Defence spend-up unnecessary if peacemaking the main goal
The massive increase in defence spending announced today would be unnecessary if New Zealand concentrated on
peacekeeping and security in the South Pacific, rather than equipping for major combat, says Green MP Keith Locke.
"If we are truly worried about international security, our first priority should be to increase our overseas aid from
its present miserable level of 0.24 percent of Gross National Income," said Mr Locke, the Green Party's Defence and
Overseas Aid Spokesperson.
"The $460 million-a-year defence spend-up announced today would increase our overseas aid from $260 million to $720
million, or from 0.24 percent of GNI to about 0.66 percent. Surely, removing poverty and the causes of international
conflict is more important than bulking up our armed forces?
"The Green Party is not against better pay for our soldiers, but the money for that could be found within the present
defence budget. The extra defence resources the Government has announced today could have been realised by scrapping our
capability to join full-scale war.
"For instance, we don't need a naval combat force anymore than we needed the air combat force that the Government
correctly abandoned. Therefore the 'Project Protector' Multi-Role Vessel and patrol boats should be replacing the ANZAC
frigates, not supplementing them.
"The frigates, which chew up 30 percent of our current defence budget, or nearly $538 million, are much less appropriate
to our fisheries patrol, disaster relief and peacekeeping needs in the South Pacific than the new MRVs and patrol boats.
Selling off the two remaining frigates would give us the cash to up the wages in the defence force and improve our
peacekeeping capability.
"Similarly, while the Greens are not opposed to the purchase of the LAVs because they have a use in peacekeeping, we are
certain that we don't need 105 of them unless we're intending to be involved in some sort of invasion or active
occupation.
"As a small remote country that is no threat to anyone, New Zealand's role internationally should be pro-active
peace-making diplomacy, such as that pursued by Norway in the Middle East and Sri Lanka, and low tech peacekeeping,"
said Mr Locke.