Seeking your support for Parliament to endorse a risk assessment for NZ

A risk assessment is the first step in determining the nature, urgency and interrelationship between potential threats to New Zealand's future economic social and environmental security. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks 2014 report is an example of such an assessment. A report for New Zealand would provide a firm basis from which to engage the public and businesses in identifying practical ways to respond.

This petition therefore calls on Parliament as a whole to see funds allocated for an assessment of NZ’s critical risks in 5 key areas:
1. Economic / Financial Security: the risk of a sudden, deepening, or prolonged financial crisis.
2. Energy and Climate Security: the risk of continuing our heavy dependence on fossil fuels.
3. Business Continuity: the risk exposure of all New Zealand business, including farming, to a lower carbon economy.
4. Ecological / Environmental Security: the risks in failing to genuinely protect both land-based and marine ecosystems and their natural processes.
5. Genuine Well-Being: the risk of persisting with a subsidised, debt-based inequitable economy, preoccupied with maximising consumption and GDP.

Thirty years ago, widespread public concern about nuclear proliferation led to cross-party support for New Zealand’s anti-nuclear legislation. This was a defining moment in New Zealand’s history , and was in response to just one single risk, albeit one that continues. The Land and Water Forum is another example of where New Zealanders of different persuasion have come together to acknowledge, work through and address the risks of deteriorating water quality.

Today New Zealand faces other risks, which are all the more disturbing for being largely unacknowledged. We believe Parliament should build on its proud tradition of foresighted collective response to risks , and initiate a NZ risk assessment as the first step in quantifying the threats and setting priorities.

Then, and with public input, design coherent, robust, cross-party strategies and policies to avert any confirmed risks and give future generations the very best chance of security, peace, social justice and opportunity for all.

And as it simply seeks a better understanding of our situation, we hope you will be willing to join the other 3,500 people and 20+ organisations who have already expressed support via our website and physical petition sheets.

Our plea has been backed by a raft of prominent New Zealanders including Dame Anne Salmond, Sir Lloyd Geering, Bryan Gould, Te Radar, Tim Hazledine, Chris Trotter, Neville Peat, Anton Oliver, Hoani Langsbury, Morgan Williams, Janet Stephenson, Peter Barrett, Fiona Farrell, Keri Hulme, Wayne Smith, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Gerry Te Kapa Coates, Chris Laidlaw, and many others.

OTHER ACTION YOU CAN TAKE:

Share our website and facebook page to raise the profile of our appeal: http://bit.ly/wiseresponse and http://bit.ly/wiseresponse-facebook

Read the full text of the appeal and the full list of 100 original signatories on our website: http://bit.ly/wiseresponse

Come to the presentation of the Appeal to Parliament to show your support in person. 1:00pm, on Wednesday 9th April 2014, in the grounds of Parliament, opposite Seddon Statue. http://bit.ly/wr-submissionnews

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Watch the 45 min talk given by Sir Alan Mark over the last year all over the country, presenting the case for the appeal: http://bit.ly/wiseresponsetalk

Listen to the 12 minute 'Our Changing World' episode in which the Wise Response appeal is explored, through interviews with 3 of its founding members: http://bit.ly/wiseresponse-ocw