The government has announced an additional $1 billion of military spending today on top of $12 billion of spending already announced over the next four years. These plans will take New Zealand’s annual military budget to approximately 2% of GDP.

“The budget will have the most severe cuts in decades, and yet there are billions to wage war with the United States. This is absolutely the wrong priority, and frankly I find it sickening,” said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington.

“Clearly the money is there. It is a matter of priorities. Most New Zealanders would say their priority is a health system that is there for them if they get sick. Right now, that doesn’t exist.”

“Health NZ has just announced 1800 further job cuts. Our doctors, nurses and health care assistants are on strike demanding safe conditions in our hospitals. More than 180,000 people are waiting for their first specialist appointment, with 40% of these waiting more than 4 months. Our people are dying now. These are the real threats to life and security in this country.”

“Where is the multi-billion dollar funding to rebuild our health system? Where is the commitment to investing in broken health infrastructure and an adequate workforce? Instead what we see is a government intent on destroying the public health system, dismantling it to the point it does not function.”

“We firmly reject the entire basis of this $12 billion military spend-up. We keep getting told that the global situation is dangerous and that there are “rising tensions.” This is the US framing their agenda as our problem. It isn’t our problem. Instead, for a healthy and prosperous country, we must steer very clear of being involved with the US military and its murderous imperial adventures.”

“The US is scaremongering about China. It is in the US’s interest to pick a fight with China, to surround it and threaten it. This has absolutely nothing to do with New Zealand’s own defence and security.”

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