Podcasts about aotea square

If you've been to Auckland's Aotea Square recently, you may have noticed the large shipping containers that recently appeared. They're part of Darkfield, an immersive audio experience that has travelled the world, including to major international festivals like the Venice Film Festival, BFI London, Tribeca and SXSW. The containers are pitch-black and visitors step inside either the Victorian seance room or the replica economy class cabin to listen to a 20-25 minute 360-degree audio experience. Entertainment commentator Chris Schulz reveals whether or not this is an experience worth checking out. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the landscapes of New Mexico, jazz affiocinado Delbert Anderson joins Sofia Kent on 95bFM for the upcoming Auckland Arts Festival Indigenous Music Series.  Anderson describes the intepretation of inherited stories and Diné values into the jazz melodies that simultaneously educate and uplift "I hope it's more than just good music.. taking those stories away and creating awareness, letting people know the Diné tribe is still around and will be around for a very long time" Catch the Delbert Anderson Quartet at Aotea Square fora beautiful Sunday afternoon on the 23rd of March, 2025. 

It's the Kids' Show live in Aotea Square! Thanks to Auckland Live for making it happen, to our amazing bands Spellodies and the Carnivorous Plant Society for incredible performances, and to YOU for coming and making it such a special day.

Come on down to the Kids' Show LIVE in Aotea Square this Sunday (23rd Feb) - Lee and Finn will be there plus we'll have performances from Spellodies, Carnivorous Plant Society! Not to mention we'll have giveaways galore, there'll be tea and coffee for the adults and breakfast for the kids and a whole lot more! 

Dave 'DJ Hudge' Hudgins is the organiser of Something Else - a two-day jazz festival happening at Aotea Square this coming weekend as part of Auckland Live. 

Blind Mango Chutney is your guide through another entertaining tour through jazz fast, slow, bopping and swinging—with special note of the 50th anniversary of Keith Jarrett's classic 'Koln Concert'. His first guest is young South African jazzer Warren Duncan, talking about his work at the Auckland Uni jazz school, and his new album ‘The Jazz Estate.' And he has a long chat with promoter Nathan Graves ahead of upcoming gigging at Aotea Square's 2-day Something Else Festival, including a conversation about mutual pianistic favourites local Joe Kaptein and (or course) the classic ECM artist Keith Jarrett.

The new top cop says Aucklanders will be feeling better about a police station in the city's centre. Police plan to have the new Federal Street base open to the public by the middle of next year. It will sit close to Aotea Square and the new CRL station, making it easier to deploy officers right across the central city. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking that soon we'll have 51 beats working 24/7 around the community, increasing visibility and safety. He says it's back to basics policing, with officers walking the beat and getting to know the people around town. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businesses say the new Central Auckland Police base is a positive step towards improving the city's safety. The new Federal Street station will be close to Aotea Square, making it easier to deploy officers right across the central city. Police plan to have it open to the public 24/7 by the middle of next year. Heart of the City's Viv Beck told Ryan Bridge that businesses have been after more police - especially with the City Rail Link opening soon. She says we want a vibrant, safe, international city, so there needs to be enough police. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's First Up pod: We have the latest from the US , where New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal corruption charges; news from Africa, where The Sudanese army has launched a major attack on the capital Khartoum ; Artist Anthony Van Dorsten lights up Aotea Square for the school holidays; The Minister of Fruit and Veggies, Glenn Forsyth tells us what's happening at the fresh produce markets and The Pakuranga Panthers have made the Under 85 kilo National rugby final. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

A worker viciously beaten in a random attack in Aucland's CBD says he's been off work for months with a litany of injuries and is now constantly looking over his shoulder. Chris, takes care of some of city's trees and was working in Aotea Square when he was viciously attacked in January by a man who had allegedly made violent threats against others in the days leading up to the attack.

