J DAY PROTEST SNUFFED OUT

A plan to hold a protest meeting in Aotea Square last Saturday was snuffed
out after a dispute between the event organisers and their potential host.

The J Day protest had been advertised to take place at Aotea Square, a
change from the traditional venue of Albert Park.

However, The Edge, the company responsible for managing Aotea Square,
denies the event had been booked.

Activist Jonathon Rennie says the venue change had been designed to bring
more attention to the cause.

"I guess by having it in Aotea Square we would have been a bit more in
people's faces than usual and gained more attention," Mr Rennie says.

The Edge told organisers on Wednesday last week that the event could not go
ahead in the square.

The organisers were delighted the Auckland City Council approved the use of
their traditional venue, Albert Park, in less than two days.

Cannabis activist Chris Fowlie informed the crowd of more than 300 at
Albert Park about the change.

"Late on Wednesday night, The Edge decided we didn't meet their definition
of family values - but good on the council for letting us come here."

Sally Woodfield, the communications manager for The Edge, says not only did
J Day organisers not have a formal booking, they had never even made an
inquiry.

"The Edge only learned of the J Day event on Tuesday last week through
police contact. We assisted J Day organisers in moving the event to Albert
Park," Ms Woodfield says.

The May 3 demonstration included discussions on the contentious nature of
cannabis laws.

Green MP Nandor Tanczos told the crowd that cannabis law reform in New
Zealand is being delayed because of United Future leader Peter Dunne.

"We're closer than we have ever been to law reform, but nothing will be
done because of Peter Dunne and his agreement with the Government that
nothing will be done in this political term," Mr Tanczos said.

A United Future official confirms that the party, as opposed to Dunne as an
individual, opposes decriminalisation of cannabis and is preventing law reform.

United Future has a confidence and supply agreement with the Labour
Government that decrees no steps towards changing cannabis legislation can
be made in this term.

A team-policing unit attended about 5pm.

After photographing people who had gathered in the park, one person had a
pipe confiscated but was not arrested.

Mr Tanczos says the people gathered in Albert Park are united in their
feelings about cannabis.

"We all oppose the persecution of certain people, simply for smoking a
little herb."