TPPA protests in New Zealand

On the 8th November 2014,  Kiwis kick-started the global day of action against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Many New Zealanders believe it poses an enormous threat to NZ’s ability to regulate for itself, and gives foreign investors and multinationals new rights to control NZ laws.

The family-friendly march from the Bucket Fountain in Cuba Street to the Civic Square ended with speeches and music. Speakers focused on local government and community issues as well as the broader national concerns.

Ariana addresses the crowd in Civic Square, Wellington New Zealand

Speakers included Sandra Grey (MC), Todd Rippon (Actors Equity), Greg Rzenosweicki (Renewables), Sue Kedgley (GWR Councillor), Gay Keating (OraTaiao: NZ Climate & Health Council)

Many people have already signed a petition to the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, to protect the country’s sovereignty. They said ‘it’s not for sale; No one can sign it away on our behalf’, and reminding him that ‘New Zealand is a sovereign nation’.

Speakers today believe if the TPPA goes ahead, New Zealand risks:

• Medicines costing more
• GM labelling being scrapped
• Internet access being criminalised
• Copyright law being expanded
• Parallel importing being banned
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840) being overridden
• New Zealand would be giving international investors the power to sue our government for making laws which they oppose.

Annie - the cute red-headed orphan

Who wouldn’t love the cute red-headed orphan Annie?

Attending as guests at the opening night of the UK production of Annie – one of the best-loved, family musicals I believe the two of us were the only people there without knowing a child in the cast – or one who had auditioned!

Opening at the St James Theatre, Wellington, to rave reviews, some of which said:

• ‘What a show - slick, boisterous, classy, with excellent performances from the whole cast’ said the RNZ National reviewer.
• ‘It is a performance that oozes enjoyment, fun and general positivity,’ said Theatre View. ‘This is a cast who clearly love the heck outta their work. It's the best method of escapism since the invention of magazines and island holidays. I feel ten years old again and possess the same amount of optimism.’
• ‘It’s pure magic.’  Daily Express UK

The show features a host of familiar faces from British TV and my co-guest often said “oh she’s on XYZ or he’s from ABC’. Leading the cast is the hilarious star of stage and screen, Hi-de-Hi comedian Su Pollard, who I did recognise, who is the alcohol-soaked Miss Hannigan, headmistress of the hard-knock New York City Municipal Orphanage.  Playing the kindly billionaire businessman Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks is David McAlister while the role of former US President Franklin D Roosevelt is Frazer Hines.

The set and singing (a little loud which distorted the words for those of us, like me, who didn't know them) were almost outshone by Sandi: everyone’s eyes were on the dog – a real scene stealer! My fellow guest said on leaving ‘that song is going to keep repeating on my head’. It didn’t become an earworm for me, but I’m sure lots of young girls with dreams of the stage will be singing it into hairbrush microphones over the next few days and weeks.

See more about Annie here 

Annie plays in Wellington until 8th June then in Auckland for a month.

My cat keeps a close eye on the neighborhood

Mista is the neighborhood watch sheriff from 4 floors up

Wellington Writers Walk

 The writers walk in Wellington is a great way to explore the waterfront and literature.

Wellington sunrise

Bellbird (native NZ bird) arrives in New Zealands capital: welcome!

Female bellbird by Steve Attwood

Just received this news alert from Zealandia and thought it was worth reproducing in it's entirety -Heather Hapeta 

A female bellbird from an offshore island sanctuary has made a surprise journey to mainland sanctuary by the city Zealandia – turning up right under the nose of the Conservation Officer who originally banded her.

One month after Matu Booth helped transfer 60 bellbird from Kapiti Island to Mana Island for their Restoration Plan (a partnership between DOC and Friends of Mana Island (FOMI)) one of the birds he had attached leg bands to made a surprise appearance 25km away in Karori. Booth was doing his rounds last Friday at Zealandia when he noticed the newcomer.

“I immediately noticed the unfamiliar leg band combination - you do get very tuned in to those colours over time. There was a lot of interest from the resident males, they were chasing her and singing to her. I went into a bit of a tizzy and as soon as I got back to the office did a check on our database then emailed DOC and the Friends of Mana Island, who confirmed the bird was from their recent transfer. I helped set up the aviary for that transfer and banded nine birds myself – I’ve just checked my records and this happens to be one of those nine.”