If you're looking to escape reality for a while - or possibly somewhere to entertain the kids these school holidays - a giant colourful labyrinth could be just the ticket. The ABORIALIS Luminarium is a giant inflatable sculpture you can walk through - with a kaleidoscope of colour and accompanying ethereal soundtrack. It was installed in Christchurch over the summer, now Aucklanders get a chance to experience it. They'll join some three million people across 40 countries have experienced the various luminaria created by English designer Alan Parkinson's Architects of Air company. Kathryn is joined by Jo Edwards who's one of the Luminarium's managers. More information, including about tickets, can be found here.

Made of over one kilometre of rope and more than 600 LED lights, giant puppet Leor is coming to Auckland's Aotea Square in February.

A Māori arts advocate has described the late Selwyn Muru as a friend, family man, and dedicated to his people.  The artist, from Ngāti Kuri and Te Aupouri, died peacefully yesterday surrounded by whanau. He was 86. His life's work includes painting, sculpture, journalism, broadcasting, directing, acting, set design, theatre, and poetry. One of his most well-known works is 'Waharoa', a seven-metre-high wooden gateway that stands in Aotea Square in central Auckland.  Close friend and Wairau Māori Art Gallery Charitable Trust Board chair Elizabeth Ellis spoke to Corin Dann.   

On Saturday, 28 October, almost 7000 people marched in Auckland's Aotea Square calling for Palestinian liberation, with several other marches taking place across the motu and around the globe.  News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to President of University of Auckland Student Justice for Palestine, Layan Khalil, about what it has meant to see growing numbers of people show up to Palestinian solidarity marches, and how students can support their advocacy.

New Zealand's Muslim and Jewish communities are on edge as the Israel-Gaza conflict escalates. The war's ripple effects have so far been contained to small - and relatively peaceful - protests here, including hundreds who turned out Wednesday night in Auckland's Aotea Square in support of Palestinians. The Security Intelligence Service says it's keeping a close watch for signs of violence and is in touch with increasingly anxious communities. Political reporter Anneke Smith has more.

Michael, Albert, Sefa and Stanley, the heroes of the hit 2006 movie Sione's Wedding, return to the screen - not as adults, but as a teenage gang, back where it all began. It's the 1980s - long before the wedding that threatened to break up the Duckrockers. The TV series starts when the four BFFs go to the 1984 DD Smash gig in Aotea Square that ended in the infamous "Queen Street riot". When a newspaper headline blames it on 'drunk Polynesian schoolboys', the four need an alibi - fast! Arts Laureate Oscar Kightley was Albert in Sione's Wedding 1 and 2. In the TV prequel Duckrockers he plays Albert's father Issac. He's also co-written the TV series with James Griffin and has directed it. Teuila Blakely who played Sefa's partner Lelani in the movies now plays her Mum, Lana. She also has a writing credit and is Associate Producer on the show. She tells Lynn Freeman that when James suggested a prequel, it just felt perfect: Duckrockers goes to air on TVNZ 2 and on TVNZ+ on November 2nd

Auckland's multi-billion dollar City Rail Link (CRL) project is a public transport dream providing a key link in the city's rail network or business owners' nightmare with construction impacting business for several years. The currently costed NZ$4.4 billion project will connect Britomart to Mount Eden via a 3.5 km long double-track rail tunnel with two new underground stations being constructed, Te Wai Horotiu near Aotea Square and Karanga a Hape near Karangahape Road. After COVID lockdowns impacted operating schedules and facing delays in our supply chain and labour shortages, the 2024 completion deadline is in limbo. The question on every Aucklander's lips is - when will the CRL be up and running? Wilhelmina Shrimpton spoke to City Rail Link CEO Dr Sean Sweeney about when we could see an update on the project's completion date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's CBD has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent times. It's been plagued by a number of issues kicked off by the pandemic, a keenly felt absence of international tourists, workers reluctant to return to the office, an exodus of retailers from the midtown and Aotea Square area and ongoing, noisy and ugly disruption caused by the construction of the City Rail Link. The CBD is home to 45,000 residents - but has development been piecemeal and lacking in cohesion and committment to wellbeing?. Julie Stout is an Auckland architect, urbanist and a Professional Teaching Fellow in the masters programme at the University of Auckland's School of Architecture and Planning. Earlier this year, she was the first woman to be awarded the Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal for lifetime achievement. Julie Stout sees a troubling landscape in the city centre but also signs of promise for great design.

