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Keith Locke Archive
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Congratulations Keith - by Metiria Turei
Congratulations Keith. It is great to see Keith recognised for his passionate hard work standing up for human rights both at home and around the world. Keith was awarded Amnesty International Aotearoa’s 2012 Human Rights Defender award over the weekend. We could devote pages to the campaigns, issues and individual cases (not just high profile [...] read moreMay 14, 2012 2:51 pm - 4 Comments -
Chogm fails to challenge Sri Lanka on human rights - by Keith Locke
Human rights was the loser at this year’s Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference (GHOGM). Endorsing Sri Lanka to host the next (2013) conference was a slap in the face for those calling for an independent international investigation into the 2009 massacre in northern Sri Lanka and an end to the ongoing persecution of the Tamils. To [...] read moreOctober 31, 2011 12:17 pm - 5 Comments -
Sue and Keith’s valedictory speeches - by frog
Sue Kedgley and Keith Locke — two of the original seven Green MPs who came into Parliament in 1999 — are standing down from Parliament at this election. The House grants outgoing MPs a chance to reflect on their time in Parliament with a valedictory speech. You can watch Sue and Keith reflect on their [...] read moreSeptember 29, 2011 2:20 pm - 6 Comments -
Book reinforces Green criticism of NZ deployments to Gulf and Basra - by Keith Locke
Nicky Hager’s Other People’s Wars, shows that New Zealand was more involved in the Iraq war than most people think. The book’s reinforces the points I was making at the time, that our Orion and frigate in the Gulf, and our army engineers in Basra, were actually assisting the US/UK war effort. Our frigate Te [...] read moreSeptember 4, 2011 5:21 pm - 12 Comments -
Taxi chats could be dangerous - by Keith Locke
After a long week in Parliament I often have a pleasant chat with the taxi driver taking me to the airport. So I was disturbed to find out that the Wellington Combined cabs would be installing video cameras that also have voice-recording capability. Who knows where my private chats might end up, I thought. Thankfully, [...] read moreJune 22, 2011 3:17 pm - 11 Comments -
Auckland Burmese celebrate democracy leader’s 66th birthday - by Keith Locke
Yesterday I spoke at an Auckland celebration of the 66th birthday of Burmese democracy leader (and Nobel Peace Prize winner) Aung San Suu Kyi. She is now out of house detention, but the regime closely monitors her movements. On Wednesday she begins a tour around the country, to further test the limits of her freedom. [...] read moreJune 20, 2011 3:17 pm - 2 Comments -
Criticism of judge-only trial in Urewera case - by Keith Locke
The Court of Appeal decision to uphold a judge-only trial in the “Urewera 18” case was slammed by Fran O’Sullivan in today’s Weekend Herald column. She rightly can’t see why the defendants should not “have their case heard by a jury of their peers.” The Crimes Act was amended in 2008 to allow a trial [...] read moreApril 2, 2011 8:44 pm - 15 Comments -
New G-G welcome, but selection process questionable - by Keith Locke
From my experience Jerry Mateparae is a decent fair-minded chap. It is hard to judge how he will go as the new Governor-General because I have heard him speak only in his recent role as Chief of Defence Force. He’s tended to steer away from anything particularly controversial. I’m not sure his official speeches are [...] read moreMarch 8, 2011 5:35 pm - 9 Comments -
Lows and Highs in Christchurch - by Keith Locke
Last week I spent some time in Christchurch, with family and friends, and went door-to-door distributing food and advice with the Green team in the hard-hit suburb of Aranui. Everyone is suffering trauma of one sort or another. My friend, who was in the Cathedral Café when the rocks came down. My relations with badly [...] read moreMarch 5, 2011 5:09 pm - 5 Comments -
Key lets down the Egyptian people - by Keith Locke
Most New Zealanders have been inspired by the huge mobilisation of Egyptians against the Mubarak dictatorship. “Mubarak must go now” has been the cry from the streets, but not from the White House – or the Beehive. When street protests began Hillary Clinton asked Mubarak to bring in ‘reforms’. As the protests grew American officials [...] read moreFebruary 3, 2011 10:32 am - 44 Comments -
