Kia ora XRŌ/Chch rebels
2019 WAS MASSIVE! A stocktake …
From that Friday last November when we first watched the XR Talk together, we’ve met every fortnight at WEA and built a community that has achieved so much this year. We’ve had a continual influx of new people and different rebels constantly emerging to coordinate new activities.
- January – got a huge Open Letter published in Dom Post newspaper calling on government to tell the truth and declare climate emergency. We joined other XR groups in a weekend digital hui.
- March – took part in the huge school strike, then held a weekend camp at Staveley.
- April – Got ECan and Chch City Councils to declare a climate emergency, after a couple of civil disobedience actions – shutting off ECan’s water and holding a Performance Review – plus direct presentations to each council.
- May – Sure to Rise rally marking sea-level rise and blocking Ferry Rd with a canoe.
- June – presented to Zero Carbon Bill hearings.
- July – surveyed local body candidates on their attitude towards climate crisis.
- Aug – stopped the coal trains for a day to disrupt coal production and export. Tusker, The Elephant in the Room, stood for ECan and his presence graced many occasions.
- Sept –XRŌ rebels joined a Dunedin blockade of NZ Mining Forum where Mayor Dave Cull declared coal companies not welcome in that city; we also helped blockade the Petroleum Conference in Queenstown (a morale booster for the Qtown and Invercargill XR groups).
- October – we joined 400 or so rebels from around NZ to start off the Global XR Week of Action by blocking central Wellington roads, blockading the MBIE office and occupying ANZ and OMV offices.
- November – disrupted the NZ Gas Forum’s conference, and also NZ First conference, with an Open Letter to Winston Peters on NZF’s continued blockage of climate legislation. XRŌ rebels supported Greenpeace’s action in boarding & stopping OMV’s deep sea oil rig supply ship for 3 days in Timaru.
- December – supported Western Sahara campaign and maritime workers union with a flotilla and land rally to disrupt the ship bringing Ravensdown’s blood phosphate.
We’ve also set up a samba band, done lots of non-violent direct action trainings, held a liberation theatre workshop and sessions of meditation, singing, ecstatic dance and art socials to create a huge variety of flags, banners, t-shirts, animal masks, posters… We’ve presented the XR Talk monthly for the whole year and given numerous talks on XR to other groups.
We’ve built a community where it’s safe to share our grief and rage and fear. Where we continually gain energy and inspiration from working together in so very many ways – feeding the rebels, booking venues, getting arrested, screen-printing t-shirts, samba drumming, song carrying, being police liaison, just being there, watching out for conflict and stress, teaching de-escalation skills, making videos, giving the Talk, ringing up supporters, making flags, keeping the accounts, offering decolonisation training, providing a trailer, spreading the word on social media, being the spokesperson… Everyone’s input is invaluable.
We are learning so much – how to work together in a decentralized way, take personal initiative, think through the purpose of our actions, communicate respectfully, reach out to others, take care of ourselves and others, have fun! We are building the new society that we will need.
2020 – WHAT’S NEXT
Focus and Direction – newly formed circle, meets Tuesday 17 Dec 6.30-8pm. All welcome. What’s XRŌ’s focus for 2020? How do we get there? We had an initial brainstorm on how we could get central and local government to act on XR’s four demands:
- Tell the truth – and declare a climate and ecological emergency to communicate the need for urgent change to the public
- Act now – halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse emissions to net zero by 2025
- Go beyond politics: create and be led by a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
- Climate justice – decolonize our society
Want to join this discussion? Come along, we’ll be meeting fortnightly Tuesdays 6.30pm through the summer. Reply on this email or email [email protected], or check XRŌ General on MM.
Mid-March – a weekend XRŌ hui at Staveley is booked in. More info coming.
XR Aotearoa plans – XR local groups are working on a collective national Action Strategy for the coming year, and are holding a virtual hui by zoom this Monday/Tuesday 16/17 Dec, 10am – 2pm. All welcome. If you’re on Mattermost, check out the draft national Action Strategy & details of the hui on the Announcements channel, or for more info contact [email protected].
The next Global XR Day of Action will be on Easter Monday 13 April. Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and Ōtautahi/Chch are likely to be focal points for action in each island.
April is also the expected time for the next global School Strike.
JOIN THE TIMEBANK
Rebecca is investigating XRŌ joining the Addington Timebank, and we are all encouraged to join too. Rebels could earn time credits for their activities and those of us not able to do the same could pay them back with our time.
THANK YOU, WEA!
True to their progressive roots, our wonderful Canterbury WEA is sponsoring XRŌ for another year from their Environmental Fund by allowing us to hold meetings there free of charge. Claire will have a thank you card for us to express our gratitude at the next Heartbeat. This central base has been invaluable. Many thanks to Dave E, Lottie and the WEA council.
CITIZENS ASSEMBLIES
Interest in CAs is building since the recent Wellington conference organised by Aotearoa Climate Emergency (ACE). Phil Saxby of ACE is asking for our feedback on his CA ideas. Please contact Phil on [email protected]
Sustainable Ōtautahi Christchurch also has a CA initiative going – Fay is exploring this.
Regular Notices
“This is not a drill” – a great XR handbook, available from Scorpio Books, USB etc, $27.
Seedling & produce koha swop – you are warmly encouraged to bring your excess garden produce, jams, baking etc to Hearbeat and any other XRŌ gathering, AND/OR to fill your pockets with loose change to drop in the Koha bucket in exchange for these! Yum
Joining Mattermost – We use XRŌ’s Facebook page and group to share events, ideas, articles etc with the public. We use Mattermost closed chat room for organising & action planning. MM is open-source, secure and has no paywall. It’s easy to get into – contact Dave E, he’ll talk you through it [email protected]
When We Meet Face to Face – The Circles & the Heartbeat
The Talk – we’ve been presenting the XR Talk on the first Friday of the month. We’re evaluating this and in 2020 may change to shorter talks to more varied audiences in other venues. Let us know if you’d like an XR presentation to your organisation/workplace etc.
350Chch’s monthly discussion/film night is on 3rd Friday of the month at WEA. Next film night is Friday 17 January – more info coming.
Heartbeat – XRŌ’s fortnightly session for updates, mini-workshops, singing, debate, samba band and more… Heartbeat is held on the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month. Next one is Friday 10 January 7.30pm at WEA, 59 Gloucester St
The Circles
Outreach & Lobbying circle – meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at 5.30 at WEA, 59 Gloucester St, next meeting: Thurs 9 January 5.30pm at WEA (to be confirmed), all welcome! Contact Torfrida [email protected] 021 107 3937 The time may change if it’s hard for people.
The Talk – Are you interested in learning how to give the talk? Or interested in helping contribute to the research that goes into the talk…contact Racquel [email protected]
Action circle – meets Mondays 6.45 – 8.30pm, contact Sara C [email protected]
Creative circle – Banners need to be created and painted, and there is always rock painting too…. for more details check out the Mattermost channel or contact Tim [email protected]
Regenerative circle – contact Sarah ([email protected]) if you’d like to be part of this circle which takes care of XRŌers in all sorts of ways from food to conflict resolution and more.
Infrastructure circle – does admin & good potlucks, meets mostly 5.30pm before Heartbeat on 2nd and 4th Fridays, next meeting Friday 10 Jan, 5.30pm at the WEA. Contact Dave E [email protected]
Have a merry XRMAS, in love and rage
Torfrida, Adele and Dave
Anyone who’d like to donate to our XR Ōtautahi Christchurch group can do so at Kiwibank: XROtautahiChristchurch, ac. number 38-9002-0331592-07
