Man chains himself to digger as west Auckland native tree protest grows
More than 100 protesters have gathered to stop the removal of native trees in Auckland, with one man chaining himself to a digger.
For more than 70 days, Save Canal Road Native Trees group have occupied an area of Canal Rd in Avondale.
On Wednesday, veteran protester Steve Abel, who was previously almost hit by one of the trees as it fell down, said up to 200 people were at the site after hearing police were on their way and contractors planned to cut down trees on Wednesday.
About half a dozen people were in the trees and protester Ken Sparks had used duct tape to secure himself to a digger on a truck so it couldn’t get to the site.
Abel said people were chanting and calling on Auckland Council to “step up” and stop the trees from being cut down.
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Poll: Does grocery bagging affect where you shop?
There's only a few differences between our larger chain supermarkets here in New Zealand. Having someone bag your groceries is one of them.
Does having your groceries packed for you at the checkout influence where you do your grocery shop? If so, tell us why.
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23.9% Yes
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75.3% No
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
What workplace change would you like to see most?
This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.
As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.
Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!