Wikileaks gives impetus to Waihopai protest - by Keith Locke
It was good to be part of the protest outside the Waihopai spybase on Saturday. It is a bit out of the way, so the numbers involved are never that large, but they do represent the concern of many New Zealanders that the presence of the base compromises the independence of New Zealand’s foreign policy. [...] read moreJanuary 25, 2011 8:54 am - 15 Comments -
Why NZ sent army engineers to Iraq in 2003 - by Keith Locke
There has been outrage from Helen Clark, Phil Goff and Jim Anderton over a claim by a US Embassy official (in the Wikileaks documents) that: “Senior MOD officials (strictly protect) tell us it was not until Finance Minister Michael Cullen pointed out in a subsequent Cabinet meeting that New Zealand’s absence from Iraq might cost [...] read moreDecember 22, 2010 12:01 pm - 6 Comments -
What unpopular US intelligence targets did Clark authorise? - by Keith Locke
David Keegan, the deputy US Ambassador in 2007, wrote in a cable that Helen Clark “has been willing to address [intelligence] targets of marginal benefit to New Zealand that could do her political harm if made public.” This is diclosed in a Michael Field article in this morning’s DomPost further analysing Wikileaks documents relating to [...] read moreDecember 16, 2010 1:51 pm - 25 Comments -
Defend Wikileaks against US government attacks - by Keith Locke
Prominent Australians, including Green Senator Bob Brown, have signed an Open Letter to Julia Gillard asking her to provide assistance to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in the face of the attacks he is facing, including threats of assassination. The letter says “such calls cannot be dismissed as bluster. Over the last decade, we have seen [...] read moreDecember 9, 2010 5:31 pm - 45 Comments -
Is Waihopai helping the US spy on the UN? - by Keith Locke
The latest Wikileaks documents on US spying on the UN are going to make it harder for our government to justify the Waihopai spy station. Waihopai’s main task is to intercept global communications for the US National Security Agency (NSA). The Wikileaks documents inform us that the US has been blatantly violating international conventions with [...] read moreNovember 29, 2010 11:16 am - 38 Comments -
Iraqi Christians rally against violence - by Keith Locke
One of the legacies of the US-led invasion of Iraq has been sectarian violence it unleashed, not only between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, but also against the Christian minority. Yesterday I spoke to a gathering of 100 Iraqi Christians who met on the lawn in front of Parliament to mourn those who have been killed. [...] read moreNovember 24, 2010 9:30 am - 11 Comments -
Right to silence cancelled - by Keith Locke
It’s great that the NZ Herald, in an editorial this morning , recognises that “New Zealanders stand to lose some hard-won freedoms under a bill [the Search and Surveillance Bill] moving largely under the radar through Parliament.” Decoding that sentence, it means we should have taken the Greens and community organisations more seriously when they [...] read moreNovember 12, 2010 2:44 pm - 4 Comments -
Removing ‘claim of right’ dangerous - by Keith Locke
The government is a poor loser. It didn’t bother to appeal after it lost the ‘intentional damage’ case against the three men who pricked a dome at the Waihopai spybase. But it hasn’t let the matter rest. Last month it laid a $1 million damages claim against the men. To add insult to injury, Justice [...] read moreNovember 4, 2010 2:36 pm - 19 Comments -
Latest terrorist designations undermine New Zealand’s role as a peacemaker - by Keith Locke
One of my aims, as a Green MP, has been to get New Zealand to specialise in international peacemaking, using Norway as a model. Norway has used its good offices, and specialist advisers, to sponsor peace talks in Sri Lanka, Sudan, the Middle East, and the Philippines. It has been able to play this mediating [...] read moreOctober 13, 2010 1:09 pm - 29 Comments -
Waihopai protesters asked for beer money - by Keith Locke
Talk about stupidity and vindictiveness. The Government Communications Security Bureau is claiming from the Waihopai Three protesters $256.38 for the beer drunk by workers repairing the plastic dome at the spybase. Another invoice specifies $62.93 for savouries. The total damages claim against the three protesters is over $1 million. The court case will be micky [...] read moreOctober 13, 2010 10:14 am - 125 Comments -