As city centres crank back into life again, one in particular is looking the worse for wear. Auckland's heart has been plagued by a number of issues kicked off by the pandemic: absent international tourists, workers reluctant to return to the office, an exodus of retailers from the midtown and Aotea Square area and ongoing, noisy and ugly disruption caused by the construction of the City Rail Link. The central city is only 0.8 per cent of Auckland's land area, but it packs a mighty economic punch - at 20 percent - or $23b of the city's GDP. It's also home to 45,000 residents - but those with kids lack a school to send them to. So is it time for a major rethink? Kathryn talks to urban designer Garth Falconer, who says the city doesn't need revival - it needs revolution. She'll also be joined by Antony Philips, chair of the City Centre Residents' Group.

There are some strange mushrooms popping up in Aotea Square as part of Elemental Auckland - we talk to artist and creator Simone Chua about making public art that people can interact with.

Yesterday we witnessed the chaotic end to an incoherent protest and now it's time to pick up the pieces, like hungover teens cleaning up a house party that spiralled dramatically out of control. Let me reiterate that this protest was nothing new or unprecedented. People have been bringing tents to protests in public spaces and hanging around until they get irritating for years. Moutua Gardens in Wanganui was a classic.  The Occupy protests were exceedingly painful. The Occupy camp in Aotea Square lasted 4 months before it had to be cleared. But none fell apart like this one. This one was different in that it was so wildly unorganised and unfocused. The anti-vax mandate core of it might have had a point if they'd raised it at the beginning of the mandates, but the rest of the mob were seen as rabble who were protesting about society itself. This protest was different in how quickly it went beyond being a peaceful protest towards being aggressive in its tone. Whether it was snarling at kids wearing masks or putting up nooses, the protestors were blatantly confrontational. Defenders of the protest will argue that it was interlopers who were causing the trouble but the trouble seemed to be tolerated inside the protests. It was also clear from the start there was to be no negotiation from the protestors. They didn't just want to show their displeasure with policies, they wanted them rolled back despite the fact that there was no way that could ever happen. They never seemed to realise how small a minority they are. So, once in place, there was nothing to do but to wait for the inevitable, futile and brutal end. And yet it was not brutal. The police simply swept the protestors off the ground. One or two scuffles involving the police were recorded but they paled into insignificance compared with the shocking videos of out-and-out street warfare by protestors. So, did they fail? Yes, they did. They achieved nothing but vandalism. Today, teachers will try to emulate the legal action that was successful for police and defence workers in dismissing the mandates. This is the way grown-ups get things done.  What happened on parliament grounds looked like a school camp for zombies. 

Bill McKay joins Kathryn to talk about the forgotten history of central Auckland and how it deserves more than a token nod in the new redesign of Aotea Square. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland

Bill McKay joins Kathryn to talk about the forgotten history of central Auckland and how it deserves more than a token nod in the new redesign of Aotea Square. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland

I'm not buying into all this outrage over the free money affair in Auckland at the weekend.In case you're not up to speed on this, essentially, a firm promoted a stunt in Aotea Square, saying there'd be free money falling out of the sky.$100,000 of free money, and social media was used to encourage people to come and grab a share.So people piled into their cars and made a beeline.There's a whiff of irony that a safety company should do something like this, when you think of the potential for something very unsafe. We don't even have lolly scrambles at Santa parades any more - but let's stick to the point.A cash drop stunt by Safety Warehouse turned ugly when the crowd discovered the money wasn't real. Photo / SuppliedNow the firm says there was real money and it was thrown into the crowd.Whether there actually was $100,000 or not, I don't know, but apparently most of what was sprayed around was actually vouchers, printed up to look a bit like $5 notes.And the crowd went wild. Big scramble. People squashed in the melee. And then, fury when they realise they've come all that way for a voucher.You've perhaps heard some of the reaction - totally over the top - people claiming they were exploited. It's an insult to the poor. There are online petitions, demands for a police prosecution and on and on it goes.I heard one woman moaning she'd spent 20 bucks on gas and money for parking and she wanted it back. You what?Has anyone stopped, just for a minute, to think about this?Say there really was $100,000 in cash. And say the crowd was, I dunno, a thousand?So at the best, you might have been able to grab $100.What person in their right mind - honestly - what person thinks they're gonna come out of stunt like this, and go straight into Smith & Caughey's for a spend-up?Next thing we'll have protests from everyone who bought a Lotto ticket this weekend, and isn't a millionaire.Do me a favour.

