AUCKLAND ACTION AGAINST POVERTY

Media Release Friday 25 May 2012

Early morning Picket at National Party conference provokes smug reaction

Early this morning around 40 Auckland Action Against Poverty supporters took part in a lively picket of John Key’s post Budget address to the Northern Region National Party conference.

A short video clip of different aspects of the protest is here http://youtu.be/I3LaolkKZus

Protestors hung a banner from the roof of the Waipuna Hotel saying ‘Where are the jobs, John?’

One woman was knocked to the ground in a brief scuffle with police as other picketers made a brief but unsuccessful bid to enter the hotel.

‘We are keen to let John Key and his Government know that some of us do not accept their hardhearted approach to unemployment, welfare and poverty,’ says Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Sue Bradford.

‘What struck us most about the attitude of National Party members entering the conference this morning was their smug attitude towards us and our cause.

‘It is clear that the National Party simply doesn’t care at all about the poverty, homelessness and social exclusion which is damaging so many ordinary people as a result of their policies.

AAAP will be holding a second picket this morning:

11.30am Langham Hotel, 83 Symonds St – John Key speaks to a business forum.

‘With 273,000 jobless in New Zealand right now, we are calling for Government to make creating decent jobs a priority, rather than implementing welfare reforms which only serve to make life harder for those already struggling for survival.’

ENDS

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