People Power – Creating a Peaceful Revolution

Think Workshop

Presenter: Sue Grey LLB(Hons), BSc, RSHDipPHI

Suitable for: Adults only

We live in a so-called democracy, but many feel the government is disconnected from their needs. Sue will share her insights from her years of working for and with government and community interests to lead a conversation on what individuals and communities can do to help create a more compassionate and sustainable New Zealand.

We have elections every three years, but even then, the New Zealand government tries to choose election issues for us. Many of the options are similar or unpredictable, and any new government is advised by the same officials as its predecessors.

How can we access information and get our issues on the agenda?
What forums and resources can we use?
How can we encourage government to ask and answer better questions?
How can we incorporate a more precautionary approach to the use of chemicals in our foods and environment?

Let’s share our ideas and experiences and start to develop a blueprint for governance which empowers its people and strives for a more compassionate and sustainable vision.

Presenter Bio:

Sue is a lawyer based in Nelson who specialises in complex emerging issues, including medicinal cannabis law reform, encouraging more precautionary and responsible use of 1080 and other poisons and educating on and managing harm RF EMR from cellphones, wifi and radio and celltowers.

Sue has tertiary qualifications in law, science (microbiology and biochemistry) and in environmental health. She has worked for and with central and local government (including two years as a senior lawyer for DoC) and has run her own law practice for over 15 years.

She has acted in many leading environmental and public rights cases for individuals, community interests, and niche businesses. Sue’s work for Saxmere (a super fine woolgrower) resulted in the publication of until then secret NZ Guidelines for Judicial Conduct and the forced resignation of former Supreme Court Justice Bill Wilson. Sue has assisted Rose Renton with her cannabis law reform petition and successfully defended Rose, Redwood Reider and many terminally and chronically ill patients against criminal charges. Along the way she exposed the law that allows medically prescribed cannabis to be imported into New Zealand

Sue acted for the “not-botulism” family who were hospitalised for many weeks after eating wild pork suspected to be contaminated by 1080 poison, and secured ACC cover for them; the Brook Valley Community group who challenged Nick Smith’s 1080 and Brodifacoum Resource Management
Exemption Regulations; the Friends of Sherwood and Ngati Paoa Trust Board who delayed but could not stop the 1080 poisoning of Auckland’s Hunua water catchment, and the Waitomo farmers who lost 8 cows to 1080 poison in a DoC aerial drop gone wrong, forcing an EPA inquiry.

Sue has appeared as an expert on many documentaries including “Mum, Cannabis and Me”, “Is your Cellphone Killing You”, a series of Wild TV documentaries. She is frequently interviewed on national media.

Sue’s passion is educating and empowering communities to unravel government processes and identify opportunities to disrupt the status quo to help nurture a better and more compassionate world.

People Power – Creating a Peaceful Revolution