security Archive

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  ‘Debating’ Foreign Policy: National and Green - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Yesterday, the NZ Institute of International Affairs held an important one-day seminar on ‘The Major Economic and Foreign Policy Issues facing New Zealand, 2012-17’. The programme is here. Some excellent presentations were made, especially by Rick Boven (NZ Institute) and Duncan Currie (oceans consultant). There were three political representatives. The Minister spoke at 8.45 am. [...] read more
  October 23, 2011 10:42 am - 3 Comments
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  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 more
  October 13, 2010 10:14 am - 125 Comments
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  Oil politics backfire on the US - by frog

  
  
  
  Open Democracy’s Paul Rogers notes that as China looks to secure oil for it’s increasing consumption it is becoming a strategic power in the Middle East in exactly the way the US would not have intended or wanted. Three transnational oil companies – Shell, BP and Exxon Mobil – were all expected to complete deals [...] read more
  September 6, 2008 9:50 am - 6 Comments
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  Defending small islands - by frog

  
  
  
  Defence and security seems to be my meme for the day. Tane has noted that: in a resource-constrained post-peak, climate changing world, there won’t be enough to go around. We won’t be able to help the whole world, therefore removing all incentive for them to attack us. And that seems to be the problem that [...] read more
  September 4, 2008 11:16 am - 9 Comments
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  Defending ourselves - by frog

  
  
  
  I’ve always thought defence policy should be viewed a little like health policy.  With health policy it’s good to have all the hospitals and surgical specialists and so on there if you should need them, but really we should also be spending a lot more time and effort on helping people to stay healthy as [...] read more
  September 4, 2008 8:33 am - 39 Comments
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  NGOs Cry Foul at FAO Food Conference - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  I’ve just come from the NGO’s presentation of their fiery declaration, which is in stark contrast to the bland ‘declaration’ of the high level conference which is bogged down in negotiations and still hasn’t been agreed to. The Minister Jim Anderton was pleased with New Zealand’s participation in the conference and felt we ‘waved the [...] read more
  June 9, 2008 10:55 am - 12 Comments
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  Food conference highjacked by free trade corporates - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  [Frog: This is the first of three posts sent to me from Sue Kedgley, who is attending the World Food Conference in Rome] As usual in these international conferences, clarity and truth came from civil society and the NGO’s than from the set piece speeches of most world leaders. NGO’s were treated appallingly at the [...] read more
  June 7, 2008 3:53 pm - 27 Comments
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  Are the Wheels Falling Off the ETS? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  What started off as merely a flawed and highly complex system is getting progressively worse. After weeks of intensive hearings the implications are crystallising and the flaws becoming more apparent. At the same time the Government is engaged in a process of pandering to vested interests and watering down the scheme, notifying the select committee [...] read more
  May 14, 2008 1:19 pm - 48 Comments