Latest news with #ClimateLiberationAotearoa
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Event teaches students how to protest
University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic students gather for protest training, organised by Climate Liberation Aotearoa. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Protestors who are not fans of being pepper-sprayed, handcuffed or locked up in a police cell spent two hours learning how to avoid the common commotions on Thursday night. The Protest Skills Night event, organised by Climate Liberation Aotearoa (CLA), was held in the University Students' Association Centre and aimed to show protesters how to demonstrate their points, using "non-violent direct action techniques". Event co-ordinator Cora Scott said many people were passionate about the environment, but might be too scared to voice their concerns at protests because of the unsavory things that sometimes happen. The event aimed to help them avoid those elements, in the hope it would entice more people to get involved in upcoming protest actions. "At the moment, we are trying to get university students upskilled in how to protest, in anticipation of a nationwide action that we've got coming up at ANZ bank. "It is part of our campaign to get ANZ bank to drop Bathurst Resources as a customer. "Bathurst Resources is the company pushing to blast open a 20million-tonne coal mine on the Denniston Plateau," she said. CLA hit the headlines in April this year when six climate activists climbed on to the cable cars used to transport coal from Bathurst Resources' Stockton Mine, halting operations and drawing attention to the company's plan to expand coal mining across the nearby Denniston Plateau. The action followed a five-day protest encampment, involving more than 70 people on the Denniston Plateau, where 10 people were arrested. Miss Scott said the skills night aimed to get as many people as possible to join Climate Liberation Aotearoa in a protest outside the George St branch of ANZ in Dunedin on August 8. "We'll be showing them how to stay calm at protests, and not respond emotionally to high-stress situations — it's a pretty versatile skill set, in my opinion. "The aim is to keep them from being pepper-sprayed or arrested or spending a night in a jail cell. "We'll be talking about how to avoid escalating a situation or getting on the wrong side of the police or other members of the public." It was essentially about dealing with people who might be upset or reacting negatively to their protest actions, she said.
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Scoop
Climate Activist Draw Attention To Outdated Regulations Of Heli Tourism In Aoraki National Park
Press Release – Climate Liberation Aotearoa Climate Liberation Aotearoa recently displayed several large banners around the Aoraki/Mt Cook area to protest for a new long-term sustainability plan for helicopters in Aoraki National Park. 'The lack of a long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism is concerning considering the frequency of helicopters and the number of helicopter companies operating in the area and landing on the glacier, both of which cause environmental emissions and noise pollution,' says Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokesperson Jared van Vorsselen. Climate Liberation Aotearoa recently displayed several large banners around the Aoraki/Mt Cook area to protest for a new long-term sustainability plan for helicopters in Aoraki National Park. Banners were photographed reading messages such as 'HELI TOURS MELT ICE' and 'TOURIST HELIS MELT GLACIERS' to draw attention to the environmental issues of helicopters that have remained unregulated by the Aoraki/Cook National Park Management Plan for the last 21 years. Over 3 days in the lower Tasman Glacier valley, we estimated a helicopter flew overhead every 15-20 minutes. This is comparable to statistics from 2024, where a similar Aoraki heli-tourism action observed 49 helicopters over 4 1/2 hours in 2024. Although the Department of Conservation is required to review national park plans every 10 years, no new Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park Plan has been produced in over 20 years. While some amendments have been made, they have failed to establish a clear, long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism. The current plan, last updated in 2004, relies on the concessions system to ' minimise adverse effects on the natural values of the Park and on other Park visitors ' (Aoraki National Park Management Plan, 2004), but its outdated nature is now creating significant challenges. Mark Quickfall, founder and CEO of Totally Tourism, says addressing concessions has been delayed while waiting for the plan to be updated, leaving operators without the security of tenure needed for long-term sustainability decisions. ' How can helicopter companies plan and invest to operate more sustainably without security of tenure? ' he asks, adding that ' the system is letting everyone down ' (2025). ' It is ironic that DOC is the face of conservation in New Zealand, but their lack of action is directly delaying sustainable future planning in Aoraki National Park, ' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokesperson Jared van Vorsselen. Climate Liberation Aotearoa does not oppose the use of helicopters for search-and-rescue or for conservation work. Instead we urge the Department of Conservation to update the park plan to include a long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism in Aoraki National Park.
