The following statement was released on 9th February by the New Zealand Green Party: It has been revealed that a Serco prison has the worst record of self-harm in Scotland, said the Green Party today. Serco’s contract to run Auckland remand prison is due to be tabled in Parliament shortly. It has been reported in…
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New Zealand PM says foreign policy dictated by keeping Israel happy
The country’s Jewish Prime Minister, John Key, was on a TV breakfast program earlier in the week and made it very clear that democracy in the Arab world was a threat to Israeli apartheid. “Stability” and “moderation” are two vastly over-used words; they simply mean keeping Arabs oppressed to please Israel. No more: Key: It’s…
Nothing in the Wikileaks documents? Please
One: The prime minister of Mauritius has accused Britain of pursuing a “policy of deceit” over the Chagos islands, its Indian Ocean colony from where islanders were evicted to make way for a US military base. He spoke to the Guardian as his government launched the first step in a process that could end UK…
Helping US spy on Fiji in the name of democracy
Laying bare the workings of our democratically elected officials: New Zealand has been using the Waihopai communications base to spy on Fiji’s military, passing the intelligence to the United States Government, WikiLeaks cables reveal. The base was used in the 2006 coup and probably the 2000 coup, although New Zealand officials have always denied that…
Resist the Serco beast before it’s too late
The Serco infection moves to New Zealand, yet more unaccountable prisons sold as increasing “efficiency”: The Department of Corrections today announced that global service provision company Serco has been selected to manage Mt Eden/Auckland Central Remand Prison (ACRP) from next year. Finance, Systems and Infrastructure General Manager John Bole says that it is Government policy…
Wikileaks dumps on slavish New Zealand leaders
More leaked Wikileaks cables show that Washington is constantly looking for compliant journalists and politicians: Leaked United States diplomatic cables explain why officials appear to have been caught on the hop last year when American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the resumption of intelligence sharing between the two countries – the deal was supposed…
My talk in Christchurch
During my recent speaking tour of New Zealand, I engaged with thousands of people, including a full house in Christchurch. Here’s the video and audio (neither amazing quality, since it’s compressed files, but you get the gist). I discuss the Middle East, the realities in Gaza and how to engage Hamas: Antony Loewenstein talks in…
New Zealand Greens ask why Israel maintains a Gaza blockade
How one of the key Greens in the New Zealand parliament yesterday challenged the country’s foreign minister Murray McCully over the ongoing Gaza siege: KEITH LOCKE (Green) KEITH to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Will the Government call for the immediate lifting of Israel’s economic blockade of Gaza; if not, why not? Hon MURRAY McCULLY…