2020

Law For Change Otago’s annual launch took place on March 3rd, and proved to be a great success. The 2020 Executive had a chance to introduce themselves to the sizeable group which attended, as well as lay out plans for the upcoming year. Of particular interest was the creation of two new general roles on the Executive for Hannah Skelton and Jessie Smalberger, with the intention being that they would headline a number of initiatives, rather than be confined to a single portfolio. Numerous attendees signed up for the various opportunities which promised to present themselves in the coming months, including prison volunteering, tree planting, public discussions and fundraisers. All in all, the launch was a very positive occasion which, despite the difficulties presented by COVID-19, nevertheless provided a useful roadmap of LFCO’s plans for 2020.

In both semester one and semester two we held bake sale fundraisers in support of Foster Hope Otago. To engage students tangibly in the incredible work the organisation does for children in difficult circumstances, each bake sale offered the opportunity for them to swap either sanitary products of shampoo/conditioner in exchange for their sweet treat. Law for Change Otago stays in contact with Foster Hope Otago to determine what goods they are in need of at the time. The goods we collected went into the packs made to help children during transition between homes. Thank you to all of those who brought along sanitary or hygiene products and supported Foster Hope in their mission to make this world a better place for all children.  

The screening of 'Merata Mita: How Mum Decolonised the Screen' was a great way for people to come together and learn about not only systemic racism, but also sexism in the New Zealand media. The film shed light on parts of New Zealand’s history which has largely been ignored or severely down-played. This event was particularly enlightening, with every person who attended commenting on their prior lack of awareness of the full extent to which Māori people have been oppressed and discriminated against in New Zealand. This provoked discussions around historical and media whitewashing in New Zealand. Students left with a better understanding of historical treatment and abuse of Maori, as well as a greater awareness of the misrepresentations that can be produced by the media, as well as a huge appreciation for an unsung hero in our film industry.

On June 10 Law for Change Otago hosted a two part event. Firstly, the pop-in workshop aimed at adding student voices to the fight against the Armed Police trials that would disproportionately impact Maori and Pasifika communities and other minority groups. The workshop occurred just after the Police Commissioners announcement to cease the trials, however, the workshop acted as an important signifier that this was only the first step towards creating a more equitable justice system for all. The workshop provided email and letter templates for students to send to their local MPs and the Police Commissioner encouraging continued momentum, as well as providing crucial resources to educate themselves on systemic injustices, especially around the BLM movement and our own complicity in Aotearoa. The second part of the event was a screening of Moana Jackson’s ‘Why Maori Never had Prisons’. Aimed at igniting students' imagination when engaging in conversations around justice, this screening shows that safe and thriving societies exist, and have existed, without prison systems and heavy policing.