Latest news with #ValerieMorse
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Wellington Rally To Oppose Genocide And Protect Protest
From: Justice for Palestine and Peace Action Wellington Justice for Palestine and Peace Action Wellington are hosting a joint rally and march on Friday 8 August at 12:30 starting at the UK High Commission on Hill Street going to Police National HQ to oppose the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold our rights to protest. 'At the UK High Commission, we are gathering in solidarity with UK-based Palestine Action. The UK government has labelled the peaceful protest group Palestine Action as 'terrorists' and are arresting anyone who says that they support them. They are determined to shut down opposition to Israel's genocide using extreme repression. Police have already arrested over 100 ordinary people including elderly clergy, teachers and parents for doing nothing more than carrying a sign or holding a banner,' said Nadia Abu-Shanab, member of Justice for Palestine At least 500 demonstrators are preparing to sit in London for 60 minutes or 'until arrest' on August 9 while holding signs which state: 'I oppose Genocide. I support Palestine Action.' 'Here in Aotearoa NZ the Ministry of Justice is engaged in a behind-the-scenes consultation of the Terrorism Suppression Act to significantly expand the law and to follow the UK approach. Their so-called 'consultation' closes on 8 August,' said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington. 'On top of that, just last week, the government announced the US FBI will be opening an office here. FBI director Kash Patel indicated anti-terrorism is an area of key collaboration between the US and NZ. Taken together, these are both terrifying developments for freedom of speech and peaceful protest. Both the UK and US government have recently shown their willingness to use extreme repression to shut down dissenting opinions on Israel.' 'We will not sit by while preparations for attacks on our rights to freedom of expression and peaceful protest are made. We are taking our message to Police HQ as they administer the Terrorism Suppression Act and are the most likely domestic partner for the FBI.' Our actions will not cease until the people of Palestine are free.
Scoop
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Israel's Pre-Emptive War Illegal, Unjustified
Israel's unprovoked and extensive bombing of Iran yesterday is illegal under international law. There is no allowable claim of self-defence for a pre-emptive attack; such a claim would validate Russia's aggression in Ukraine, and the US's attack on Iraq in 2003. 'The New Zealand Government needs to be unequivocal in its condemnation of Israel now,' said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington. 'The bombing of Iran has no justification. The Israeli state appears to consider itself beyond reproach in its conduct: in the past six months, it has bombed Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran all while it conducts the most vile genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and daily attacks against civilians in the occupied West Bank.' 'No one believes Israel's lies anymore. Time after time, Israel's claims have been shown to be completely fabricated. We didn't buy US President George W. Bush's claims about Iraq having 'weapons of mass destruction' in 2003 that precipitated the US invasion and murder of 1 million Iraqi people; and we are not about to buy Netanyahu's claims about an 'existential threat' now. ' 'No one is buying Israel's false victimhood either: it possesses nuclear weapons and continues to be the largest recipient of US aid and weapons. Netanyahu has spent all of Israel's political capital with his craven determination to remain in power. The international consensus that has funded and facilitated the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands is crumbling. Now he is trying to drag the entire world into war. He will be the last Israeli prime minister because he will destroy the Israeli state with his self-serving violence and war-making.' 'Aggressive war cannot be tolerated. Genocide cannot be tolerated. New Zealanders want our government to take concrete actions: expel the Israeli Ambassador, sanction the Israeli state and recognise Palestine.'
Scoop
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Mahia: Now A US Nuclear Base?
The US military has indicated it wants to increase the number of space launches from Rocket Lab's launchpad on the Mahia Peninsula including launching satellites involved in nuclear command-control-and-comms. 'This raises serious questions about compliance with New Zealand's Nuclear Free legislation,' said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington. 'We have been very concerned that the national security assessments by MBIE of Rocket Lab launches are insufficient. In particular, US military launches that are 'classified' means that New Zealand officials have very little knowledge about the military capabilities and targets of these satellites.' 'The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment who oversee space launches specifically state that 'payloads that contribute to nuclear weapons programmes or capabilities' are expressly prohibited. Yet without the actual access to classified information from the US we have incomplete information about what these satellites do.' 'Moreover the integration and consolidation of command systems means that satellites may serve multiple outcomes including the operation of nuclear weapons. The US's Joint All-Domain Command and Control or CJADC2 is the concept that the Department of Defense has developed to connect sensors from all branches of the armed forces into a unified network powered by artificial intelligence.' 'Mahia has become a de facto outpost of the US military where it can do what it wants, when it wants with very little real oversight and no concern for the implications of that for New Zealand independence as a nation. ' 'The threat of nuclear war is at the highest level it has been at in 40 years. New Zealanders rejected nuclear weapons two generations ago, we should not give up our principled stand under any circumstances, but particularly not by stealth under the cover of US 'classified' programmes.'
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Fund Healthcare Not Warfare
Press Release – 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 doesnt exist. 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.'
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Fund Healthcare Not Warfare
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.'
