Action for Christchurch East

The Shock Doctrine: Revisited

2011-12-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

Action for Christchurch East published an article in June 2011 examining Naomi Klien's book 'The Shock Doctrine'. Her work investigates how publicly owned assets are thrown into the hands of big business and emergency responses are privatised during the chaos synonymous with natural disasters, war and economic turmoil.

This blog has spent the past 15 months documenting the local communities that have been forgotten, under resourced state agencies failures, insurance companies receiving billions of tax payers money and rebuild contracts being sold to some of the most powerful CEO's in the Southern Hemisphere...this it would seem is just the beginning...

In recent days the re-elected Government is now showing its true intentions. Without any hint prior to the elections the Government have announced privatised schooling to be trialled in the Eastern suburbs of Christchurch.

Neil Wilkinson, chairman of the Canterbury-West Coast Secondary Principals' Association, said there have been discussions following the February earthquake about the future of schooling in the city - but charter schools were never mentioned.

"There's been quite an extensive consultation process, there have been focus groups, secondary principals have met, primary principals have met, community groups have met, iwi have met.

"It's been a long process and people have been asked their views and the concept of charter schools has never been on the agenda. "It was never mentioned anywhere." (NZ Herald article here)

Christchurch East Labour MP Lianne Dalziel said she only heard about the "charter" school plans in the media:

"We don't want to be a trial ground over in the east and I cannot believe how insensitive this is to the reality of what so many are facing here," she said.
"I am really concerned that the Government thinks it is OK to tell an already stretched education system in Christchurch that they will be an experiment."(Full Stuff article here)

Klien's study of Hurricane Katrina and the Government/Privatised response paints a very similar picture:

"Before Hurricane Katrina, the school board had run 123 public schools, now it ran just 4. Before that storm, there had been 7 charter schools in the city; now there were 31. New Orleans' teachers used to be represented by a strong union; now the union's contract had been shredded, and its forty seven hundred members had all been fired..." (p. 5, Naomi Klien, The Shock Doctrine, 2008, Penguin Books)

Throughout the book we see the same scenario repeat itself over and over. Deeply unpopular reforms that no Government wishing to be re-elected would dare push suddenly becomes the only option in times of crises and disaster. Mass media stops investigating and merely reports what it is spoon fed by parliament, local democratic boards and councils are pushed to the side and emergency laws are passed unchallenged.

There are literally dozens of new laws, proposed acts, permits and sales that are taking place that stand directly in the face of public interest, yet we have to search on the web to gain even the remotest idea of what they are for and for who's benefit they may be. The recent General Election should be a wake up call to the rest of the country that the mass media have taken a vow of silence, something the people of Canterbury have been aware of for all too long.

Alternative media and social networking has become a lifeline to Christchurch. Internet blogs representing local communities, facebook groups representing workforces (support our Canterbury Schools group here) and in recent times the arrival of the Occupy Movement whose very existence is thanks to social media.

We have seen in our city an-ever-growing number of public rally's, protest's and picket's in support of workers battling unscrupulous bosses, communities standing up to voice their indignation and angry tenants taking their stories to the media.

It would seem those directly affected by what Klein describes as 'Disaster Capitalism' are beginning to organise in the Cathedral City.

The evolution begins:

In January 2012, the ReGeneration Trust and SHAC (Sustainable Habitat Challenge) are keen to get rebuilding Christchurch. They'll be running a six-day building project – starting from scratch, they’ll be working with builders, architects and a crew of young people to create a funky, recycled, moveable office for the Gap Filler project.
ReGen and SHAC are now looking for motivated people who are willing to step up, represent and take practical action for positive change. The Christchurch 10m2 Building Project in an opportunity for creative, hands on types to work alongside experts on sustainable building, to learn new skills and share ideas for Christchurch in the future. (Link here)

Christchurch Occupy also seems to be evolving. Discussion around getting involved with the red zone communities and helping to help those who wish to stay put are being heard down the grapevine. In the United States entire communities have begun occupying foreclosed homes and buildings. (A wonderful video can be found here).

Wellington Occupy seem to be leading the way here in New Zealand, abandoning the tents and replacing them with buildings to be used for the benefit of the wider community (TV3 video here)

The Otautahi Solidarity Network are also rumoured to have been contacted by a number of red zone residents seeking mutual support and advice.

The A.C.E team will continue to keep you posted with further developments and relevant news articles. For those with a few minutes spare have a look at these two clips;

Windmills and Black Flags is a short promotional video for Scott Crow's book. He tells the story of community organising during Katrina's aftermath - very inspiring!

