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Press
15 September 2006
The revolution will not be televised!
Twenty five years ago New Zealanders helped to make apartheid history. We stood up for what we believed.
“It’s time to stand up again.” says Dave Dobbyn, New Zealand music icon.
Dobbyn believes Kiwis need to regain our heart for justice. As a nation we have been world wide pioneers in gaining equal rights for women, ethnic minorities, as well as forcing other nations to re-think nuclear testing, and apartheid regimes. Public figures such as Dave Dobbyn and Petra Bagust are imploring New Zealanders to once again be at the forefront of world change by rising up now and making this cause our own.
There will be thousands of Kiwis taking part in the Month of Mobilisation (September 16 – October 17) to unite New Zealanders for the campaign of bringing an end to needless poverty.
Barry Coates, spokesperson for Make Poverty History Aotearoa said “45 million children will die before 2015 if we do not act. The New Zealand government can contribute to making real changes, but they will only act if Kiwis show them that this is an issue they care about”
Petra Bagust makes the point that our government promised to give a mere 0.7% of our nation’s income to foreign aid. So far the government failed to live up to its promises and currently gives less than half of that. She adds we have become so apathetic to the world’s suffering and our government’s negligence that we care more about Hollywood movies and sport than the fact that real people are dying in dire situations every day.
“Every day of the year we watch the news, and they forget to add the item. “The All Blacks won again — oh, and 30,000 people died who didn’t have to,” points out Petra Bagust
But now New Zealanders have the opportunity to rally to a cause and make a worthwhile difference.
This can start by simply texting the word ‘Click’ to 8466 or signing up at www.makepovertyhistory.org.nz. They can also start petitioning MPs and the Prime Minister through letters and emails.
The United Nations believe our world is headed for a “heavily signposted human development disaster”. The rich nations of the world have failed to make adequate progress according to recent UN report.
But as Dobbyn points out New Zealand has the ability to bring change where others failed.
“We’ve done it before. Twenty five years ago we helped make apartheid history. Today you can make poverty history.”
This is a wake up call. It’s time for Kiwis to mobilise again.
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