There are fears the sharing and promoting of Covid-19 misinformation by political party leaders will have disastrous consequences for Māori. Billy Te Kahika, leader of the NZ Public Party and Advance NZ co-leader, has a growing following - particularly among Maori voters - gaining traction through the sharing of conspiracy theory and anti-lockdown videos online. Causing even more controversy at the weekend when he and Jami-Lee Ross organised a large rally in Auckland; with a few thousand people packing into Aotea Square with no social distancing and few wearing masks. Political reporter Katie Scotcher has been speaking to the Outliers. She travelled North to meet Billy TK and his supporters, and filed this report.  

A crowd of a few thousand packed in Auckland's Aotea Square yesterday afternoon, at the "National Rally for Freedom", organised by Advance Party co-leaders, Jami Lee Ross and Billy Te Kahika.There was little social distancing and few people in the crowd wore masks.Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told The Weekend Collective the police should've taken a tougher position on the protestors."For the police to permit thousands of people to gather, which is against the laws of not allowing more than 10 people at gatherings, is a failure of their responsibilities."LISTEN ABOVE

A crowd of a few thousand packed in Auckland's Aotea Square yesterday afternoon, at the "National Rally for Freedom", organised by Advance Party co-leaders, Jami Lee Ross and Billy Te Kahika.There was little social distancing and few people in the crowd wore masks.Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told The Weekend Collective the police should've taken a tougher position on the protestors."For the police to permit thousands of people to gather, which is against the laws of not allowing more than 10 people at gatherings, is a failure of their responsibilities."LISTEN ABOVE

National Rally for Freedom is here family! UPDATE as follows...New Zealanders are taking Aotearoa back! Take care dear whanau! If you are concerned about Facebook's new censorship policies that are on the way, please go to www.joinwithus.co.nz to ensure we can keep in touch with you. Privileges Committee acts like kangaroo court The Co-Leader of Advance NZ, Jami-Lee Ross, has hit out at Parliament's Privileges Committee for presenting a report to Parliament with no input from the persons or party accused of breaching Parliament's rules. “The Privileges Committee has acted like a kangaroo court by holding a meeting, taking advice, forming a conclusion, and then making a finding, all without any input from those standing accused; myself and Advance NZ,” says Mr Ross. https://www.facebook.com/jamileeross“This process makes a mockery of Parliament's so-called powerful Privileges Committee. “The Committee has not followed any principles of natural justice or fair process, and has made no effort to seek a view, or defence, from us despite the fact we are accused in their report of breaching Parliament's rules. “The members of the Committee have acted unilaterally against us. “We entirely reject the Speaker's first decision on the video on our Facebook Page. “We now entirely reject the view of the Privileges Committee. “The claim that coming dissolution of Parliament meant the Committee could not undertake any further process is false. “The Committee has an entire week to call for submissions and evidence from us. “Billy Te Kahika and I have been available to meet the Committee in person, or electronically, at any time. “The Committee has chosen not to take up that opportunity. “This is the standard of democracy we have come to expect from the current big parties in Parliament. “They hold a behind closed doors meeting, decide an outcome, with no opportunity for people to defend themselves. “The Speaker's decision to order us to take down a legitimate piece of political advertising was an unreasonable and draconian measure in an attempt to censor a political party's videos in the middle of an Election campaign. "Our Party was founded on the principle of standing up for New Zealanders' rights and freedoms against political overreach and measures that dismantle democracy. “Parliament has already trampled on the Bill of Rights multiple times this term. “It passes wide ranging laws under urgency and does so without consultation. “We will call out the Government when it passes laws allowing mandatory testing, mandatory quarantine, mandatory lockdowns, and warrantless entry powers. “Now we are calling out the Government for passing laws that enable them effectively to force everyone, including citizens, to be vaccinated if they want to travel into New Zealand. “We will continue to do so." ENDS --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/new-zealand-public-party/message

