Yesterday’s protest at the Defence Expo in Auckland was an important example of New Zealanders speaking out on an issue that many of us feel strongly about. Auckland Peace Action is organising a Week of Peace from 13-20 November in Auckland in response to the defence industry conference, and the visit of warships for the […]
The Defence Force launched their Operation Respect recently, its plan for reducing sexual violence within the armed forces. They now have a plan to address inappropriate and harmful sexual behaviours and sexism. The Defence Forces have not been quick to get to this point – but despite all those who have suffered in the meantime […]
Two years ago award winning New Zealand journalist Jon Stephenson wrote an in-depth article for Metro Magazine about New Zealand’s role in the war in Afghanistan. The article, Eyes Wide Shut, described the w ay NZ Special Forces handed detainees over to other coalition forces who then sent the prisoners to facilities known to have […]
The Defence Force has put an overly positive spin on the laying off of 308 members of the armed forces whose jobs are being “civilianized”. While recognizing it is “a difficult day for the Defence Force” Lt Gen Rhys Jones claims that those laid off “will welcome the decision” if they have “registered their interest […]
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 […]