17 July 2002
Spineless Auckland Airport Bows To Pressure
Green Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Keith Locke has condemned the decision of Auckland Airport to remove an advertisement
for the Falun Gong meditation group.
"It was spineless of them to bow to the pressure of the Chinese Government," said Mr Locke.
"Falun Gong is subject to heavy persecution by the Chinese Government. It is shocking that we are adding to that
persecution by forbidding them to advertise in the airport.
"The Auckland Airport Company is not a political body and it should not be adopting the repressive agenda of another
Government.
"What's next? Stopping a Greenpeace advert against whaling because the Japanese Government doesn't like it? Or anything
against global warming because it might embarrass President Bush?
"The airport managers should stick to managing air traffic, not politics," said Mr Locke.
Ends