Martin Luther King's son says there is a clear racial problem within the US police.It follows weeks of unrest after the killing of African-American man George Floyd by a police officer, and more recently the death of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot by police in Atlanta.It's sparked protests both in the US and around the world, with demonstrators calling for an end to racism.The protests have made their way to New Zealand, with two happening today in Auckland and Wellington.Martin Luther King lll told The Weekend Collective both incidents are truly tragic.“Policeman know how to apprehend – or at least used to – without killing. When it comes to apprehending black suspects, it always ends up fatal.“There's something drastically wrong with that.”However, he says it is great to see so many people protesting for human rights.King threw his support behind New Zealand protesters.“My dad used to say that the greatness of democracy or the democratic system is the right to protest for rights. People are protesting for justice, for righteousness, for equality, all over the world.”Protesters wait for the start of the Black Lives Matter rally in Aotea Square in Auckland. Photo / RNZThe Auckland march, which started at Aotea Square, headed down Queen St and ended at the US consulate, where protesters took a knee and observed a minute of silence for George Floyd.The Auckland rally opened with a karakia at Aotea Square and a mihi whakatau by Graham Tipene, of Ngāti Whātua, who told the crowd to "keep it peaceful"."Our kids are here, so let's do it right and fight for what's right."There were some counter-protesters, including some who yelled out "all lives matter" during speeches, but those there for the BLM gathering were told to ignore them, or to take a knee if they saw them.In Wellington, close to 3000 protesters are marching from Civic Square to Parliament.Lambton Quay is flooded with those showing solidarity.Traffic is being diverted away from the street as the march arrives at Parliament."This is not a moment, this a movement," one speaker said outside Parliament.The crowd of thousands erupted into applause and cheers."The future is us," the crowd said back."The future is change, the future is us, the future is freedom," the crowd can be heard chanting.The Black Lives Matter march at Parliament. Photo / Jason Walls

Martin Luther King's son says there is a clear racial problem within the US police.It follows weeks of unrest after the killing of African-American man George Floyd by a police officer, and more recently the death of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot by police in Atlanta.It's sparked protests both in the US and around the world, with demonstrators calling for an end to racism.The protests have made their way to New Zealand, with two happening today in Auckland and Wellington.Martin Luther King lll told The Weekend Collective both incidents are truly tragic.“Policeman know how to apprehend – or at least used to – without killing. When it comes to apprehending black suspects, it always ends up fatal.“There’s something drastically wrong with that.”However, he says it is great to see so many people protesting for human rights.King threw his support behind New Zealand protesters.“My dad used to say that the greatness of democracy or the democratic system is the right to protest for rights. People are protesting for justice, for righteousness, for equality, all over the world.”Protesters wait for the start of the Black Lives Matter rally in Aotea Square in Auckland. Photo / RNZThe Auckland march, which started at Aotea Square, headed down Queen St and ended at the US consulate, where protesters took a knee and observed a minute of silence for George Floyd.The Auckland rally opened with a karakia at Aotea Square and a mihi whakatau by Graham Tipene, of Ngāti Whātua, who told the crowd to "keep it peaceful"."Our kids are here, so let's do it right and fight for what's right."There were some counter-protesters, including some who yelled out "all lives matter" during speeches, but those there for the BLM gathering were told to ignore them, or to take a knee if they saw them.In Wellington, close to 3000 protesters are marching from Civic Square to Parliament.Lambton Quay is flooded with those showing solidarity.Traffic is being diverted away from the street as the march arrives at Parliament."This is not a moment, this a movement," one speaker said outside Parliament.The crowd of thousands erupted into applause and cheers."The future is us," the crowd said back."The future is change, the future is us, the future is freedom," the crowd can be heard chanting.The Black Lives Matter march at Parliament. Photo / Jason Walls

