exploitation, and as an electoral strategy."



Te Kanikani Tangata Hara calls on all Rugby fans of intelligence and compassion to "show their support for the aboriginal people who are having their land and their children attacked by John Howard's racist government. It should be unacceptable to any fair minded human-being that Aboriginal communities and children be brutalised by military occupation and the threat of 'invasive medical testing'".



"Members of ImagineNative Action will be in place outside Eden Park from 5.30pm this evening, handing out educational leaflets and placards that communicate support for Aboriginal Self-determination to the crowd attending the match. We will encourage match-goers, in a friendly and engaging manner, to take a placard into Eden Park with them and display it to the global audience that comes with such major sporting events."



Te Kanikani Tangata Hara said "Our aims are to raise awareness and to send a message to the colonial government of Occupied Australia that the invasion is unacceptable. Most importantly, ImagineNative Action recognises the Howard colonial government desire to break the spirit and will of Aboriginal people to resist the colonisation and exploitation of their lands. Every display of solidarity with Aboriginal people, such as the one planned for All Blacks vs. Australia this evening, will lift the wairua of the people and help strengthen their resolve."



In response to the question of fairness and good sportspersonship to members of the Australian team Te Kanikani Tangata Hara replied, "Our intention is not to shame or distract the Australian players. We realise that the Australian Rugby team is in no way responsible for the horrific actions of their colonial government. Shame should be reserved for John Howard and Helen Clark - a supposedly great Humanitarian - who has thus far refused to condemn Howard's violation of the basic human right of Aboriginal peoples."



"ImagineNative Action is also confident the Australian team consists of highly trained professionals; therefore our action will have no effect on their performance. We in fact call on members of both teams, as morally upstanding sporting leaders in our communities, to show their support of justice and basic human rights for Aboriginal people by wearing black, yellow and red armbands during the match."



ImagineNative Action kaikōrero (spokesperson), Te Kanikani Tangata Hara is available for further comment on 02 11 55 11 54 or via indigenous.solidarity@gmail.com


--
ImagineNative Action

"Building solidarity between Indigenous and Peoples of Colour communities. Defending our whenua & peoples against racism and exploitation since 2007"

Protest Against Invasion Of Aboriginal Communities

Saturday, 14 July 2007, 12:23 pm
Press Release: ImagineNative
Auckland Protest Against The Invasion Of Aboriginal Communities And Children

The white Australian Government have a long and dark history of treating Indigenous peoples like animals has been furthered by their current invasion of Aboriginal communities with military force and their advocating of compulsory invasive medical testing for all Aboriginal children.

ImagineNative Action is a newly established group committed to building solidarity between Indigenous and marginalised communities in Aotearoa and globally for the defense of our land and people against racism and exploitation.

Spokesperson Te Kanikani Tangata Hara said "We call on the people of Aotearoa to gather together in solidarity with our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in Occupied Australia by coming to the rally and march on the 14 th of July starting at Britomart and going to the Australian consulate to show Aboriginal peoples that we stand in solidarity with them. We hope to lift the spirits of the people and strengthen their resolve."

Spokesperson Te Kanikani Tangata Hara said "John Howard does not care about the well being of Aboriginal children or communities; if he did then why has he taken away funding for health and social programs in Aboriginal communities? Howard's true objective is to destroy the Aboriginal people's will to resist colonisation and alienate their land in order to exploit the land economically through mining and nuclear waste dumps."

John Howard is blatantly lying about the motives behind his action which this fact summary clearly shows:
§ In fact, substantiated cases of child abuse against Northern Territory Aboriginal children in 2005-06 were proportionately less than the rest of the population, constituting 19% of the total, whilst Aboriginal people make up 29% of the Territory population.
§ 75% of Aboriginal Men never or rarely drink - compared to 87% of white Australian men who drink regularly.
§ Majority of communities are dry – alcohol free by their own choice. Those that are not have severely restricted sales of liquor.
§ Community run social and health programs have been closed or progressively under-funded by the Howard colonial government
§ A lot of pedophilia is perpetrated by white mine workers who trade alcohol & petrol to vulnerable Aboriginals for access to children.
§ All Aboriginal children under 16 forced to undergo invasive medical testing – this involves anal/vaginal examination and penetration – despite fact this constitutes assault under Australian colonial law
§ There are no troops invading white Australian homes where children are abused & neglected.
§ Since 1995 over a half dozen prior reports similar to Little Children Are Sacred have been ignored.
§ Two mining companies have already submitted applications to significantly expand their operations into Aboriginal lands.
§ This year John Howard is behind in the polls.

ends

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00157.htm