It has to be time to roast the Pork Board - by frog
The Pork Industry Board is a statutory agency. Yet it seems to assume it is a law unto itself, with powers even greater than the Police or the SIS. Agriculture Minister David Carter is either unable or unwilling to make it accountable. Surely it is time for an inquiry into the Board’s attempts on behalf of rogue farmers to subvert the requirement for piggery owners to maintain humane conditions for their animals. read moreAugust 1, 2010 6:30 pm - 29 Comments -
Next Harbour crossing must include rail, walking and cycling options - by Keith Locke
The Aucklander reported today that the Minister of Transport has asked consultants to conduct a study into whether the next Harbour crossing for Auckland should be a bridge or a tunnel.* Parallel tunnels for road and rail going under the Harbour are the preferred option that was selected by various stakeholders (including the New Zealand [...] read moreJune 25, 2010 5:34 pm - 27 Comments -
Prejudice against Pasifika players offside - by Keith Locke
The New Zealand Herald was right to call “offensive” Andy Haden’s suggestion that the Crusaders rugby team has done better by having fewer Polynesians in the team. After claiming the Crusaders had a quota of three Polynesian players Haden said “and it’s worked”. This prejudicial attitude is not new, particularly in Haden’s Auckland where some [...] read moreMay 30, 2010 12:33 pm - 46 Comments -
Change the world one coffee at a time - by Keith Locke
Right now it is Fair Trade fortnight in NZ. There have been events all over the country to raise awareness of the terrible working conditions many people in the developing world suffer from - tiny wages, ridiculously long hours, or dangerous conditions – and the benefits of buying ethically produced goods. If you haven’t been to any events yet [...] read moreMay 13, 2010 1:44 pm - 20 Comments -
Popping the balloon of secrecy around Waihopai - by Keith Locke
Last weekend’s protest at Waihopai was the usual colourful affair. It began with a march through Blenheim, and speeches from Murray Horton, John Minto and myself. We then adjourned to the spy base itself, up the beautiful Waihopai Valley. More speeches and chants followed by the ceremonial popping of 13 white ballons, each displaying a [...] read moreJanuary 26, 2010 2:29 pm - 54 Comments -
Bearded Apiata on NZ Army website - by Keith Locke
There are two (related) debates raging following the decision of the Herald and other newpapers to publish the photo of VC winner Willie Apiata on active duty in Kabul following a Taliban attack. The Christchurch Press argues this morning that it was just sharing a photo ‘that anyone could see on the internet’. The Press [...] read moreJanuary 25, 2010 12:04 pm - 14 Comments -
Bring SAS troops home from Afghanistan! - by Keith Locke
It’s good that New Zealand won’t be sending any more troops to Afghanistan. However, that’s not because John Key has just seen the light. With its existing troop commitments – in Afghanistan, the Solomons and East Timor – the NZ Defence Force simply doesn’t have any troops to spare. I’m asking John Key to look [...] read moreDecember 3, 2009 9:58 am - 17 Comments -
Workers demand end to wage freeze - by Keith Locke
The sun shone on rallies for low paid workers held in cities and town across New Zealand. In Auckland they were led by Service Workers Union members in their bright red T-shirts – coming from hospitals and rest homes across the region. Other unions like the Public Service Association and NZ Educational Institute also brought their low paid members along. read moreNovember 27, 2009 6:06 pm - 29 Comments -
7 Months, 7 Roads, and 7 Days… - by frog
Steven Joyce likes saying he’s tired of the “road versus rail debate” – implying that his government recognizes both roads and public transport are needed and important. But what does this government’s record on transport in Auckland, especially when it comes to 7s, really suggest? read moreOctober 23, 2009 12:36 pm - 8 Comments -
Secret agreement for SAS on Afghan prisoners? - by Keith Locke
According to Jon Stephenson in this morning’s Sunday Star-Times the SAS soldiers realise they are in for a tougher time in Afghanistan this time around. However, it is still not entirely clear what will happen to any prisoners our SAS hands over to the Afghan authorities. Jon Stephenson says Afghanistan has now promised, in writing, [...] read moreSeptember 27, 2009 8:35 pm - 2 Comments -