The Shock Doctrine is a full length motion picture that details Klein's core arguments from her best selling book.

Kia kaha Christchurch!

Things are starting to heat up...

2011-11-20T15:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday 19th November saw over 400 Christchurch residents come together to express their frustrations and demand an accountable response for the earthquake ravaged City of Garden's.

After a number of speeches at Latimer Square the crowed marched to CERA's head office. Chants steadily grew louder and angrier as the people got closer to the front doors. The noise was suddenly replaced with a hush as Reverend Mike Coleman read out a statement by the Wider Earthquake Communities Action Network. WECAN are demanding a legitimate body of the people for the people to moderate, represent and bring an end to EQ Minister Gerry Brownlee's cowboy grandstanding.

The statement was then nailed to a 2.5 metre cross to signify the cities anger and condemnation of the official response so far. TV3 News article here.

What struck the A.C.E team was the coming together of a number of groups and individuals. A husband and wife had teamed up with their neighbours and dressed up as hang men, with black hoods covering their faces, they carried a coffin with the words "Death by STATE insurance" printed on the sides. We also saw a large group from the Occupy Christchurch camp arrive with flags and banners which brought life and energy to proceedings. The newly formed Otautahi Solidarity Network also made their presence felt while union delegates, heads of church and local aid agencies all stood as one.

A spokeswoman from the Occupy Christchurch group mentioned "the earthquake response has been a corporate sponsored event, the highest bidder scored the biggest contracts, kicking out any local or community influence. This is what Occupy is all about; taking back our communities one step at a time."

Looking at the Otautahi Solidarity Network Blog it doesn't take long to see the similarities between these groups and realise that there is a rapidly emerging resistance in our city:

"With no membership fee and with only the fire in our belly’s, we are the cities fastest growing movement. Our aim? To support and empower those that are being bullied by bosses and landlords, to foster and encourage community projects and to help create a community strong enough to reclaim its homes, streets and workplaces."

In recent days a further 400 Christchurch hundred homes discovered they had been declared red zoned. In nine months they will be forced from their houses and given payouts well below the value of their land and property. The Brooklands Residence Association chairwoman Annette Buxton made it clear in her interview on TV One that there are many who are prepared to stay on and fight.

The speed in which events, newly forged relationships and news of further destruction of our city means that reports from the Action for Christchurch East are likely to be coming out thick and fast. The dots are beginning to be connected, international movements have landed in our parks and community action groups are finding their feet - if we can all find enough common ground we could be witnessing a dramatic shift in how our city decides its future.

Keep your eyes peeled for up and coming events

...we spoke too soon!

2011-11-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

Kia ora whanau,

Well as the title suggests it would seem the decision to wrap up the A.C.E blog may have been a tad too soon - the blog's site visits and discussions on the ground tell us that the articles and news offered on the page were reaching much further corners than first thought.

We have been contacted by countries across the World, in every continent, wanting to know more of what's happening in Christchurch since September 2010. The blog may have stopped but the news and events certainly haven't.

So what's been happening?

Since we last posted, rallies have taken place in Kaiapoi, Bexley, Hagley Park and in the past month South Hagley Park has been occupied by supporters of the Wall Street Occupy Movement. The momentum is something that can not be ignored. We have seen protests in excess of 300 people march the city's streets, the head office of CERA occupied and this coming weekend we shall witness the culmination of individual's and communities hard efforts in a massive public rally in the city!

Saturday 19th November:

This weekend promises to be a momentous turning point for the recovery of Christchurch. Lack of information has been the number one issue since September 4th 2010. That has not changed throughout.

Local government has been booted out, council pushed to the side and democracy sent packing with a smile and a wink from Key and lap dog Parker. The occupation of CERA was an unplanned event, an organic move made by the people seconds after we arrived in the building. Democracy is alive and well. You won't find it behind closed doors, nor is it in business suits and ties; it is where it has always been - on the streets!

Spread the news wide and far this Saturday is the event we have all been waiting for. Relevant news article here: link.

Organisers of the event here: link

As always keep in touch and follow the links - these are the stories you won't find in the mainstream media.

Kia kaha Otautahi!

Thank you...

2011-09-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

On the day the Action for Christchurch East blog hits 2000 site visits we have the news that no more posts will be posted on this site...

...from the ashes rises the phoenix!...

A new Network has been created in Christchurch! The Otautahi Solidarity Network has just launched it's home website. It will be here that people will be able to find the latest news, events and write ups of the ongoing drama in our city.

