We the petitioners assert that in a democracy the government cannot sign away our sovereignty that is a contradiction of the very basis for their power, Democracy! Currently there exists the distinct likelihood of politicians against our wishes permanently and forevermore (they intend) giving away to international parties all or much of our ability to self govern, our sovereignty, or to continue as a democracy except in name only. It is illegitimate and abhorrent to democracy for a democratic, limited-term government to sign any anti-democratic agreement to -FOREVER- irrevocably circumvent democracy! Or even to grant a term exceeding theirs. However we need the government to get this message in no uncertain terms and make it a fundamental document of our Democracy! That there must be the ability to exit any agreement (except in the next clause) if the public protests it or if the government believes it should be exited in our best interests either immediately or at worst when the government that signed is voted out. Reluctantly if an agreement (or law) must be binding for a time, the people must agree by voting in a referendum to an agreement with no details withheld that cannot be exited for any period, and that period must not exceed a generation and win at least a 60% Majority to pass although a higher minimum could be set. Ideally even if an agreement seeks to exist for minimum term it is better that there be a valid escape even it it must be financially costly though not actually prohibitive. And that even if 100% of the current population agrees to it, no agreement should ever be binding on all future generations, the limit should be at maximum when most everyone who agreed has (or would have under a natural life span) died of old age if not before. There is no need that exists in our interest for our Government to make any agreement that exists forever without the possibility of ever getting out of it. Except in the event of a military surrender by an invading force. Indeed even many/most countries that have lost to an invading force later regain sovereignty. A Democratic Government cannot be anti-Democratic and still be either Democratic or even be the Government unless it is a Coup d'etat, setting it's self at war with the Democracy of New Zealand an action by force that must be met by necessary force by our uncorrupted Military, Police, Public and Politicians and which is defined in New Zealand law as Treason as it would be an act by force not power! Something you are lured into but can't ever get out of and kept ignorant of the details of is called a trap! If you are a Lawyer please help write a more legally sound draft and offer your opinion. If you know how to get a law passed or an article added to our constitution please help! If you can bring this to sympathetic members of political parties, ones that oppose the TPPA as it stands please do so. Hey, I just got to tick every category because the TPP or an agreement like it could negatively impact our ability to have any law passed on Animal Rights, Forrest, Oceans and water, Climate Change, Health and Safety, Peace and Disarmament, Equality, Human Rights, and Toxics (pollution, toxics products etc.) and much more. Addition: Any agreement that conflicts with the above would be invalid however that might have occurred. Including even probably already established agreements as a consequence of it being knowingly a democracy when any such democratically incompatible agreement was signed. Exemption would be given to any preexisting agreement that the public and government agreed was not onerous for as long as that remains the case. Save our Democracy from Illegal circumvention, don't give in to naysaying disempowering thoughts. This is in the interest of everyone you share it with, if the person is offline we can accept physical signatures also! Join the Facebook group to make this go Viral! https://www.facebook.com/groups/NZDemocracy/ Answer a single question poll of what kind of LEGITIMATE power you think Democratic Government has (when I asked in person I got lots of silly questions so I have been very specific). https://aether22.typeform.com/to/lgdbIz Also sign the Second MORE POWERFUL Petition HERE: https://community.sumofus.org/petitions/tell-labour-greens-nz-first-they-must-announce-voiding-the-tpp-when-they-get-in