Zealandia staff hope the new female will stay and add genetic variation for the local bellbird population. Conservation Manager Raewyn Empson was happy to hear about the sighting.

“She’s just in time for the spring breeding season so it would be absolutely fantastic if she sticks around. We have observed a high rate of dispersal with bellbird that makes it difficult to establish a population here – we see our birds, especially juvenile females, leaving the safety of the valley each year, often not to return. We’ve also seen the reverse - unbanded bellbird with different song dialects coming in to the sanctuary to breed; we know they’ve come from outside but we can’t know where from. It’s wonderful to get this information about the distance they can travel – she’s made a good choice if she decides to stay.”

Mana Island is closer to the mainland than Kapiti Island and Kapiti bellbirds are not banded. Banding gives conservationists useful information to track the success of translocations and resulting populations. Two of the birds from the same Kapiti-Mana transfer fell prey to mammalian pests on the mainland, one in Titahi Bay.

Although occasional single bellbirds were seen in the Wellington area before the sanctuary in Karori was fenced there was no breeding population – meaning they were functionally extinct. Bellbird are found naturally in forest parks including the Rimutakas and Tararuas but are at risk in unprotected areas from mammalian pests.

Food writers event next week

Saucy words and seductive pictures

Join food writer David Burton & photographer Murray Lloyd for an hour-long feast for the eyes and ears

Murray will deliver les hors d'oeuvres – a PechaKucha style slide show illuminating the fine art of food photography

This will be followed David’s recipe for becoming a food writer, after which we’ll give him a good grilling about the sticky bits (open Q&A: BYO questions)

 Time: 6pm, Tuesday 17 April 2012
 Place: Agostini Room, 4th floor, Museum Hotel, 90 Cable Street, WELLINGTON, New Zealand

 Cost: Travcom members $10, non-members $20, includes a welcome drink and nibbles

Register with and send cheque to: Helen Davies, Travcom administrator, at 2B Pukehana Avenue, Epsom, Auckland 1023. Ph. 09 624 5707 or email: helen.daviesATclear.net.nz

This event has been organised by the Wellington branch of the Travel Communicators’ Association. For further information, please contact one of the local committee:
Judith Doyle (judith.doyle AT xtra.co.nz)
Heather Hapeta (heatherhapeta AT orcon.net.nz )
Sarah Bennett ( sarah AT bennettandslater.co.nz )

Life in upper Cuba St

 

Bubbles are always fun!

 Thought a very house-proud neighbor had moved in!

When I come home I find the veranda had been painted.

Summer sun in Wellington

Check out Boxing Day in Wellington New Zealand: see pics here

Tape Art artists in Wellington, New Zealand,

These local artists have created some 250 murals around the world .. here they were playing in their own backyard, on the wall of our national museum Te Papa,  during a  recent Wellington festival.

You have to be quick to see their art as they last only 24 hours. See more about them on their webpage

Wellington - New Zealands capital city:Lonely Planet called it the coolest little capital in the world. Population under 200,000

Tonga beat the French: Rugby World Cup NZ 2011

Tonga beat the French in the Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZ 2011 yesterday - here are some highlights from day - players and fans!

French captain interviewed after their 19-14 loss

un baggette

French fans fold up their flag

pre-game challenge

photographers line up

Jubilant Tongan captain

go hard Tonga

Tongan haka at start of game

Very happy players

A trumphant Haka after the game

who are the women in this flag ... and why are they on it?

Random acts of kindness ... do something get something!

 Random acts of kindness: do something get something! Check out the Act of Kindness facebook page

 

New artwork and project combined in  "The Workshop Picture Framing" shop
(NOTE: currently 241  Cuba St Wellington BUT shifting to 276 Willis St mid-November 2012)

Swap an act of kindness and pick an artwork for yourself .. leave a note explaining what you did in it's place

The photographer who took these photos is Wellington woman Sandy Connon

Random acts of kindness ... do something get something! Check out the Act of Kindness facebook page