Kiwi music-lovers tell the PM ‘Hang On Helen’

Kiwi music-lovers tell the PM ‘Hang On Helen’

The call for New Zealand to keep GE organisms in the laboratory becomes more tuneful this week as some of the country’s top singers and musicians give voice to a postcard campaign asking Prime Minister Helen Clark to ‘Hang On Helen’ and not lift the moratorium on the release of GE crops.

Organised by the econation2020 Trust, New Zealanders are being offered a chance to receive a free CD, featuring top Kiwi acts, if they send a postcard to the PM saying ‘Hang On Helen’. This initiative asks the Prime Minister to ‘hang on’ for five more years before lifting the moratorium on the release of genetically engineered crops.

All concerned citizens and music lovers are invited to claim a free CD and get your message to the Prime Minister’s office. The user friendly 2-fold postcards are included in copies of this week’s NZ Listener and Cuisine magazines, and can also be downloaded from www.econation2020.org.nz

The 170,000 postcards have been issued in both direct-to-subscribers as well as on-the-shelf issues of the NZ Listener that went on sale Sunday October 5, and also in all subscriber copies of Cuisine magazine.

Readers simply tear off a pre-paid, pre-addressed section of the postcard, sign it and drop it into the post to the PM. Then, by tearing off and sending the bottom half of the same postcard, also pre-paid to econation2020, participants stand to receive one of the 5000 free ‘Hang On Helen’ CD’s.

econation2020 Executive Director Brendan Hoare said the initiative was aimed at those who felt frustrated about the politicised nature of GE issue, but who shared econation2020’s vision for GE-free, sustainable, pure, clean and green New Zealand.

"It’s our intention that this initiative be a spirited expression of culture," he said. "The majority of New Zealanders don’t want the moratorium lifted. We want the government to know it’s OK to do what the people want on this issue – maintain the moratorium."

The artists featured on the CD had contributed to the project by donating their music; "the depth of feeling and passion for protecting our clean, green image amongst the artists took us by surprise, it’s an extremely diverse compilation representing the groundswell of opposition right across the music community", said Kim Hegan, Executive Producer of ‘Hang on Helen’ CD & Trustee, econation2020. Artists involved include: Mahinarangi Tocker, Nesian Mystic, Rubicon, Verse Two, Debbie Harwood, Rikki Morris, Che Fu, Darcy Clay, Moana (Please refer to full track listing attached).

‘Hang On Helen’, campaign is proudly supported by Gold Sponsor ecostore, Auckland-based retailer & distributor to supermarkets and healthy lifestyle stores throughout NZ. Malcolm Rands, director of ecostore said, "ecostore is a company that invests strongly in R & D. We know that there is so much work to be done in safe bio-science. NZ could become a world center of excellence and have the right sort of scientists coming to work here from around the world. New Zealand, the home of safe bio-science!" he concluded.

This is a viewpoint passionately shared by Hang On Helen campaign Silver Sponsor, Living Nature, ecostore supplier and a market leader in the production of 100% pure precious NZ plants and honeys blended to create healthy synthetic-free skin care.

eco

‘Hang On Helen’ the tracks

1 : Karanga (Ti Tii), Charlene Smith (trad. recorded and produced by Billy Kritiana)

2 : E Te Matua, Mahinarangi Tocker (M. Tocker, produced by Bruce Lynch, courtesy Jayram Records)

3 : Nesian Style, Nesian Mystic (Nesian Mystic, produced by Cuba, David Atai, courtesy Bounce Records)

4 : Energy Levels, Rubicon (G. Bennett/J. Corker/P. Reid, published by Rubicon, courtesy Wildside Records)

5 : Gold Verse Two (Ladisix/Parks, Scribe produced by Mu, courtesy Verse Two)

6 : E Wawata, Brian Petera

(B. Petera, recorded and produced by Billy Kritiana)

7 : The Natural, Che Fu (C. Ness & P. Waddams, produced by P. Money, Che Fu, courtesy Sony Music Inc Entertainment)

8 : I’ll Breathe For You, Mahinarangi Tocker (D. Downes, M. Tocker, produced by Bruce Lynch, courtesy Jayram Records)

9 : Water, Dsuper

(M. Squire, published by M. Squire, courtesy Wildside Records)

10 : Jesus I Was Evil Darcy Clay © D. Bolton/Pagan Publishing. Master © Antenna Recordings 2003. Licensed courtesy the Bolton Estate.

11 : Te Kakano, Moana

(M. Maniopoto, S. Holloway, courtesy Tangata Records)

12 : North Head, Rikki Morris (R. Morris, courtesy Criminal Records through Warner Music)

13 : Tangaroa, Pounamu Cultural Group, composer Ngapo Wehi

Produced by Alastair Riddell & Adrian Stickey (Courtesy Legend Music) 14 : Anyone Who Had A Heart, When The Cats Away

Featuring Debbie Harwood (Bacharach/David, Courtesy Peach/EMI Music) 15 : Toku Matua, Te Vaka

(Opetaia Foa’I, produced by Opetaia Foa’I/Malcolm Smith, courtesy Spirit Of Play Productions/Earth Records)

16 : Kamate (at Te Henga), Hone Tuwhare (Trad, Hone Tuwhare, donated by Roger Donaldson, special thanks to Bob Harvey)

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