The Action for Christchurch East Collective will be very much a part of the Network's development and look forward to seeing where it goes from here.

We wish to thank everyone for their support, comments and time. We wish you all the very best.

With much love, the Action for Christchurch Collective x

National Party Welcoming Committee!

2011-08-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

On Monday 5th September the National Party are descending on mass to hold a cabinet meeting at the Copthorne Hotel - 449 Memorial Avenue (near Christchurch Airport). This will be the first time in 16 years that a cabinet has met outside the confines of the Beehive. Key and Brownlee are expected to have a press conference at 2.30pm to claim a victorious National Government response to the challenges we have faced. So we thought it would be nice to give them a warm welcome to our city and to 'thank them' for their efforts!

Date: Mon Sept 5th

Time: 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Copthorne Hotel, 449 Memorial Avenue

One year on since September. One year on since the 7.1 magnitude quake when we were awoken to the fact that Canterbury isn't the flat, stable plains that we had previously thought. One year on and we can now reflect on what we have seen and what we have learned.

The experiences of the tens of thousands directly and indirectly affected by the past twelve months can not be summed up in a single article or blog. What this blog's intentions were from the beginning was to highlight some of the chief issues that the people of Christchurch are experiencing, what the sources of these problems are and what alternatives can be found.

As such this latest post won't spend much time listing the issues of the day - they're very much the same as they were since the early stages - post September (check the earlier blog posts, you'll see what we mean). Instead we'll take the chance to tell you more about the demonstration on the 5th and explore the question; 'where-to-from-here?'

Where are we at?

With a general election year we are being shown glimpses into what National want to do if they are re-elected. Youth rates, young beneficiary 'food stamps', cuts in education, more expansion of roads, the annihilation of organised workers, privatised state owned assets and further taxes that hurt the poor...the list goes on...

The glimpses that National are feeding the media are what Canterbury has experienced first hand. The emergency response can only be described as a privatised event where the lowest bidder scores the biggest contracts. What drives business? Profit. Even during a national disaster the mighty dollar has held presidence in office.

If you take this line of argument it goes to explain an awful lot;

David William's reported in The Press, 22nd August 2011 that not one single Visa Application has been approved for over sea's builders. Why? Because no one has applied. No wander when you look at the wage disparity between NZ and everywhere else. Even Ireland, that was cherry picked by National as an ideal candidate due to high unemployment has failed to produce a single builder since September 2010! Canterbury Employment and Skills Board Chairman Carl Davidson believe's 30,000 more workers will be needed for reconstruction during the next 5-10 years.

Billion dollar bail outs for insurance firms, millions given to Warner Brother's and most recently the company 'next windows' - who just recieved 5.9 million New Zealand tax payers dollars for a group that produce nothing in New Zealand!?

Deregulation of everything to do with health and safety. A nation of leaky homes and poor building standards, buildings that should never have collapsed and deaths that could have been avoided. Families who lost loved ones at the Pyne Gould and CTV are even now having to battle to make sure the deceased get a fair hearing.

The West Coast are still battling to ensure the 29 men who died in The Pike River Mine are brought home. Death's that were avoidable only if the previous 20 years of Government's had done their job of protecting the people they are supposed to represent.

Instead there has been a legacy of streamlining, under resourced experts and politicians of every party lobbying for our vote and doing their very best to keep the truth out of the debate.

30 years of privatisation, state asset sales, lay off's, attacks on workers and free market capitalism have left all but the far right and far left silent. Why? Because the middle ground have all had their part to play and have all profited in this scam. The wealthiest 150 New Zealanders - John Key included - increased their wealth by $7 billion last year! The gap between rich and poor is ever expanding and we are now baring the brunt of what it entails.

Times of crises afford us brief glimpses of what's really in front of our eyes -

In our communities people rise to the challenge and reach out to their neighbours, students dig inn, knitting circles band together to keep us warm, farmers supply urgent needed food and cups of tea are offered wherever you look.

Our leaders have had their photo opportunity's, held back information to get all of their ducks in a row and allowed the elderly and sick to survive the coldest winter for decades in condemned housing with no heating.

Experience into real action

Our community is where the real power rests, the experience, knowledge and skill necessary to pick ourselves up are with our neighbors, workmates and you. Constantly the official message has been directly in the face of this basic human instinct. We've been forced to deal with our issues seperately, been left on-hold for hours and our messages left unanswered.

Text book theory right?

At the demonstration on Monday 5th an invite to a public screening of 2 short movie clips and open discussion will be made.