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer captured on video kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old George Floyd as he begged for his life, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter & has been taken into custody.  On May 25, Minneapolis resident George Floyd was pinned facedown on the ground, in handcuffs, by Chauvin,  who pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, was suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. He was unresponsive when paramedics arrived, and he was pronounced dead later. In the wake of this tragic death, protests have erupted with worldwide condemnation. In Auckland on Monday afternoon, a rally & march were held, one of many held across the country, which was organised by the BLM solidarity Auckland group, with thousands in attendance at Aotea Square.  We’re joined on Pacific Breakfast now by Ibrahim Ali & Rosemary Bennett, President & Vice President of the Aotearoa Africa Foundation for more.

Hip hop MC King Kapisi - Bill Urale got his start in his hometown of Wellington playing drums in bands while at Wellington High School.  His first time rapping on stage was guesting with Wellington group Noise N Effect who would open up the mic at their gigs for all comers. On stage NZ-born Samoan King Kapisi is a Kiwi hip-hop legend.  He’s performed at nearly every major New Zealand music event and alongside The Black Eyed Peas, Janet Jackson and the Beastie Boys, to name just a few. Today we have the privilege of having Bill on the line to talk to us about the Black Lives Matter protest at Aotea Square in Auckland yesterday afternoon

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer captured on video kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old George Floyd as he begged for his life, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter & has been taken into custody.  On May 25, Minneapolis resident George Floyd was pinned facedown on the ground, in handcuffs, by Chauvin,  who pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, was suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. He was unresponsive when paramedics arrived, and he was pronounced dead later. In the wake of this tragic death, protests have erupted with worldwide condemnation. In Auckland on Monday afternoon, a rally & march were held, one of many held across the country, which was organised by the BLM solidarity Auckland group, with thousands in attendance at Aotea Square.  We’re joined on Pacific Breakfast now by Ibrahim Ali & Rosemary Bennett, President & Vice President of the Aotearoa Africa Foundation for more.

Thousands around the world protest George Floyd's death in global display of solidarity(CNN)Protesters have marched in the US for six consecutive nights over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. Their anger over the killing of the unarmed black man has now spread worldwide. Over the weekend demonstrators gathered in London, Berlin and Auckland, among other cities, to protest against police brutality in solidarity with the US crowds. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/world/george-floyd-global-protests-intl/index.html  Stars from across the pop music spectrum, including Billie Eilish, Jay-Z, Ariana Grande and more have used their sizeable platforms to support protesters and condemn police brutality, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and other black Americans. Eilish, 18, wrote a lengthy post on Instagram to her 63m followers, castigating those who use the phrase “all lives matter” in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. “No-one is saying your life doesn't matter. No-one is saying your life is not hard … This is not about you,” she wrote. “Society gives you privilege just for being white … we have to address hundreds of years of oppression of black people. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/01/billie-eilish-jay-z-and-more-voice-solidarity-with-george-floyd-protesters Tens of thousands of New Zealanders have come out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, after the death of George Floyd in the US. At least four solidarity gatherings were held in the country on Monday afternoon, with massive crowds taking to their knees in the Auckland demonstration. Tens of thousands marched from Aotea Square, in central Auckland, to the American embassy, carrying signs with messages such as “Be kind”, “Silence is Betrayal” and “Do Better, Be Better”. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/01/thousands-in-new-zealand-protest-against-george-floyd-killing (CNN)Non-black folks also need to help root out racism, former first lady Michelle Obama said this week while speaking out over the death of George Floyd. Obama expressed grief over the recent killing of Floyd, as well as other black men and women in recent weeks, in a Facebook post on Friday. "Like so many of you, I'm pained by these recent tragedies," she wrote. "And I'm exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop." Obama went on to mention Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, as well as Eric Garner, Sandra Bland and Michael Brown. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/politics/michelle-obama-george-floyd-statement-trnd/index.html 

Two Auckland Festival shows in March put waiata Māori front and centre - a free sing-along event in Aotea Square called Tira, and another called Tōku Reo Waiata. The brains behind the shows, Tama Waipara, and performer Annie Crummer tell Kirsten Johnstone about the kaupapa.

