Coming to your town soon: Young New Zealanders who care

“Young New Zealanders do care about the future of our country, and Young Labour’s Clarion Road Tour is about showing just that”, says Michael Wood, President of NZ Young Labour.

“Over late December and early January we will be travelling from Auckland through to Invercargill on a bus, stopping in towns along the way to take part in community activities such as a beach clean up in Christchurch, delivering meals on wheels in Dunedin, repainting a community art space in Wellington and even helping out at a local radio station” says Young Labour Vice-President Jacinda Ardern.

“But the main goal of the Clarion Road Tour is to talk to young people about their vision for New Zealand’s future and where they think our country should head. We will be asking people from around the country to write down their thoughts on a 12 metre long banner, which we will present to the Parliamentary Committee that will look into New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements” says Wood.

“There is a perception out there that young people live in the here and now, and don’t care about the future. We’re aiming to break that, and at the same time provoke some important discussions about our national identity”, continues Ardern.

“The road tour is named after the famed Clarion Cycling Club, a group of dedicated British political activists who rode around the English country side in the 1890s talking about their vision for a better and fairer society. We’ll be emulating them, but with less cycling!”

“Young New Zealanders do care, and we look forward to proving that in a town near you soon!” concludes Wood.

ENDS

Contacts:

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CLARION ROAD TOUR- Itinerary

(Pleae note some community events not open to media)

DAY ONE

28 December 2004

9.00 am Breakfast with Hon Judith Tizard, the Clarion Road Tour Crew and the Auckland members of Young Labour

10.30 am Community Project: Dingwall Family Trust. Games and BBQ with kids.

2.30 pm Head south stopping in Huntly and Hamilton

6.00pm Overnight in Morrinsville

DAY TWO

29 December 2004

9.00am Depart Morrinsville, stopping at Matamata

11.30 am Arrive in Mt Maunganui

Community Project: Distribute Youth Summer Passports on behalf of the city council and sunscreen on behalf of the Cancer Society

3.30 pm Depart for Taupo stopping in Tokoroa along the way

Overnight in Turangi

DAY THREE

30 December 2004

9.00 am Depart Turangi stopping along the way

1.00 pm Arrive in Wanganui

Community Project: Build Predator Fence with Royal Forest and Bird at Bushy Reserve

Overnight in Wanganui

DAY FOUR

31 December 2004

9.00 am Depart Wanganui. Stop in Levin and Porirua

Arrive in Wellington

11.30 Lunch with Hon Marian Hobbs

12.00pm Community Project: Vincent’s Art Workshop. Paint wall spaces.

8.00 pm Dinner out with Wellington Young Labour

10.00 pm Community Project: Handing out “keep safe packs” to New Years Eve

revelers in down town Wellington

Overnight in Wellington

DAY FIVE

1 January 2005

9.30 am Ferry to Picton

1.00pm Drive to Nelson stopping briefly along the way. Overnight in Nelson

DAY SIX

2 January 2005

10.00 am Distribute 2000 Nelson City Council Summer Passports to young people on behalf of the council.

3.00 pm Depart for Kaikoura

Overnight in Kaikoura

DAY SEVEN

3 January 2005

9.00am Community Project: TBA

12.00pm Depart Kaikoura

2.00 pm Arrive in Christchurch

Community Project: Beach clean up on behalf of Keep New Zealand Beautiful

6.00 pm Dinner with Christchurch Young Labour

DAY EIGHT

4 January 2005

9.00 am Depart Christchurch

Arrive in Ashburton

Community Project: Rubbish collection at Domain from 10.30 and East Street from 11.30

12.30 Depart for Dunedin, stop at Timaru.

Dinner with Dunedin Young Labour

Evening Community Project: Salvation Army Hot Drinks Caravan (times TBC)

DAY NINE

5 January 2005

10.00am Community Project: Volunteering at local radio station- Hills AM

11.30am Community Project: Deliver Meals on Wheels

1.30 pm Community Project: Salvation Army food bank clean up

Evening Community Project: Salvation Army Hot Drinks Caravan (times TBC)

DAY TEN

6 January 2005

9.00 am Depart Dunedin

10.00am Arrive in Balclutha

Community Project: Pond clean up

1.00pm Arrive in Invercargill

Final Community Project: TBA

End of Tour Party

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