Here's a chance to see the clips here first:

Seattle Solidarity Network (SeaSol) -

Black flags and windmills -

Both short movies illustrate that when people begin to talk and organise the potential is enormous. From settling land lord disputes to arranging and delivering food parcels and aid, it is the people on the street who are best equipped at getting the job done.

Protest! Celebrate! Get Involved!

On Monday 5th September between 1.30pm and 3.30pm we will here from real people. Speeches and poems from young casualised workers, from long term beneficiaries, from teachers facing pay freezes and mandatory grading, families left in the dark by the EQC and live music from local artists.

We warmly invite anyone who wants a say to make themselves heard on the day - politicians, local councillers - you're welcome to join us but stay away from the microphone - respect the people's voice.

This will be a festive event and an opportunity to meet folk from across the city. We hope this will help to promote resistance that has been so desperately lacking for so long.

Yours in Solidarity, the Action for Christchurch team.

Key Supporters:

Unite Union

Beyond Resistance

Workers Rights Campaign

The Shock Doctrine and The EQ Response in Christchurch

2011-06-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Naomi Klein's 'The Shock Doctrine' was first published in 2007 and has since gone on to become a No.1 best seller and made into a feature length documentary. The book explores how a seemingly unpopular strain of economic thought in the early 1970's has become the dominant force in shaping government's, business and the global economy of today.

So what has this got to do with the earthquakes in Christchurch?

Klein's extensive study leads us to understanding a great deal more about the U.S response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. It takes us well beyond the notion that if it was a different government, with a different leader, things would have been better. Klein instead tells us the global economic system, which demands public assets to be privatised, where government influence is seen as an interference to corporate interest and that even disaster responses should be conducted by private contractors, is the only response that liberal democracy's now know or care for. She describes this phenomena as 'the rise of disaster capitalism'.

When we look at the chapter that deals explicitly with Hurricane Katrina we begin to see a very familiar picture;

"The images from New Orleans showed that this was the general belief - that disasters are a kind of time out from cut-throat capitalism, when we all pull together and the state switches into higher gear - had already been abandoned, and with no public debate." p.408

Following the 7.1 Earthquake that hit Christchurch on the 4th September Unite Union was the first to put out a press release expressing grave concerns for the city's workers. People were being forced to work or lose their holiday pay while the government dithered over what to say. Hours of press releases and footage told us all about the effects on the Central Business District and local private business, but nothing had been said about the workers. Under the spotlight the Tory Government came through with an economic package to tied people over for the short term.

However while small business owners were able to support their workers, thanks to the government package, the onus was on large businesses to look after their workers privately - this failed miserably.

Unite Union announced a Tour of Shame to highlight the businesses it was aware of that were failing to support their staff during the initial period of September's quake. Fast food chains also received the brunt of the worker's union frustrations - with at least one store electing to walk out and return home to loved ones.

Meanwhile people were busy digging silt from their homes, patching up broken chimneys and doing their best to cope with the trauma of the event. Lack of information and public influence on decisions being made became the chief concern among many residents.

Thanks to 1970's Rogernomics and the birth of the privatisation era, public funding for basic services has been sold to the highest bidders - "The state...has lost its ability to perform its core functions without the help of contractors"p.417 - stalling response time and cutting people out of the decision making process.

"The contractor's [had an] aversion to hiring local people who might have seen the reconstruction of New Orleans not only as a job but as part of healing and re empowering their communities. Washington could have easily made it a condition of every Katrina contract that companies hire local people at decent wages to help them put their lives back together" p.412

Where are all the builders and trades people that we need to rebuild the city? Why is it that only in recent weeks - 3 months since February's quake and 9 months since September - that the local polytechnic begins programmes specifically designed to equip new and experienced trades people with the skills necessary for the job? Even the opposition party have begun to air their concern.

Fletcher's has advertised far and wide to encourage builders and subcontractors to the city. However they came under fire late last year due to their low pay and frustrations from the length of time it took to make any decisions. Many builders that arrived in the early stages from towns and cities across the country have since left - others have opted to find better pay and conditions overseas in Australia and elsewhere. Other contractors that could be getting stuck into repairs and construction have instead chosen to work for the EQC as building inspectors. Why? Because there's more money in it, especially for out of town firms who receive further accommodation supplements.