We must look after and protect our precious mature trees whatever they are. The local community must be consulted before any of these trees, particularly Notable trees, are destroyed because of the direct affect they have on our local air quality. The two Notable Magnolia Trees on Ponsonby Road represent an urgent need to change our behaviour towards more tree-friendly design. Building for the future must include retaining the best of the character of Ponsonby Road and doing the best we can for future generations. Sign the petition to help save the trees and ask the Owners and Auckland Council not to de-list these Notable Trees. Summary: These Listed trees do not meet 'current' Notable Tree criteria but the Owners reasons for wanting to de-list them are not in the public interest. The Owners want to re-develop the site and cut down the trees because planning requires them to put an awning across the pavement which cannot be done, they claim, if the trees remain. Is this really a good enough reason to destroy two mature, historic Notable trees that are part of the character of Ponsonby Road, are net oxygen producers and managing our local biosphere ? A clever designer could design around the trees to ensure their survival and produce a tree sensitive building that would enhance the character of Ponsonby Road rather than turn it into another shopping precinct like any other. We need to be making the effort to think outside the box to do this throughout Auckland why not start in Ponsonby? There is precedence for this on Ponsonby Road near Bhana Bros shop, the awning has been built around a tree and near Shanghai Lil's there is another. We have precedents let's build on that and encourage and require more tree-friendly design in Auckland. Facts: The true import of the loss of Auckland's Urban Forest which is currently under threat from property development is as follows: 1. De-listing, cutting down and destroying Auckland’s Urban Forest is detrimentally changing the character and environment of Auckland. 2. 60% of Auckland's Urban Forest is on private land. These trees contribute hugely to cleaning the air of Auckland, managing storm water, sequestering carbon, and, producing oxygen which we breathe. Sadly, Auckland Council have done an Air Quality Report completely ignoring the part played by Auckland's Urban Forest in managing the Air Quality of Auckland. This is a life threatening omission. 3. When the Earth was formed the atmosphere was full of poisonous gasses. Plants through their evolution and processes cleaned the biosphere, sequestering the poisons into the soils creating an environment where animals and humans could live. The mature leafy trees are the large oxygen producers. They manage the biosphere both locally and for the Earth. All mature oxygen producing trees are connected to biosphere management of the Earth. 4. We have destroyed 80% of the Earth's Ancient Forests replacing them with low oxygen, high carbon producing activities. The Oceans, where most of our oxygen is produced, are becoming dead. UN estimates there are 150 Dead areas in the Oceans which are directly related to Our pollution. The plant phytoplankton (oxygen producers) in our Oceans are being reduced by our activities. 5. There are fewer and fewer oxygen producers and our Urban Forest is becoming vital to the future survival of our species. 6. The oxygen contained in our air is 19-20% and reducing yearly. Before the Industrial Revolution it used to be much more. We cannot live on Earth if the amount of oxygen in our air falls below 7%. Already in some parts of the Earth there are cities with oxygen levels of 14-15%. 7. When we burn fossil fuels and create carbon dioxide we sequester 2 x oxygen molecules for every 1 x of carbon produced. These oxygen molecules can only be released by being taken up by an oxygen producing plant. 8. Humans need trees which is why we instinctively know it is wrong to cut them down. We need the oxygen they produce, they use the carbon we produce, we are physically connected. To continue to ignore this FACT, as we are doing, is to steal the future from our children and destroy our Home.

The leaked chapters of the TPPA show provisions that may potentially have detrimental consequences on New Zealand's Parliament, and our sovereign right to self determination. The flow on effects can result in various effects on New Zealanders. The Government assures us that this agreement will not detrimentally affect New Zealanders in any of these ways. The Bill I propose to be enacted is a formal declaration by the Government that they will be true to their word. We the people are not anti-trade, but we feel very strongly about protecting our sovereignty and democratic rights. Please find a copy of the cover letter to the House of Representatives, and a draft of the Trade Negotiation (Mandate Limitation) Bill here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107381395/Open%20letter%20draft.docx

Ancient Kauri is being ripped out from our native Northland wetlands. Northland Environmental Protection Society has identified a rare native orchid where the majority of the world’s population was wiped out last year by swamp kauri mining. Evidence of illegal or at the least dubious trade has been exposed. The Ministry for Primary Industries and Customs have no record of this massive swamp kauri log being exported to Shanghai. Why? Overseas websites sell slabs and logs of ancient swamp kauri when this is only country that should be selling locally made swamp kauri products. We all know a rough sawn slab in China is not a finished table. We need to save wetlands and local jobs. So right now we need a moratorium on all swamp kauri mining and exports until the whole mess is investigated and sorted out and laws adhered to with illegal swamp kauri to be impounded. We need your help. Please sign our petition and tell central Government to #SaveOurFallenKauri

Because New Zealanders are fed up with having their news diet dictated to them by an elite group of bankers, posers and pretenders. It is time for us to take direct action to try to get news media of the kind we need. Because the board and management of Mediaworks who conceitedly made this decision, against all rationality, on the basis of prejudice and hubris need to have the fact that they made a huge mistake pointed out to them in style. Because it is right that we show John Campbell, who has done so much for so many, how much we care.

New Zealand's net emissions of greenhouse gases climbed 42 percent between 1990 and 2013, driven by a rise of almost a third from the energy sector. While the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions are increasing, globally many nations and more than 50 cities including Sydney, Vancouver, San Francisco and San Diego have announced they are aiming for 100 percent renewable energy by 2020, others by 2035. New Zealand is supposed to be one of the cleanest, greenest nations in the world and to make this a reality we need to move away from our dependance on fossil fuels as an energy source. As a country, we need to tell the government that 90 percent isn’t good enough. Kiwis pride themselves on giving 100 percent, so why should our approach to the impact of climate change on our country be any different?