Te Radar talks to Sonia Sly about the most memorable show of his career, the art of comedy, why he would call himself a feminist if he was a woman, and the reason he's kept a special item of women's clothing.

LISTEN HEREThis is the link to the thread on the abolitionist approach forum I was talking about:"Fears"Here are the new photos of the stall now that Aotea Square is renovated, the square is behind us we are on the footpath next to the main entrance side.

Celebrate 25 years of NZ being Nuclear Free ... Hooray!... At Auckland's Aotea Square 12:00-3:00pm Saturday the 9th June. Town Hall Concert Chamber if wet.Listen to an enthusiastic and inspired interview of one of NZ's tireless advocates of Peace in the World and Inner Peace, Within.Hear how Auckland has passed a resolution as a 'City of Peace.'That back in the early to mid 1980's, Citizen groups established 105 Nuclear Free Zones across NZ that comprised 73% of the country and gave a mandate for David Lange, the Labour PM to pass legislation through Parliament for NZ to become a Nuclear Free Nation.That in 1992 at the World Court in the Hague in the Netherlands, NZ championed the Declaration 'that nuclear weapons are illegal,' this was another major break-through for this country. Then on the 31st May 2012, the 'whole NZ Parliament' passed a resolution revalidating NZ as a 'Nuclear Free Zone' and committed us to supporting Norway's proposal to hold a conference in 2013, for the 'Abolition of all Nuclear Weapons'.This all with the support of 5,000 Mayors globally, who have joined voices to have their cities proclaimed 'Cities of Peace' and for the abolition of nuclear weapons also. The interview covers the celebration this weekend on the 8th and 9th in Auckland City, especially the Saturday afternoon concert of music, acts and speeches.Celebrating those who work behind the scenes at policy level, to shape the way forward and that peace be your heart and peace be within you and your family, as well as in schools, in your community, with volunteer groups, as well as acknowledging Auckland's Peace Foundation and it's tireless work over all these years.Laurie also takes a serious look at how we work towards peace and of higher values and virtues as we consciously evolve to a greater unity of purpose, that of a peaceful country embedded in a peaceful biosphere.This brings us to how does Auckland become one of the most livable cities on earth and what is the criteria?Behind all this is to have NZ become an independent neutral country, and have the skill to self organize the community just like we did to set up the 105 nuclear free zones, (but in todays context, for example, have GE or GMO free zones, like they are endeavoring to do in Northland).The imperative being for conscious New Zealanders to become really savvy from the grass roots up - get together in groups and then lobby their local council to put benevolent change through. Then Councils can lobby the Central Government.And yes, the continuing challenge of Fukushima in Japan and the radiation spewing out of reactor No 4 needs to be urgently addressed in the Nuclear Free debate.* You are encouraged do something different this Saturday, something out of the ordinary, and gravitate to where you can become inspired by surrounding yourself in a field of goodwill, joy and purpose.http://www.disarmsecure.org/people.phpCelebrate 25 years of New Zealand being Nuclear Free, at Auckland's Aotea Square 12:00-3:00pm Saturday the 9th June.

John Hinchcliff has been in the peace movement most of his life, and made a large contribution to making NZ nuclear free and up until recently has been the Vice Chancellor of AUT - Auckland University of Technology.Andy Hendrie is director of a health centre as well as executive director of a charitable trust which campaigns to improve outcomes for our healthcare and has been Occupying Auckland at Aotea Square since its beginning.Listen to an interview that cleaves and slices right through the lies, the deceit, the media hype and censorship of what's happening in corporate America, especially in banking through to boardrooms and up to governmental level. To then translate this into the combined denial of what the two major political parties are avoiding here in NZ during this years election campaign. And on the ground in Aotea Square, how the occupiers are endeavouring to clarify their grievances and bring forth a list of priorities that need to be addressed to shift everyone's focus to the next level.As New Zealanders we need to restore values in our daily life and particularly the market place and work practices .... going beyond the flash material plane of houses, cars and bank balances to establish connection of being, playing and working together, loving nature, celebrating life.With a large number of groups with concerns and grievances camped out at Aotea Square Auckland, what are the threads that can unify a common purpose and inspire aroha?  Aroha that has been striving to ignite itself and find its place in both the moment and daily events from a localised situation across the nation of Aotearoa itself.Can we prioritise values and look at these attributes within aroha, with respect for people and caring for them and caring for the environment and ecology, to caring for the future as well as the present and the past?This is our individual and collective challenge.

