Heather Roy

22 April 2019

95 year old Auckland woman Alice Wylie is truly a patriotic New Zealander. Undeterred by the cancellation of her normal ANZAC Day service at the Mt Albert War Memorial she has organized her own gathering at 9.30am on ANZAC Day. The public service that should have taken place there is one of 58 cancelled across the Auckland Region because Police say they “can’t guarantee public safety” following the 15 March shootings at Mosques in Christchurch. Alice, the former Deputy Mayor of Mt Albert borough is being joined by 87 year old Sir Harold Marshall who will be delivering The Ode and National MP Melissa Lee who is helping her organize the gathering. Members of the public are welcome to join them.

This is exactly the sort of action I hoped would occur when I launched the petition Resist ANZAC Day Restrictions. Attend and March with my business partner, Simon Ewing-Jarvie, just over a week ago.

I think Alice Wylie’s actions are not civil disobedience but exercising our right of freedom to assemble.

A sincere thank you to all who have signed the petition and encouraged family and friends to do the same. Comments on the petition site show that New Zealanders do care about the sacrifices our forebears made in fighting for our freedoms. We want to be able to pay our respects in the traditional way on ANZAC Day – attending a service, laying poppies on the war memorials and cenotaphs around the country, gathering with others to pay respects and for some, marching in a parade. Unfortunately, our freedom to assemble is being hindered this ANZAC Day by the very bodies who should be encouraging kiwis to go about our normal business and not be afraid. Auckland Council and RSA, on the advice of the NZ Police, have cancelled two thirds of public ANZAC Day Services and in Queenstown the ANZAC Day march has been cancelled.

The cancellations have caused confusion about where people can congregate on ANZAC Day. The Auckland Council website has a list of 25 services that will still be held. Some RSAs are going ahead with indoor services for their members (not the public) and the advertising of these has added to the confusion. I’ve been contacted by media and members of the public asking if I know there are services they can attend at the cancelled sites. I’ve compiled a table (below) of the Auckland Region Services that were held in 2018 and am trying to update it for 2019 to provide clarity. But I need some help from those with local knowledge. Please take a look at the table and if you can help fill any of the gaps email me with the relevant information at heatherjroy@gmail.com  I’ve pulled the information together from a variety of sources and if I’ve got anything wrong corrections are welcome too. As information is provided I will update the table and republish.

Thanks to those who feel strongly enough about this issue to act, and most importantly to those who are not fearful of going about their normal business. Society needs more Alice Wylie’s who refuse to cower in the shadows.  Alice, I congratulate and salute you.

2019 ANZAC Day Services in the Auckland Region

2018 2019
Albany Sanders Reserve Dawn Service Cancelled
Albany Coronation Hall Service – 11am
Auckland Domain Dawn Service As normal
Auckland Domain Audio Service As normal
Auckland Domain Service – 11am As normal
Avondale Service (St Ninians Memorial) 10am Cancelled
Awhitu Service – 8.30am
Beachlands (School Hall) Service – 9.30am
Birkenhead War Memorial Park Service – 10am
Bombay War Memorial Service – 8.45am
Bucklands Beach War Memoraial Service – 9.45am
Clevedon Cenotaph Service – 9.30am
Coatesville Settlers Hall Service – 7am Members only
Devonport War Memorial Service – 10am
Drury War Memorial Service – 11am
East Coast Bays War Memorial Dawn Parade As normal
East Coast Bays Civic Service – 8.45am As normal
Epsom War Memorial Service – 11am
Glenfield War Memorial Hall Service – 11.30am
Glen Eden Cenotaph Service – 11am
Great Barrier Island Service – noon As normal
Grey Lynn Service (RSA) – 9.45am
Helensville Memorial Hall Service – 11.15am
Henderson Service (RSA) – 11.30am
Hibiscus Coast Dawn Service Cancelled
Hibiscus Coast Service (RSA) – 11am As normal
Hobsonville Service (RSA) – 11am Cancelled
Howick Dawn Service As normal
Howick Civic Service – 11am As normal
Kaukapakapa War Memorial Hall Service – 9.30am Members only
Kawau Island Service – 12.30pm
Laingholm Service – 10.30am
Leigh Service – 11am
Mangere Bridge War Memorial Service – 10am
Manukau Memorial Gardens Dawn Service As normal
Manurewa Dawn Service Cancelled
Matakana War Memorial Service – 10am Cancelled
Mt Albert War Memorial Service – 9.30am Service organised by Alice Wylie – 9.30am
Mt Eden War Memorial Hall Service – 11am
Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall Service – 10.15am
New Lynn Service (RSA) – 9.30am
Newmarket Service – 9.15am
Northcote War Memorial Service – 10.45am
Onehunga Service (RSA) – 10am As normal
Orakei Service (RSA) – 10.30am As normal
Orere Pt War Memorial Hall Service – 8am
Otahuhu Dawn Service Cancelled
Otahuhu War Memorial Service – 9.30am As normal
Otara/East Tamaki Service – 7.45am
Orewa (Remembrance Reserve) Service – 12.45pm Cancelled
Panmure/Mt Wellington Service – 10am As normal
Papakura Dawn Service As normal
Papakura Civic Service – 9am As normal
Papatoetoe Dawn Service Cancelled
Papatoetoe Civic Service – 10.30am
Parakai Dawn Service Cancelled
Paremoremo Service – 7am Members only
Patumahoe/Waiau Pa Service – 10.30am
Piha Service – 2pm Members only
Puhoi Service Cancelled
Pukekohe Dawn Service As normal
Pukekohe Civic Service As normal
Point Chevalier Service (RSA) – 11am As normal
Remuera/ College Rifles Service – 9.20am
Riverhead War Memorial Gates Service – 9am
Silverdale War Memorial Service – 12.15am Cancelled
St Helliers War Memorial Service – 10am
Swanson Service (RSA) – 9am
Takapuna War Memorial Service – 9.30am
Te Atatu Peninsula Service – 10am Cancelled
Titirangi Service Cancelled
Upper Waiwera Cenotaph Service – 2pm Cancelled
Waiheke Island Dawn Service As normal
Waiheke Island Civic Service – 11.10am As normal
Waikumete Dawn Service As normal
Waikumete Civic Service – 11am As normal
Waimauku Memorial Hall Service – 11am Members only, at 12 noon
Waitakere Service Cancelled
Waiuku War Memorial Hall Service – noon
Warkworth Dawn Service As normal
Warkworth Civic Service – 10.30am As normal
Wellsford Dawn Service As normal