April 4th 2008

The last hesitation before morality

Green media release - 4-4-08

The Greens are applauding the NZ Super Fund’s hesitant step towards divesting from companies that produce cluster bombs, but they are calling on the fund to just do it and stop mucking around.

“It’s good that they made this tentative step today towards an ethical investment policy. But making the divestment dependent on the conclusion of negotiations on an international treaty is the last hesitation before taking an ethical position, and they should just get on with it,” says Dr. Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader.

The NZ Super Fund announced today that they would divest from companies making cluster munitions if there was an international treaty against cluster munitions established and if New Zealand signed up to that treaty.

“Investing our taxes in cluster bombs to make money to pay our superannuation is wrong and unnecessary. These investments only make up 0.2% of the fund’s assets – there are plenty of other companies to invest in.

“Since when did we decide as a nation that an action would only be immoral if other countries agreed it was immoral?

“These investments damage New Zealand’s international reputation as a peace loving nation and should be withdrawn now.”

Cluster bombs kill and injure civilians because they indiscriminately scatter explosives over a wide area. Many of the bomblets fail to explode on impact and lie in wait to blow the limbs of children who think the brightly coloured bomblets are toys.

ENDS

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