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Action Alert - REVERSAL ON THIRD FRIGATE DECISION ?

Peace Movement Aotearoa

PO Box 9314, Wellington. Tel (04) 382 8129, fax (04) 382 8173, pma@apc.org.nz


Issued 29 October 1998



***** FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION *****

Kia ora,

well folks, sorry to bother you all again with another alert re the third ANZAC class frigate decision, but hey - this has to be one of the most frequently made decisions which is then overturned, then reversed etc. As you may have heard rumours are abounding once more that the last third frigate decision (ie that we weren’t having one) may be reversed at a Cabinet meeting - possibly as early as next Monday, so if you don’t like this idea, you will need to act NOW !

At the moment Max Bradford, fervent supporter of three or more frigates, is across the Tasman meeting with Australian defence officials; it is likely that he will return with even greater enthusiasm for the purchase, and probable that he will have been offered further bribes, inducements and possibly even threats to ensure the NZ government goes along with the US / Australian line that we need more frigates.

If you do not agree, you must make your views known immediately - there is a minority government in parliament and they need to be told very clearly that a third frigate is the last thing the country needs.

They are also particularly vulnerable to criticism over spending priorities - with people dying while they wait for even minor health care in hospitals, it is obscene for them to even be contemplating this purchase again. Even if the frigate is offered to the government at a ‘bargain basement price’ because of the Australian desperation to keep their defence industry going, it is unlikely to be less than $350 million basic cost, a sum which could go a fair way to alleviate some of the problems with access to health care, or education and so on. The ‘bargain basement price’ will also raise questions about why the government paid $575 million (basic cost) each for the last two ...

We are sure you all have lots of arguments against buying a third frigate - if you would like more information then please refer to our last frigate alert (21 Sept 98) which was posted / faxed / emailed to you all; this alert is also on our website and further copies can be obtained by contacting the PMA office.

What you can do

  1. Contact Cabinet Ministers, they need to know there is considerable opposition to the purchase :
    1. you can do this either by addressing a fax to them all collectively and sending it to the Cabinet Office : tel (04) 471-9743; fax: (04) 472-3181/6332; or faxing them individually - a list of their fax numbers (and email addresses) follows; it would be particularly useful to put pressure on Tau Henare (as leader of the new Mauri Pacific party which is currently formulating policy, and is therefore highly responsive to public pressure and seeking media attention);
    2. emailing Cabinet Ministers - this is generally believed to be less effective than a fax, but all their email addresses are included in the list below. If there is a problem getting your email through, then you should contact Ministerial IT (MINIT) at
  2. Contact those MPs whose support the government requires to stay in power :
    Anne Batten has said she is opposed to the purchase; Richard Prebble says he is opposed to the decision being made without him being consulted ... there is an opportunity to pressure these MPs to make it clear that they will not support the government unless the third frigate option is scuppered once and for all !
    Ann Batten (Independent) - fax 04 471 2414, tel 04 470 6699; Neil Kirton (Independent) - tel 04 470 6682; Deborah Morris (Independent) fax 04 471 1443, tel 04 471 9977; Peter Dunne (United) - fax 04 499 7266, tel 04 471 9490; Christine Fletcher (National) - fax 04 473 0469, tel 04 471 9492; Alamein Kopu (Independent) - tel 04 470 6652; Rana Waitai (Independent) - fax 04 472 7751, tel 04 470 6689; Robyn McDonald (NZ First) - fax 04 473 7504, tel 04 471 9959; Richard Prebble (ACT) - fax 04 473 3532, tel 470 6638.
  3.  Fax / email the editors of the nationally distributed newspapers :
    Contacts for the nationally distributed papers are : Christchurch Press, fax (03) 364 8492, editorial@press.co.nz; Dominion, fax (04) 4740257; Evening Post, fax; (04) 474 0237, editor@evpost.co.nz; Herald, fax (09) 373 6434; Sunday Star Times, fax (09) 309 0258.

CONTACTS FOR CABINET MINISTERS

CONTACTS FOR MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET

There is more information contained in an earlier action alert, Frigates and F16s.

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