Media release: 5 December 2012

Message Of Support: All Power To Power Shift

Student association presidents meeting in Wellington this week have joined in sending a message of support to the organisers of the Power Shift NZ-Pacific Youth Climate Summit taking place at the University of Auckland and via www.powershift.org.nz this weekend.

Francisco Hernandez and Daniel Haines, the newly elected Presidents of the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) and Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) respectively, have both described the Power Shift Summit as a source of inspiration for young people everywhere.

“Being able to attend workshops that are future focused and about taking action to create a sustainable world is inspiring,” says Haines.

“The AUSA Executive has endorsed Power Shift and assisted by giving space in the student union building to organise the event on campus. We believe that empowering students to organise grass roots events like this, is fundamental to developing leaders on a local and national platform.

“We join the organisers in their hope that Power Shift will create a powerful movement that will push New Zealand to lift its game on environmental issues,” says Haines
Hernandez who will be attending Power Shift with OUSA campaigns officer Ruby Sycamore-Smith and environment officer Joshua Pemberton had this to say: “OUSA is proud to support Power Shift for several reasons and particularly because it shows that working to take action together can create the conditions for change.

“Not only have students at the University of Otago endorsed local moves towards carbon neutrality, this also ties in with our commitment to investing in our future through insulated flats and greener housing.

“We support student leadership in tackling the issues of climate change and the wider issue of sustainability, and applaud Otago University students like Lindsey Horne for their awesome efforts in biking the length of the country, from Dunedin to Auckland – arriving tomorrow (Thursday) to what I’m sure will be a huge welcome.

NZUSA is running a series of workshops in Wellington this week for newly elected student leaders.

NZUSA’s second-term President Pete Hodkinson said that as today is International Volunteer Day it was also an opportunity to acknowledge the significance of volunteering in New Zealand.
“I encourage everyone to engage with Volunteering New Zealand to learn more about volunteering and to watch their video clip for International Volunteer day at http://youtu.be/vQzLn2rzEdY or at www.facebook.com/VolunteeringNZ”.

ENDS

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"Unlawful, Unjustified And Unreasonable": Report Into Urewera Raids Finds Police Acted Unlawfully

Independent Police Conduct Authority Chair Judge Sir David Carruthers said today that the decision by the then Commissioner of Police to undertake the operation in Ruatoki Valley and elsewhere on 15 October 2007 was reasonable and justified.

“However, the road blocks established by Police at Ruatoki and Taneatua were unlawful, unjustified and unreasonable... Police had no legal basis for stopping and searching vehicles or photographing drivers or passengers,” he said...

The report also showed that the detention of the occupants at five properties examined by the Authority was unlawful and unreasonable. More>>