Hundreds of people are expected at a march for nature in Napier on Sunday July 28.

The event, named Papatūānuku Rising, aims to echo the March For Nature which drew a crowd of 20,000 to Auckland’s Aotea Square last month. Citizens of Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay are invited to gather at Napier’s Clive Square at 1pm before marching to the Soundshell on Marine Parade.

“People are looking for ways to show their support for nature, for tangata whenua and a better, fairer planet and this march is their chance to walk the talk,” says one of its organisers, Marilyn Scott, who is known for her work with Save the Dotterels Hawke’s Bay.

“The environment is under attack from this coalition government and its Fast-track Bill in particular and we need to stand together and stand up for nature.

“As well as attacks on nature, people are dismayed by the government’s numerous attempts to undermine Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Reo Māori.

“There are many examples of this government cancelling, cutting and removing hard-won gains that now add even greater inequity to our society and threaten the wellbeing of both people and planet in Aotearoa,” Marilyn says, adding that although people are justifiably concerned and angry, the march will be a whānau-friendly festive occasion, with music and plenty of laughter.

Another of its organisers, Putaanga Waitoa, says the march represents every part of our society.

“And, importantly, our whenua, language and mokopuna. This kaupapa is mokopuna focused and powered by the people, advocating for change and Tino Rangatiratanga."

Marilyn Scott says Papatūānuku Rising, is a call for kotahitanga – to bring people together - Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti, pakihiwi ki pakihiwi - shoulder to shoulder, to take a stand in the face of divisive and inequitable policies by a government that is taking us backwards and undoing years of progress.

“The march supports three core principles: Protecting te Taiao – our environment and living within finite planetary boundaries; honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi by understanding and taking responsibility for our own colonial history and the ongoing colonisation of other indigenous nations; and working towards greater equity and fairness in our society,” says Marilyn.

“Find out more about the march via the March 4 Nature - Papatūānuku Rising event page on Facebook.”

Speakers at the Soundshell include Environmental Researcher, Wilson Pearse; Nick Ratcliffe from Ceasefire Now HB; Kerri Nuku, Kaiwhakahaere for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and Marilyn Scott.

Nick Ratcliffe says the fact that 20,000 people turned out at Aotea Square last month “tells us that this government does not have a mandate to carve up the motu like this and consent to its exploitation by the highest bidder”.

“Their dismantling of our social and constitutional infrastructure - Te Aka Whai Ora, Te Pūkenga, Kāinga Ora, Te Tiriti o Waitangi - is not just an attack on Māori, it’s an attack on all of us.

“Take UNDRIP [the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples] for example - Act was the only party to object when John Key’s government endorsed UNDRIP in 2010, and now Luxon refuses to recognise it. The Nats might be the engine room in Parliament at the moment, but we can see who’s at the steering wheel, and that’s not what National voters voted for. 85% of voters should be out here on the streets with us on July 28th,” says Nick.

We oppose regressive actions by this coalition Government, which include:

Introducing the FAST TRACK consenting regime; 3 ministers effectively rule the country

Decisions are now based on which organisations can most effectively woo these 3 ministers

No public consultation process

Powers to overturn standing evidence-based court decisions

Reversing the ban on oil and gas exploration

Repealing Three Waters Reforms

Reversing the fresh water protections of Te Mana o te Wai

Delaying regional freshwater plans

Replacing National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management

RMA amended to deregulate intensive winter grazing

RMA amended to distance Mana o te Wai from resource consents

Freshwater farm plans weakened or abolished

Removal of requirements for councils to identify SNAs (Significant Natural Areas)

Calling into question the validity of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, & he Whakaputanga

Dismantling Te Aka Whai Ora - the Māori Health Authority,

Winding down the ‘Jobs for Nature’ programme

Rolling back official use of te reo Māori

Stopping all work on He Puapua and confirming the NZ govt will not recognise UNDRIP – United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Threatening already established Māori wards,

Abandoning our obligations under international law especially in relation to the current plight of the Palestinian and Kanaky people.

Failure to recognise the State of Palestine or denounce Israel’s long-standing illegal occupation and continued assaults on the Gaza Strip & West Bank despite the rulings by the ICJ and recommendations by the ICC.

Refusal to grant the same humanitarian visas for Palestinians in Gaza with family in Aotearoa that were granted to white Ukrainians.

Reversing smoke-free goals and legislation,

Re-imposing prescription charges

Side-lining the voices of tāngata whenua on projects with environmental impacts,

Diminishing the importance of whakapapa for children in state care,

Removing public transport subsidies

Bringing back Live animal exports

Taking away fees-free for first-year university students

Further delaying the ready-to-roll container-return scheme that would have vastly reduced Aotearoa’s reliance on landfills for waste management

Scrapping ‘He Waka Eke Noa’, giving agribusiness a further exemption from having to contribute to the ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme).

Cutting more than 7,000 public service jobs in order to give inequitable tax cuts

Scrapping Fair-Pay agreements

Reinstating 90 day trials

Reversing the policy to pay disabled workers the minimum wage

Reviewing Kāinga Ora and cancelling the further building of State Houses resulting in the resignation of the CEO and gutting of the Board

Scrapping the First Home Grant with a view to redirecting the funds to social (not state) housing.

Bringing back “no cause evictions” so landlords can evict tenants without good reason.

Reducing the Bright-line test to 2 rather than 5-10 years (another favour to landlords)

Cancelling the contract to build new Cook Strait Ferries but being willing to increase the defence budget by millions

Introducing military-style boot camps for young offenders

Taking punitive approaches to offending rather than working with offenders & gangs

Putting an end to Auckland light Rail & cutting funding to other forms of public transport in favour of spending solely on roads

Repealing the rebates and ‘clean car discount’ for EV’s and low emission vehicles

Using tagged Climate Change funds to pay for tax cuts.

Re-instating ‘3 strikes’ legislation and building a new prison.

Cutting funding to one third of the country’s free Budget Advisory Services

Cutting $52m from waste minimisation projects (undoing 6 years of work)

Diverting $178m in targeted waste levy funds to non-waste projects & activities

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