GRASS ROOTS ACTION GROUP (GAG): Giving Power to the People

Media release

Monday 25 May 2009 – For immediate release

Grassroots Aucklandturns Out

Over 7000 people marched up Queen Street on a wet Monday lunchtime to show their support for guaranteed Maori representation on the new Super City Council.

The Government has proposed dumping the three Maori seats recommended by the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance.

Grassroots Action Group member Paula Bold-Wilson (no Te Arawa) marched with her family and friends and said “the strength of support shown by so many ordinary people turning out here today shows that this issue is not just important to Maori”

“It’s critical Tangata Whenua get the representation the Royal Commission report called for, and that we Honour the Treaty. I was proud to march for that today. There’s also a real swell from the grassroots of people unhappy with the way the SuperCity is being railroaded through and that everyone’s views on many other aspects are being ignored.”

The Grassroots Action Group www.gag.net.nz is holding a public meeting to discuss the Super City issue on Monday 1 June at Kelston Community Centre at 7.30pm.

GAG is also planning to take information out into communities by running a stall in libraries, shopping centres, swimming pools and community groups to enable people to learn more about the issues and make a simple submission to the Royal Commission. “GAG’s mission is to enable everyone to have a say and not be put off because they’ve never made a submission before. We want to make it easy and simple” said Paula. “Even if you can’t write, we’ll have a video booth so you can make a spoken submission”.

ENDS

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