How this issue affects you, your children, our country, and our oceans world-wide: Plastic bags impact our irreplaceable environment here in New Zealand when they are produced, when they are disposed to landfill, and especially when they are littered. Once littered, plastic bags can find their way onto our streets and parks and into our waterways. They are a large portion of the litter in our streams and can take a lifetime to fully break down. Once in the environment, plastic bags are often ingested by animals, clogging their insides which results in sickness or death, a horrible truth that is easily preventable. Other animals or birds become entangled in plastic bags and drown or can’t fly as a result. Our Ministry for the Environment also say that plastic bags exacerbate flood events when they clog pipes and block drains (1). ] Not only does unregulated and uncurbed plastic bag use harm our environment it also harms our Clean Green NZ brand which is estimated to earn us around $20 billion a year (2). New Zealand is already lagging behind many countries/places who have already Banned Plastic bags: California, Portland, Mexico City, Dehli, Mumbai, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Sydneys Oyster Bay for example (3). Plastic bags also contain many toxins and chemicals including BPA which has direct links to cancer. They are made from oil – each bag uses about the same amount that would drive a car 115 metres (4). Now, I know that by now you are probably horrified by the impact that these unrecyclable, toxic, animal­-trapping objects are having, but, here is a fun­-fact to tip you over the edge and get you signing and sharing this people powered petition! “The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of ocean.” (5) That is a lot of unneeded waste isn’t it? So all of you tidy Kiwis and eco friendly people lets put New Zealand on the map as a leader in this worldwide movement! BAN THE BAG! 1) http://www.mfe.govt.nz/waste/types­waste/plasticbags 2) http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/8023412/100­Pure­Fantasy­Living­up­to­our­brand 3) http://people.howstuffworks.com/how­many­cities­have­a­ban­on­plastic­bags.htm 4) http://plasticshoppingbagfree.org.nz/facts­and­figures). 5) http://www.mfe.govt.nz/waste/types­waste/plastic­bags

Greater Wellington Regional Council plans to axe Wellingtons trolley buses and replace them with hybrid diesel-electric buses from 2017. To some, this sounds like a 'step' in the right direction but, as one great business thought-leader famously stated, "When a GIANT LEAP is indicated, a hop, STEP and a jump just will not do. You cannot cross the Grand Canyon this way." The switch from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources is not a step change. Some people say that trolley buses are old fashioned technology. Oh really? Perhaps someone better inform the Saudis. In 2012, they INTRODUCED modern and highly efficient trolley buses; and this is in a place that we might reasonably call the very HOME of fossil fuels: Saudi Arabia. Hmm. What do they know that they're not sharing? Gosh! It seems that modern trolley buses are all the rage, and all Wellington has to do is modernise! That's got to be smarter - and cheaper - than taking a 'hybrid step' when a giant electric leap is required. In Shanghai, dual-engined diesel/electric hybrid buses have been tested and DITCHED, in favour of...wait for it...trolley buses! Smart people those MODERN Chinese! http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=67413 Modern trolley buses are quiet, efficient and emission free. Diesels are dirty, noisy and unsustainable. Hybrids require costly DOUBLE MAINTENANCE because they have TWO engines! Duh! They're not the solution. They're a new PROBLEM. Not only that, the proposed introduction of hybrids would require a whole new maintenance infrastructure. Eventually battery technology will allow us to introduce dependable 100% electric buses but that technology isn't yet available, and isn't likely to be for the next two decades. So let's modernise our iconic trolley buses, increase and commit to properly maintaining the fleet, phase out dirty diesels and encourage the development of buses powered 100% by rechargeable batteries. In time, we can switch to a fully electric bus fleet without the huge costs & infrastructure involved in maintaining double-engined hybrids.

