5AA Australia’s Across The Ditch bulletin was Recorded live on 14/11/13.
In this bulletin of Across The Ditch Selwyn Manning and Peter Godfrey discuss how the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has resisted considerable pressure urging him to boybott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Also, the New Zealand Government has appointed a new director for its Security Intelligence Service. Rebecca Kitteridge will take up her directorship of security in April. Will she enjoy the confidence of the opposition party leaders? It appears so.
Run Sheet:
New Zealand’s Prime Minister has come under considerable criticism for
agreeing to go to the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
In Colombo, Sri Lanka and refusing to seek to have Sri Lanka removed as
chair of the CHOGM due to gross human rights abuses.
Earlier this week, Green Party member of Parliament Jan Logie was
detained by Sri Lankan authorities immediately prior to her holding a
press conference where her intention was to raise Sri Lanka’s ongoing
human rights abuses against the country’s Tamil peoples.
It is an issue that Amnesty International has raised, and where India’s
Prime Minister Singh and Canada’s Prime Minister Harper are refusing to
attend.
Here in New Zealand, both the Green Party and the Labour Party have
called on John Key to make a stand for human rights and argue that Sri
Lanka, host of this year’s CHOGM, be removed from chairing the meeting.
But John Key refuses and says there has been a long tradition and
convention where a host nation accepts and occupies the chair.
And John Key issued a statement saying simply: “New Zealand is an active
member of the Commonwealth and a strong supporter of the values that
bind the 53 member states,” says Mr Key. (See: LiveNews item.)
In an interview I did on Tuesday evening with Labour leader David
Cunliffe, he said John Key has no intention of raising human rights
abuses with Sri Lanka, he will go to Colombo, enjoy the canapes and the
conviviality.
Labour’s Human Rights Spokesperson, Maryan Street also said:
“Conventions are only in place for as long as they are useful. When they
cease to be useful, they should be challenged, “said Maryan Street. (See: LiveNews item.)
* And the Government has announced it will appoint Rebecca Kitteridge as the new director of security for New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service.
Rebecca Kitteridge is a senior civil servant in both the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and also in the office of the Governor General.
She also investigated the GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) at the Prime Minsiter’s behest and found the GCSB had illegally spied on 88 New Zealanders. Her controversial report led to the National Government legislating to make the unlawful surveillance practices of the Police and GCSB legal.
She takes up her directorship in April 2014. (See: LiveNews item.)