Rogan, who has just resigned his job to be at Aotea Square full-time, having been part of the Occupy Auckland organizing team from the start and Simon, an activist at heart has also just taken extended leave from his job at a union to help out.Two very articulate occupiers share what is playing out within the Occupy Auckland encampment and what their aspirations are. From: What are occupiers unifying around? What is the greatest challenge? Where they get their support from? What do they want to see happen? Bringing in food, sharing ... How NZ can play its part in the transformation of the old paradigm into a conscious caring cohesive, synergistic, society? Another big question: When their time is up at Aotea Square, are they going to decamp in agreement and peacefully or are the authorities going to have to push the issue?New Zealanders are very complacent and have had it exceptionally easy in the global scheme of things, with good Government safety nets, welfare, no food shortages, no war etc.Yet, with $300 million weekly in overseas loans keeping us docile, we are now passing the 18 billion dollar threshold in just over 2 and a half years of loans and from unknown entities overseas, so the NZ Government is certainly leaving the younger generation a huge amount of debt … how should New Zealanders react to this?Especially as debt is one of the greatest issues.There are many things thing effecting the hearts and minds of everyone these days.http://www.occupyauckland.org

Hine Ransfield from Occupy Auckland, social networker and Lisa Er, an ASB Auckland business woman of the year and Founder of the Awareness Party, have a conversation on Occupy Wall St to Occupy Auckland.Is it a revolt, an uprising, an insurrection, a rebellion, or a revolution?YES! all of these, by the 99% who see global control firmly in the hands of the 1%. Yet we trust the outcome will be conscious, peaceful and by a dynamic successful process.Touch typing is mightier than the truncheon! And it can be.Americans presently occupying Wall St and countrywide financial centers need our principled support. As New Zealand is the first major country to see tomorrow first, can we be a moral template for a peaceful resolve towards cleansing a global economic system based on debt, exclusiveness and adversity. Here in NZ, many say that mainstream media is in the camp of the status quo, as it's a media that keeps us content, distracted, compliant and titillated. But in reality it is also a media of censorship by omission. For though Wall St has been occupied for a month, you will notice mainstream NZ media by not covering this, are either very conservative or compliant.Yet, NZ can be the seedbed for a new consciousness.  We are a stable country, with no war or starving, fairly well educated and connected by the web.We also come from a deep knowingness of welfare and social safety nets, as well as once being a country based on numerous nationwide co-operatives, especially in the rural sector, trust banks, mutual insurance societies, building societies and liquor trusts. This being prior to private capital, in the mid 1980s early 90's mostly from offshore, cleverly circumventing these altruistic models, and today very little cash flows out to the community, but instead disappears overseas as profits.Occupy Wall St is a great awakening of the West that if we are to thrive as a cohesive cooperative and awakened humanity, we have to do away with the banking system that has taken us to the abyss of uncertainty.What is our next strategic move that will shift the balance back into the hands of the 99% that can for the first time evolve a planet of peace and security?  A system that is holistic, inclusive, follows the precautionary principle and has a duty of care?We are paying governments to find solutions, but they are not coming up with any, hence this disciplined global protest, because the Governments are at the behest of the money that continuously flows on upwards to banking interests.  So much so, that we will never be told who we in NZ get our overseas loans from and what the conditions are?Listen to two aware and active women share with me there concerns and aspirations about the Occupation that is presently continuing at Aotea Square here in Auckland today.WEB LINKS."Occupy Auckland" Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/OccupyAuck"Occupy Auckland" Website: http://www.occupyauckland.org"Occupy Queen Street" Website: http://www.occupyqueenstreet.org.nzI have witnessed some very profound things live on this website direct from New York;http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution