MEDIA STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5 JUNE 2004

Colonisation Of The Pacific Theme Of Rotorua Forum

"Past and present practices of colonisation in Aotearoa and the Pacific will be the subject of a forum in Rotorua on Monday 7 June," said Robert Reid, spokesperson for the Action Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA).

"The forum has been organised to coincide with the Pacific Forum's Economic Ministers' Meeting that begins in Rotorua on the same day."

The forum will hear from a number of New Zealand and Pacific speakers including Ngati Pikiao lawyer Annette Sykes, Pacific academics Professor Vijay Naidu and Dr Clare Slatter and Professor Jane Kelsey from Auckland University.

Jane Kelsey will discuss her recent report on the Pacific Free Trade Agreements, entitled "Big Brother Behaving Badly". Copies of this report will be available at the forum and will be delivered to all Pacific Islands Economic Ministers in Rotorua during the week.

Note for editors:

The forum will be held at Hurunga Marae, 15 Hurunga Avenue, Rotorua. It begins with a welcome at 9.00 am, followed by

10.00 am Annette Sykes

11.00 am Vijay Naidu

1.00 pm Claire Slatter

3.00 pm Jane Kelsey

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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