Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

NZ better prepared to deal with WMD trafficking

20 November 2015
NZ better prepared to deal with WMD trafficking

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says New Zealand and its Asia Pacific neighbours are better prepared to respond to a potential threat from the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction as a result of this week’s successful exercise.

Twenty one Asia-Pacific countries met in Wellington for Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Exercise Maru this week, to discuss and test systems, and learn more about how they would respond to a proliferation event.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to see first-hand some of New Zealand’s counter-proliferation capabilities at CentrePort. Although we’d like to think that acts of terrorism wouldn’t happen in our backyard we have to remember no country is immune from the threat of dangerous weapons,” Ms Wagner says.

The exercise concluded on Thursday with some of New Zealand’s counter-proliferation capabilities from Customs, the Fire Service, and the New Zealand Defence Force’s Explosives Ordnance Disposal squadron on display.

“The Asia Pacific region is an important trading hub and is home to many leading producers of legitimate goods that could be used to make weapons of mass destruction, such as chemicals in cleaning agents and medical products. It’s important that countries and agencies work together to be vigilant against any threat.

"Exercise Maru has been a successful test of New Zealand's and the Asia Pacific’s capability to work together and respond to a potential proliferation threat,” Ms Wagner says.

ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.