Tokelau navigates towards cleaner, greener future - by frog
Core Green issues of transport, energy and Pacific climate change were raised in a meeting with our MPs Keith Locke and Kennedy Graham. A delegation from Tokelau – that included the three high chiefs of Tokelau – Faipule Foua Toloa (Ulu o Tokelau/leader of Tokelau) , Faipule Kuresa Nasau, Faipule Pio Tetimuatoga Tuia Iosefo and officials – [...] read moreSeptember 20, 2009 8:00 am - 8 Comments -
NZ must take a stand on human rights abuse in Iran - by Keith Locke
All eyes were on Iran during its presidential elections on June 12. The re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was seen as fraudulent by many, and set off a spate of protests in following weeks. The crackdown by the Iranian government shocked the world. Many protestors and bystanders were killed or injured; over a thousand were detained. [...] read moreSeptember 7, 2009 5:47 pm - 51 Comments -
Just how does the SIS protect our ‘economic wellbeing’? - by frog
Image by Lyndon Hood I haven’t yet requested my file from the Security Intelligence Service just in case it diverts some hard working intelligence operative from detecting an outrage from Al-Qaeda, the Red Army Faction, Baader Meinhof Gang or the Action, Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA). Of course the group most likely to [...] read moreAugust 10, 2009 3:16 pm - 61 Comments -
Bain verdict time for sober reflection - by Keith Locke
It’s good that the Police have said they will learn from the Bain case if there is any thing they could have done better. However, it shouldn’t just be admitting they did a few things wrong at the beginning. The review needs to cover the whole of the last 15 years – since [...] read moreJune 8, 2009 4:58 pm - 24 Comments -
Foreign Affairs is a million shades of grey - by frog
I was wading through the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area a few weeks ago – a little light reading for a Frog. Looks like New Zealand will be doing business with Burma (or Myanmar as the military dictators refer to Burma). Green MP Dr Kennedy Graham spoke about this in the [...] read moreMay 6, 2009 2:58 pm - 8 Comments -
Sex Bomb, Sex bomb - by Keith Locke
Just in case anyone thinks the Greens were letting some hard core sex offenders run riot by voting against yesterday’s sex offender law amendment, here are the facts: The key amendment in the bill was not “just implementing the intention of the original legislation”, as the government claimed . The Attorney-General’s Report on Parole (Extended [...] read moreApril 3, 2009 2:32 pm - 40 Comments -
No Refuge for Labour’s Record On Jailing Refugees - by frog
It is great news to me that an Iranian Christian convert - after much suffering in New Zealand has finally been given refuge. Ali Panah, a man so concerned at being sent back to Iran after he converted from Islam to Christianity, starved for seven weeks in 2007 to bring attention to his and other Iranians’ [...] read moreFebruary 18, 2009 2:16 pm - 57 Comments -
Nothern Busway; Success story or not? - by frog
Auckland’s Northern Busway celebrated its first birthday over the weekend. But you wouldn’t know it. Other than a piece in the North Shore Times talking about free rides on the 1st of February, there has been scarcely a murmur in the press. Why not? The Busway has been an overwhelming success. So overwhelming in fact [...] read moreFebruary 2, 2009 7:12 pm - 30 Comments -
Strange Bedfellows - by frog
Politics is a funny business, and can produce some very strange bedfellows. The Rob Gilchrist spying affair has highlighted a significant lack of oversight regarding police covert activities, and frankly, some very poor judgement. I have been asked a few times by commenters why I haven’t waded into the scandal. The reason is that I [...] read moreDecember 18, 2008 12:09 pm - 84 Comments -
60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration - by frog
On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The rights seem so simple and so obvious that we in New Zealand quite easily take them for granted. The document is not legally binding in the way a treaty is, but it does formally [...] read moreDecember 10, 2008 10:58 am - 34 Comments