Individuals, like Graham, who have been protecting the bush for years (and were paid subsidies by city councils to do this) are now finding out that their land is to be forceably taken from them, and their precious bush destroyed. The proposed route will bisect the water catchment that feeds Totara Park. There is already evidence that existing roading has damaged gullies of native bush in the area - this proposal would have a much greater negative impact. Grahams Bush is one of many on the proposed highway route. It has a number of significant trees and it is a site of ecological importance. Graham unfortunately died trying to save this bush last year during this fight. We want to honour his legacy and are are tired of Auckland Transport saying this is the 'cheapest' route. We say it is the most expensive - ecologically expensive and ridiculously planned in a way that makes no sense in the 21st century. Sign our petition to send a message that says NO to the proposed route and YES to being heard. If you want to read some ideas on alternatives please visit the site of GenZero or Auckland Transport Bloggers - they have suggested some excellent alternatives to fix Auckland's Transport Problems and for a lot less cost! For example: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1503/S00036/launch-of-essential-transport-budget-generation-zero.htm

The mainstream media of New Zealand are not informing our public of the dire consequences of this 'so-called' trade agreement, or questioning why it is being negotiated secretly in collaboration with foreign corporate investors. So it falls upon us to inform our communities, to pressure our government for full disclosure, and to insist upon our democratic right to decide if this Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement will be the signing away of our future. Based upon the latest Wikileaks documents, we understand that signing the TPPA in it's current form will open New Zealand up to the following: * Foreign investors dictating our domestic laws * Inflated pricing of patented medicines * Weak or non-existent GMO food labelling * Overriding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi * Pushing more of our kiwi jobs overseas * Undermining our environmental protections * Unfettered mining, drilling and fracking * Escalation of our national financial crises * Irreversible sellouts of more kiwi assets * Voidance of our “buy kiwi made” policy * Erosion of privacy and internet freedoms * Corporate takeover of our Kiwi way of life We stand united with our communities against the signing away of our future and call upon our local councils to stand united with us!

This would give more certainty to those planning p/v installations, would encourage people to install such panels, increase our non-fossil fuel power generation, increase the grid resilience with power fed in at many points, enable hydro storage to be saved during sunshine hours, encourage businesses manufacturing and installing such systems, and help reduce our addiction to fossil energy. A number of other countries have legislated such a tariff.

We think the Government should STOP FRACKING NOW because we want to preserve everything that is good about our way of life in Aotearoa New Zealand; our beautiful lands, forests and beaches; clean, pure air; rivers and lakes with water that is fit to drink and healthy food grown on unpolluted soil. Scotland and New York State recently joined Vermont State, France, Bulgaria and many other states, regions, counties, cities and towns in countries around the world with a ban or moratorium on fracking. The New York fracking ban was declared in December 2014 after state officials conducted a thorough, two-year investigation and found the potential health and environmental impacts are too great to allow fracking to proceed. Scientists have documented the damaging effects of human and animal exposure to fracking contamination in surface waterways, groundwater aquifers, air and soil. During every aspect of fracking dangerous toxins enter our environment: • Toxic chemicals used in fracking, methane, radon and hydrogen sulphide gases, radioactive particles, hydrocarbons and heavy metals can escape into groundwater and are brought to the surface in produced water, fracking flowback, gas, oil and sludge. • Accidental spills pollute land and waterways. • FLIR camera studies show fugitive emissions of methane and other gases continuously escaping from drilling rigs, well-sites, compressor stations, pipelines and other industry infrastructure. • Volatile organic compounds are released into the air from wastewater pits, evaporation pits, misting and the industry practice of burning excess gas and waste fluids (flaring). • Contaminated fracking waste is entering the foodchain through discharges to waterways, landfarming and other disposal methods. Other serious dangers from fracking include: • Earthquakes - seismically induced quakes that result from fracking are generally of low intensity but the widespread practice of injecting fracking waste fluids into deep disposal wells has caused moderate to strong earthquakes in the USA, resulting in structural damage. • Water Depletion - each fracking operation uses between 7 and 20 million litres of water (sometimes more) and a production well can be fracked up to 10 times in order to maintain the flow of oil or gas. The water cannot be used for any other purpose. Weather extremes from rapid climate change bring increased danger of drought. We should protect and ration our precious supplies of fresh water for essential use in primary industries like food production, not squander them on a sunset industry. • Climate Change - the production, transport, and burning of gas, along with fugitive emissions, produces significant air pollution. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and is over 20 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. More and more fracking will undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. We can join other progressive nations and lead the world in reducing our reliance on dangerous fossil fuels. We can Stop Fracking Now as the first step in our transition to clean renewable energy. Petition created by Frack Free Aotearoa New Zealand and supported by: Stop the Drilling on our East Coast Climate Justice Taranaki Te Uru Pounamu Frack Free Bay of Plenty Frack Free Whanganui Don't Frack the Bay Greenpeace NZ Frack Free Hawkes' Bay Frack Free Canterbury Thanks to Fiona Clark for the photograph. References and more information: https://www.facebook.com/notes/frack-free-aotearoa-new-zealand/stop-fracking-now-petition-references-and-more-information/699692466810387