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Scoop
Climate Activist Draw Attention To Outdated Regulations Of Heli Tourism In Aoraki National Park
'The lack of a long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism is concerning considering the frequency of helicopters and the number of helicopter companies operating in the area and landing on the glacier, both of which cause environmental emissions and noise pollution,' says Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokesperson Jared van Vorsselen. Climate Liberation Aotearoa recently displayed several large banners around the Aoraki/Mt Cook area to protest for a new long-term sustainability plan for helicopters in Aoraki National Park. Banners were photographed reading messages such as 'HELI TOURS MELT ICE' and 'TOURIST HELIS MELT GLACIERS' to draw attention to the environmental issues of helicopters that have remained unregulated by the Aoraki/Cook National Park Management Plan for the last 21 years. Over 3 days in the lower Tasman Glacier valley, we estimated a helicopter flew overhead every 15-20 minutes. This is comparable to statistics from 2024, where a similar Aoraki heli-tourism action observed 49 helicopters over 4 1/2 hours in 2024. Although the Department of Conservation is required to review national park plans every 10 years, no new Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park Plan has been produced in over 20 years. While some amendments have been made, they have failed to establish a clear, long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism. The current plan, last updated in 2004, relies on the concessions system to ' minimise adverse effects on the natural values of the Park and on other Park visitors ' (Aoraki National Park Management Plan, 2004), but its outdated nature is now creating significant challenges. Mark Quickfall, founder and CEO of Totally Tourism, says addressing concessions has been delayed while waiting for the plan to be updated, leaving operators without the security of tenure needed for long-term sustainability decisions. ' How can helicopter companies plan and invest to operate more sustainably without security of tenure? ' he asks, adding that ' the system is letting everyone down ' (2025). ' It is ironic that DOC is the face of conservation in New Zealand, but their lack of action is directly delaying sustainable future planning in Aoraki National Park, ' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokesperson Jared van Vorsselen. Climate Liberation Aotearoa does not oppose the use of helicopters for search-and-rescue or for conservation work. Instead we urge the Department of Conservation to update the park plan to include a long-term sustainability plan for helicopter tourism in Aoraki National Park.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Restore Passenger Rail Climate Protest Charges Dropped 6 May
Article – Climate Liberation Aotearoa The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. In the Wellington District Court today the Crown prosecution withdrew all outstanding charges against twenty-five Restore Passenger Rail supporters who temporarily and repeatedly stopped traffic on Wellington roads and motorways in 2022-23. The climate defender group demanded that the government restore a nationwide, affordable passenger rail service for New Zealanders. Police originally charged the road-sitters with obstruction, later bumping it up to the criminal offence of endangering transport, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Three of the group each spent two weeks in prison and five, including a great-grandmother, a grandmother and a grandfather, wore electronic monitoring bracelets for up to 13 months. Earlier this year the first of seven jury trials ended after three weeks with one not-guilty verdict (Andrew Sutherland) and a hung jury for three others (Michael Apáthy, Te Wehi Ratana and Tāmati Taptiklis). During the trial, jurors heard from climate experts Dr Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University of Manchester, and James Renwick, Professor of Physical Geography at Te Herenga Waka. When asked what three degrees Celcius of warming above pre-industrial levels would be like, Professor Anderson replied, 'We haven't seen that for millions and millions of years. … Huge parts of the planet will be uninhabitable.' Professor Renwick explained that in the worst-case scenarios, sea level rise could reach three to four metres. 'Most of downtown Wellington will be underwater, downtown Auckland – most of it will be underwater,' he said. 'Today's decision is an important moment for the climate movement,' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa (formerly Restore Passenger Rail) spokesperson Michael Apáthy. 