Meet the Greens

The Dom-Post reports on the unsuccessful attempts by "environmental activists" to disrupt Solid Energy's AGM in Auckland yesterday.

The Dom-Post notes that the activists are from the Save Happy Valley coalition. So I googled that, and found the coalition's website - and in the chronicles of the illegal occupation of Solid Energy's property, I found this:

28th January 2006 :: Third and Final Occupation Begins

Over 75 people trekked in to Happy Valley as part of the first weekend of the indefinite occupation of Happy Valley, coming from as far afield as Auckland and Dunedin and representing groups such as Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae, the Green Party and others. By far the biggest occupation so far, this time the campers plan to stay at the proposed mine site in an effort to both monitor and stop any moves by Solid Energy to go ahead with the mine. Besides a brief visit by Solid Energy security the morning after, the occupation began without incident and with stunning weather.

Interesting - there are other references to the Green Party's support of this illegal occupation. Yes, that's right - the third-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament supports illegal activity, including criminal behaviour such as that in the photograph - a prima-facie case of assault, albeit with a custard pie!

The contact person for the coalition is one Frances Mountier - a well-known activist, and as Trevor Loudon revealed at New Zeal, a "graduate" of Sue Bradford's activist "training school" at Kotare. And Loudon expands the links between the Green Party, the Save Happy Valley Coalition and the Urewera 17 in this post - five of the 17 have connections to SHVC.

Keeping Stock is of the opinion that the Greens will never be the political force that they could be while they are tainted by the illegalities committed by extremists. Legitimate protest is one thing. But the company that the Greens keep takes protest well beyond the bounds of legitimacy, helped by a compliant news media. Perhaps the incoming government will be less tolerant of "stunts" which prevent law-abiding New Zealanders from going about their business.