"... government once again played the role of a cash machine equipped for both withdrawals and deposits. Corporations withdrew funds through massive contracts, then repaid the government not with reliable work but with campaign contributions and/or loyal foot soldiers for the next elections." p.412

Fletcher's wins the contract to rebuild homes across the city and to ensure that everyone on the urgent list has suitable heating in time for winter. We now know that half on the urgent list do not have heating in their homes and repairs have been hampered by lack of builders and the painfully slow EQC inspections. Small jobs have been given priority, the large jobs have simply been put onto the ever growing waiting list. Fletcher's board of directors include CEO's of Fronterra, Westpac Bank, Fisher and Paykel, Foodstuff's, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Vector and Insurance Australia Group, ANZ National Bank...the list goes on...public money is being steadily directed into private hands.

While this is going on the insurance companies have been incredibly quiet about the entire affair. The silence speaks volumes. Families are stuck in homes that are potential death traps with nowhere to go while they wait for the Government to decide their fate. The few that could afford to get out have, while the majority have had no choice but to endure powerless nights, raw sewerage in their homes, freezing temperatures and throat burning dust.

Insurance giant, AMI was forced to admit it couldn't pay out the Christchurch residents affected. New Zealand tax payers have been forced to pay $1 billion to bail them out. At a time when people across the World have been digging deep to put spare cash to the recovery fund, we are whacked with the bill of the incompetence of private business.

The fact that it is 9 months on and we still know nothing of which suburbs are going to be lost forever and the admission from EQ Recovery Minister Brownlee that they've known for months, suggests that the government and insurance firms have been busy getting all of their ducks together before any major announcements are made. We now know who's interests take priority and who comes a distant second.

Where to from here?

We have learned from hard experience that getting things done can be achieved by many putting in what they can. Streets have been cleared of silt, broken homes have been patched up and neighbours have gone the extra mile to help one another in need. Trades people, civil defence, aid agencies and community groups have all been incredible. If we had waited, like we have been told to do, by the mind numbing community briefings that the government have put on across the city, we would still be knee deep in filth from September's and February's quakes.

In times of crises the very best in human nature rises to the challenge - we have seen numerous community groups and grass roots networks spring up throughout the city. Brownlee and CERA have be awarded unlimited power and can bypass any law or local authority but even with this unprecedented influence it pails in comparison to the power and potential of the people of Christchurch.

Tidal Change -

Since Monday June 13th, when the city endured yet another round of severe aftershocks people are finally beginning to vocalise their disappointment in the Government's response - the message has been loud and clear - wait, keep out of the way, we know what we're doing - debris from September's quake still remains untouched on the streets, builders have responded to the call for assistance and have since left, private insurers have been bailed out while entire communities have been left in the dark as their futures lay in the balance. The government is suddenly finding itself out of step with the people.

We are now about to witness the latest act from the corporate sponsored earthquake response. Addington Action has been one of the most successful community groups to spring up during the crises. Spurred on from February's quake people in the community took affirmative action. They took stock of resources, took note of who needed what and have worked hard to ensure the information was passed on to the agencies and individuals who could help on a daily basis (proving the point that direct community involvement can significantly speed up recovery process).

The group have since grown and have gathered a vast amount of knowledge about what the neighbourhood and surrounding area's need. The EQR, the 'on hand' branch of the EQC - whose role it is to patch up homes and ensure people don't freeze this winter have had a pivotal role in this success. However the rules have just changed without any consultation. Overnight it has been decided that uninsured properties will not be granted assistance. The ramifications of this decision may prove to be life or death for some of the most vulnerable sections of our community. It is unclear who made the decision however it is safe to assume that money is the biggest factor in this latest move.

The mistake we made since September was to assume that business and suited politicians are the best equipped people to deal with natural disasters - Naomi Klein's 'The Shock Doctrine' isn't the be-all-and-end-all, but it does go some way to explain the official response we have so far witnessed. The government and decision makers have deliberately segmented the communities response. We are encouraged to deal with issues individually and are left hoping that are phone messages are responded to - think back to the community briefings where we were told to line up and deal with our issues "separately", what a missed opportunity for the community to get organised! Groups that have created a collective response and have shown real promise are now being gagged and trodden on.

...The solutions are where they have always been - among the people.

(Page numbers and quotations are taken from the Penguin Books 2008 edition - Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine)

The "blindingly obvious"

2011-06-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Monday 13^th June may be a turning point in the 9 month (and counting!) saga. Questions raised way back in September 2010 and the issues reiterated at the Rally for Christchurch in April 2011 still remain largely unanswered. Deadlines of getting heating to the most vunerable before winter have been missed, demolition progress criticised and days before the 5.7 and 6.3 shocks the media were only just beginning to recognise the growing anger that has been rippling through our community.