'In March, the hung jury result showed that New Zealanders do understand the seriousness of the climate emergency. Today's decision backs that up. It is also not only a vindication of our democratic right to protest but a criticism of the police charge which was out of all proportion to our actions.' The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. They said that a nationwide passenger rail service would begin to bring down New Zealand's out-of-control transport emissions, while at the same time reducing road congestion, connecting communities and improving the quality of life for New Zealanders. 'We are living through the world's sixth mass extinction,' said Michael Apáthy. 'Climate breakdown is daily news. Floods, wildfires, and droughts are accelerating. Temperatures in Pakistan last week, pre-summer, reached 50 degrees Celsius. That is unsurvivable. Yet instead of working to help safeguard a liveable future this government has downgraded climate change in its 2025 Defence Capability Plan and is spending an extra $12 billion on making our military more 'modern and combat-capable'.' 'We hope today's decision will help steer police away from the international trend of increased repression of peaceful protest. When our government continues to fail us on its path of climate denial and erosion of the democratic process and environmental protections, it is left to ordinary people to stand up for our youth and all living creatures. This moment in history calls on all of us to fight for the transformative change needed for our survival. Climate Liberation Aotearoa will continue that fight. Climate action is needed now more than ever.'
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Restore Passenger Rail Climate Protest Charges Dropped 6 May
Article – Climate Liberation Aotearoa In the Wellington District Court today the Crown prosecution withdrew all outstanding charges against twenty-five Restore Passenger Rail supporters who temporarily and repeatedly stopped traffic on Wellington roads and motorways in 2022-23. The climate defender group demanded that the government restore a nationwide, affordable passenger rail service for New Zealanders. Police originally charged the road-sitters with obstruction, later bumping it up to the criminal offence of endangering transport, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Three of the group each spent two weeks in prison and five, including a great-grandmother, a grandmother and a grandfather, wore electronic monitoring bracelets for up to 13 months. Earlier this year the first of seven jury trials ended after three weeks with one not-guilty verdict (Andrew Sutherland) and a hung jury for three others (Michael Apáthy, Te Wehi Ratana and Tāmati Taptiklis). During the trial, jurors heard from climate experts Dr Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University of Manchester, and James Renwick, Professor of Physical Geography at Te Herenga Waka. When asked what three degrees Celcius of warming above pre-industrial levels would be like, Professor Anderson replied, 'We haven't seen that for millions and millions of years. … Huge parts of the planet will be uninhabitable.' Professor Renwick explained that in the worst-case scenarios, sea level rise could reach three to four metres. 'Most of downtown Wellington will be underwater, downtown Auckland – most of it will be underwater,' he said. 'Today's decision is an important moment for the climate movement,' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa (formerly Restore Passenger Rail) spokesperson Michael Apáthy. 'In March, the hung jury result showed that New Zealanders do understand the seriousness of the climate emergency. Today's decision backs that up. It is also not only a vindication of our democratic right to protest but a criticism of the police charge which was out of all proportion to our actions.' The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. They said that a nationwide passenger rail service would begin to bring down New Zealand's out-of-control transport emissions, while at the same time reducing road congestion, connecting communities and improving the quality of life for New Zealanders. 'We are living through the world's sixth mass extinction,' said Michael Apáthy. 'Climate breakdown is daily news. Floods, wildfires, and droughts are accelerating. Temperatures in Pakistan last week, pre-summer, reached 50 degrees Celsius. That is unsurvivable. Yet instead of working to help safeguard a liveable future this government has downgraded climate change in its 2025 Defence Capability Plan and is spending an extra $12 billion on making our military more 'modern and combat-capable'.' 'We hope today's decision will help steer police away from the international trend of increased repression of peaceful protest. When our government continues to fail us on its path of climate denial and erosion of the democratic process and environmental protections, it is left to ordinary people to stand up for our youth and all living creatures. This moment in history calls on all of us to fight for the transformative change needed for our survival. Climate Liberation Aotearoa will continue that fight. Climate action is needed now more than ever.'
