POLICY RELEASE - FOREIGN AFFAIRS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Libertarianz Government would immediately begin a review of all existing
treaties, agreements and covenants with foreign powers, with a view to
bringing these into line with libertarian principles. Broadly speaking,
these commitments fall into five categories:

1) Mutual Defence
We will only enter into (or retain) mutual defence treaties with free
societies and such agreements will only permit the commitment of our
military forces if the rightful territories of ourselves, or that of our
treaty partners, should come under unprovoked attack or the verified threat
of imminent military agression by a third nation. In the latter case, said
treaties should specifically provide for the use of pre-emptive force.

2) The South Pacific

We will review the nation's commitments with respect to the island nations
formerly ruled by New Zealand: i.e., Western Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue
and Tokelau. These states will be offered the opportunity to become
provinces within the Republic or else attaining full independence. The
Republic of New Freeland will have no dependencies.

3) Trade

We will abolish all restrictions on trade and investment between the
citizens of the Republic and those in foreign lands. There will be no
duties, tariffs or embargoes on foreign goods or barriers to foreign
investment. We will continue to work within the framework of GATT, CER and
other similar agreements to remove trade barriers erected by other nations.

4) The Environment and World Heritage Sites

By law, The Republic can only protect its citizens and their property. The
biosphere, as such, has no intrinsic value other than its usefulness to
Mankind. This is best protected and preserved through private ownership.

5) The United Nations

A large body of legislation has come into New Zealand law through the
ratification of various protocols and covenants engendered by the United
Nations. These will be reviewed and any found to be at variance with the
Republic's Bill of Rights will be repudiated.

In summary, a Libertarianz Government would be non-interventionist in the
fullest sense of the phrase. Such a policy would promote peace and stimulate
trade, rather than being isolationist. A Libertarianz Government would not
intervene in the affairs of other nations in a diplomatic or military
fashion. Likewise, it would not interfere if some of its citizens, as
individuals or groups, voluntarily supported or took part as mercenaries in
an overseas war.

In essence, a policy of non-intervention is a policy of non-aggression, not
only towards other nations, but towards the citizens of the Republic itself.
Government intervention in foreign affairs invariably begets the imposition
of additional taxes and regulations. In the words of Mary Ruwart, "War, like
charity, begins at home."

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

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