Christchurch Mayor, Bob Parker responded to 5.7 aftershock with an interview on radio ZB where he dismissed the idea that people had had enough, rehashing the exhausted line that we're a 'tough bunch'. Shortly after the 6.3 he spoke first of the CBD and the numerous buildings that had been effected and how it will 'speed up the demolition work'. Both points illustrate how out of touch he and the official line has been. The mainstream media have at least recognised that many of us couldn't care less about the CBD and focused primarily on the Eastern Suburbs and residents of Sumner and Lyttleton. What they found were salt of the earth people, maddened by the lack of information and increasing level of uncertainty.

The Local TV News - real articles, real people article found on this site describes the “white noise” of the media. We all witnessed the news flashes, the extended news coverage and eye witness accounts throughout talk back radio and t.v, but basic information such as boiling water before drinking, conserving water and power wasn't made clear until hours after the event. This information is potentially life and death yet there is still no clear line of communication from the governing bodies to the people on the street.

Brian Tut of the Bexley Residence Association today, Wednesday 15^th June, on Radio NZ stated that people are “getting close to the tipping point”. He described how “Mr Key says he has sympathy for us, Mr Brownlee says their doing their best...we seem to be going around in circles...CERA has a corporate uniform, perhaps that shows their priorities are in the wrong place.” Profit and contracts before the welfare of people?...

...Well if we look at how quickly Fletchers gained the contract to rebuild residential homes since September and the growing frustrations felt by trades people and property owners alike, it certainly suggests back scratching has been going on. The people behind the scenes of Fletchers is a line up of 'who's who' of New Zealand's top influential figures.

Corporations and Government's around the World have been watching closely as to how the fledgling EQC and Earthquake Recovery Minister Brownlee respond. This goes some way to explain how an Insurance Company can be bailed out with public money (because it can't uphold it's basic agreement to it's investors – to compensate them when they need it) while 1000's of families are left to shelter in broken - potential death trap - homes in the winter chill.

Brownlee, the EQC and CERA have been awarded the greatest level of authority, they are the judge, jury and executioner of the Canterbury Plains. They have now admitted they know what area's have to be bulldozed with maps drawn out months ago; the Government, Fletchers, dozens of insurance companies and who knows who else have been aware of what's staying and what's going Why hold on to this information? Why not give us an idea what we can expect and let us move forward?...instead we have a smug Brownlee telling us in recent days, it “should be blindingly obvious” which suburbs will be targeted. We've known it, for many since September, for many more since February and yet we're still waiting to see what's behind the closed doors. We are simply left to guess. It stinks conspiracy. The recent shakes and the Government's indifference to people's concerns may just prove to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Gordon Campbell wrote in Scoop - “In September, the year-long accommodation supplements will start to run out for many. What is Key planning do then (if anything) to help people who will be as much as six months to a year ( or more) away from significant repairs to their homes, and/or a complete rebuild? Thousands of Christchurch people will shortly have to face the full blast of (a) servicing their mortgage (b) while paying for alternative accommodation while (c) being without an income stream from a job while (d) they haggle with EQC and their insurance companies for relief. How exactly does the Key government propose to stand by them? Especially given that as time goes by, the government’s initial response – the wage subsidy scheme – looks to have been mere tokenism, and nothing more.”

A 5.7 and 6.3 aftershock in the space of a couple of hours is enough to warrant a visit from Brownley and Key, a few extended media coverages and numerous news flashes – what will it take to actually get the answers we so desperately need to move forward?

Meanwhile the citizens of Christchurch are busy rolling up their sleeves and digging out the silt from their homes and gardens for the fifth or sixth time since September. So many people have stood up and gone the extra mile, grass root - community groups have sprung up throughout the city and these are the hero's of this seemingly endless story...

Kia kaha Christchurch!

Local TV News - real articles, real people

2011-04-21T01:24:00.000-07:00

The media have spent an enormous amount of time on Canterbury's crises since September. Tens of thousands of hours of footage, live feeds, interviews and press conferences have been put to press and seen on our screens - yet why is it, after all this time, one of the biggest issues brought up in community meetings is the 'lack of information'?

Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement describe this phenomen as a "sort of spectacle-driven frenzy" in their most recent publication of Solidarity.

Thankfully efforts to break through the 'white noise' of repetitive images and inconsistent messages are getting through...

...Metro News, a student based news network that used to operate and air from the CTV building are now putting their stories on line.

Heating issues, access to homes within the red zones, profiteering during the crises and whole suburbs left in the dark are but some of the stories found on this site.

"Do your bit by supporting the local and national independent media outlets!"

-metro news, it's great to have you back :)

Communities Getting Organised!

