Time to Cancel New Weapons Spending

“Revelations by Minister of Finance Grant Robertson that the previous National government made no provision for the $20 billion worth of new weapons for the military provides a great opportunity to step back from this absurd spend up,” said Auckland Peace Action member Valerie Morse.

“The Labour-led government has already mentioned re-allocating this weapons money for other projects several times. We encourage the new government to abandon this war funding and instead invest in some genuine peace making, like building homes, schools and hospitals.”

“It was clear from the release of the Defence White Paper in 2016 that there were no hard numbers put next to any of the big ticket items. It was a NZDF wish list that largely spelled out the new weapons systems needed for fighting wars along with the United States. It includes the purchase of two new warships, despite a current $500 million project to upgrade the existing ships Te Mana and Te Kaha.”

“The $20 billion has to be seen for what it is: a gold mine for international weapons dealers and a show of obedience to the demands of the US military. These weapons companies profit from human misery and destruction by manufacturing better ways to kill and maim. We can truly say that the sooner this spending is abandoned, the better off humanity will be.”

ENDS

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