Matthew Henry John Bartlett

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Monday 20 August, 02007

A million engines in neutral

by Matthew Bartlett @ 1:44 pm

Greens protest ANZ (my bank) over its support of rainforest logging
Consider pledging to close accounts with ANZ & National if they don’t quit it

Says Stanley Hauerwas in a recent podcast:

If you want to understand the Scripture, go find your worst enemy, and try and figure out what it would meant to forgive them. then you will be in a position to start reading the New Testament. You won’t get it from ‘the text’, you’ve got to be part of a community of forgiveness to even know what it would mean to understand this text as Scripture.

7 responses to “A million engines in neutral”

  1. D says:

    Oh it will be a hassle to shut down my account with them.

    I thought “I’d like to see some evidence” and found this:

    http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/australia/resources/reports/deforestation/the-untouchables.pdf

    which is good enough for me.

    I tried to sign the petition (which is a bit buggy) and called a nice girl at the bank to let them know and asked them to call me back about it (am interested in the size of their stake and any defense they might have). You might want to do the same. Also, why have the Greens picked on them? Is it due to access to information in ANZ? Is ANZ any better/worse than other banks? Is there some personal vendetta here?

    Also see:

    http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/media/releases/deforestation/rimbunan-hijau-violently-rejec

    I’d have to say I love the idea of a ‘golden chainsaw’ award. Congrats to Greenpeace Australia.

  2. Matthew says:

    Thanks D. Yes it is going to be a pain in the arse changing over my accounts too — both business & personal. This Sunday is letter-writing afternoon, so I’ll write to them then and see what transpires.

  3. Iggy says:

    Matt i’ll join you this sunday, greta and i are now looking for suitable banking alternative.. just got off the phone with anz, their official statement is a crapper

  4. Iggy says:

    cheers D for tracking down that report – very compelling

  5. dennis bartlett says:

    I note Pacific Ecologist uss the ANZ

  6. Matthew says:

    Perhaps PE should travel back in time and correct their grievous error.

  7. dennis bartlett says:

    maybe by the next issue?

    Any way on an unrelated topic re carbon et al should I fly to Auckland for $39 or drive for $100?…just wondering

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