2011-04-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Since the initial "Rally For Christchurch", smaller local community meetings have begun to take place. Inspired by the way in which everyone has been encouraged to speak and put forward their ideas the people of the Inner City East suburbs got together on Saturday 16th April.

Here's a snapshot of what was raised:

Issues -

The response from officials-EQC.
- Lack of info on claim papers. Struggling against these systems. Officials not
listening to what you know about own house.
- Lots of frustration.
- Rapid assessment processes muddled, full inspection done twice as claim numbers
lost in system. Info being lost.

Our Community -
- Loss of shopping centres.
- What will our neighbourhood/shops look like and how can we be involved in
directing this and driving the vision.
- Concerns for peoples well-being.
- People who have lost contents but don’t have insurance to replace or other issues of
hardship for those on low income.
- Landlord/tenant issues i.e. Landlords not paying out bond. Not breaking lease
agreements and forcing people to continue paying rent on red stickered properties.

Lack of communication and co-ordination between EQC/Rapid Response -

Overkill by CD in assessing the area.
Disputes between EQC/Builders over individual properties.

Decision Making/CERA and the future recovery -

- Questions around Council decisions.
- CERA will be all powerful, top down solutions.
- How will our voice be heard? Processes needed for peoples participation. Where
is our input and how do we influence the future vision, both for the City and our
neighbourhood?
- How do we prevent being sidelined?
- Future design has to be 22nd Century thinking with better public transport and cycle
ways etc.

Possible Solutions and Responses -
- Readable information.
- Person needs to document EQC visits for your safeguard.
- Want to see a functioning City and residents want to create our own vision for this
neighbourhood and promote it.
- Want community involvement as we know our houses, Communities and City.

Demand a say -
Bottom up in decision making on future of City and neighbourhood.
Want to be organised.
Consider Mayoral fund for projects.
Access to good info and advocacy.

Needs -
- A collective of neighbourhood groups in an area whop have delegate/reps who can
speak on behalf to authorities.
- Door knocking and audit of Inner City East.
- How we want to be organised?

Possible Solutions -
- Community Union
- CANcern.
- Action For Christchurch East.

Next meeting:

Saturday 30th April, 1pm – 3pm.
LCAC.

The following day the 2nd "Rally for Christchurch" took place. Find a report of that meeting here

We intend to continue with the level of energy we have seen so far - information on the streets will be made available with the use of posters and flyers, public meetings will be advertised and support groups will be created to help tackle the issues. We have learnt from experience that lobbying and building bridges with the powers that be can only get us so far (if anywhere) and in order to move on and fix the issues, that for many have been around since September, we need to organise! Lets take back our city!

What is a Community Union?

2011-04-14T02:24:00.000-07:00

All of the good folk that attended the first Rally for Christchurch on the 2nd of April were given a copy of Organising a Community Union. Published by the Beyond Resistance team the 3 sided pamphlet offers a "how to" guide, including the tools and means in which to empower your neighbourhoods and communities.

SO what's it all about?

The pamphlet found here is possibly one of the most important sources of info to be circulated since this all began back in September. We can not afford to wait any longer. The EQC has proven to be horribly under equipped to deal with the scale of the problem and now with the sudden arrival of CERA any ability of lobbying or pushing our 'official' community representatives to get the resources and help we so desperately need is over.

Speaking directly with officials and representatives within the local community boards, committees and council it quickly becomes clear that there is a great deal of frustration and disillusion with the events that have transpired since September. As time has passed less and less influence is being felt by the local bodies who in recent days have been effectively locked out.

Born from these frustrations Beyond Resistance, Action for Christchurch East, Unite Union and numerous organisers and community activists came together to help facilitate Rally for Christchurch. The rally itself was a "politician free event" run on direct democratic principles where everyone was encouraged to have their say and where every opinion was welcome. We have witnessed the EQC meetings held in our communities and many have described how they are left to feel powerless and simply getting in the way - the Rally couldn't have been any further away from the Official Lines we have been fed. Everything is not okay.

The issues raised and the problems highlighted at the Rally have not changed since the initial September quake. The only difference now is it's 7 months on and winter is knocking at the door. People are stuck in houses that are potential death traps, sewerage still spills on our streets, unemployment soars and any sense of a voice or government accountability is next to nil.

It's time to take back Christchurch!

Employing a union organiser model and direct democratic principles a community union begins with a street or row of neighbours who elect a delegate (who can be recalled at any time) who gets to know the needs and skills of everyone within that block - something the EQC never dreamt of!

Simple issues can be resolved immediately within the block of homes. The delegates meet regularly with the other local delegates to deal with any larger issues and big problems can be dealt with by a city council once again elected for and by the local groups.

NO red tape, NO bureaucracy - at the end of the day in our community are Mechanics and Doctors, Builders and Plumbers, Care Givers and Teachers - we all have our individual skills and we all have our individual needs. This is the quickest and most effective way of ploughing through the endless list of problems that have exasperated since September.

Twice Christchurch has seen how inept the Government is in time of crises and twice we have witnessed the over awing power and compassion of people in the worst of situations - we aim to build on these basic instincts and create a real, living, breathing, COMMUNITY!

Wanna see it in action?! Join us at the 2nd public rally (Sun April 17th, 1pm, Linwood Park) find out how the first local community meetings have gone, hear about the talks that are taking place across the country meet some amazing people and get involved!

"We don't pretend to have the answers - the answers are among us all!!!"

After The Quake - Short film

2011-04-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

Click here: After the Quake: youtube

Recorded in Christcurch between March 29 and April 1, 2011, this short film looks at some of the ways Cantabrians have been affected by the destructive earthquake on February 22nd, and some of the organising that has gone on on a community level to try to help people cope.

It was shot and edited for a public meeting and fundraiser titled After The Quake: Community Organising in Christchurch, held in Wellington on April 8 2011. All funds raised were split 50/50 between the Christchurch Women's Refuge Earthquake Appeal and the Beyond Resistance Earthquake Appeal.

Bursting the Bubble - Christchurch Support!

2011-04-12T00:11:00.000-07:00

Original story can be found here: www.indymedia.org.nz

On Friday, April 8th Wellington's Thistle Hall hosted over 60 people who came to hear 3 speakers talk about some of the work that went on in the period immediately after the earthquake, and on some of the challenges facing Christchurch residents over the coming months.

Guest speaker, Allister Dietschin from Beyond Resistance, talked about the work that his group was involved with in the Linwood and Avonside suburbs. Where he described how they provided food, water and gas to hard-hit communities. He also listed the issues and challenges that the working class communities will face during the winter months. Allister rounded off by describing how the loosely knit groups are beginning to form a mass, directly democratic movement and the role in which Beyond Resistance had to play.

Matt Jones from Unite Union highlighted the situation for workers in Christchurch. After the earthquake in September, Unite organised protests to pressure employers who were refusing to pay workers. Now, many thousands of people are out of work in Christchurch (some temporarily, others permanently). Matt's anger at the response from the various agencies and government bodies was made inherently clear. When quizzed about the number of jobs likely to be lost he replied, "50,000 isn't unrealistic".

Ros Houghton from Women's Refuge explained the challenges faced by Women's Refuge in Christchurch after the earthquake, in which much of their local resources were destroyed. She talked about the work that Refuge is doing to support women and children who have been affected by a sharp increase in domestic violence since the earthquake.

A raffle with prizes and cake sale was put on and over $740 was raised.

The funds raised have been split 50/50 between the Christchurch Women's Refuge Earthquake Appeal and Beyond Resistance, whose callouts for funds were the driving force behind the organising of this meeting.

Beyond Resistance explained that, "The money will be going directly into the work that has already begun. The demand to be heard is being felt throughout the Eastern suburbs. People are beginning to organise and take matters into their own hands - we're going to be there to help in any way we can" Stated BR Spokesperson Allister Dietschin.

The short documentary After the Quake was screened at the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcL1YWiG4g4

A HUGE thank you goes out to the organisers of this event, the broad group of people who attended and gave so generously and to the guest speakers who with their words are helping to burst the media bubble: "everything is not getting better and there are not just a few remaining issues in Christchurch..."

RALLY FOR CHRISTCHURCH - Lets get organised!

2011-04-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

Following on from the successful first meeting, the people of Christchurch have decided to build on the rapidly growing momentum and sense of urgency that is spreading across the city.

On the 2nd April, Action for Christchurch East and Beyond Resistance helped facilitate the creation of new local groups and offered a free and democratic space where issues were discussed and concerns and problems raised.

6 months ago we were told that these issues were being dealt with and since February the powers that be have been working over-time to present the image of things getting better and everything being under control. The people can not be silenced forever!

This next gathering promises to offer further opportunities for community organising and will also be the platform to make decisions for the immediate future.

Winter is now but weeks away, homes are without heating, people are without shelter, raw sewerage spills on our streets - Action for Christchurch East invites you to the second, much larger and louder event to have YOUR say and to put YOUR thoughts and ideas into ACTION!