Charismatic

PM thinks we don't have any:
Needless to say this created quite a laugh at our expense.

My thoughts:
1. PM to read the briefs before commenting.
2. Check with SIS not MFAT. The funny thing about "undeclared intelligence officers" is they don't usually register as spies.
3. We are part of the Five Eyes, it would be surprising if the Russians didn't keep a very close eye on us. If roles where reversed wouldn't you be looking for weaknesses?

The thing that most interests me is why Russia poisoned a spy after a spy swap. It's not really cricket to renege on a deal, though it might be Russian. I just wonder if the Russians subsequently realised Sergei Skripal gave the British more information than they originally thought he did and where none too happy? Either way better to send ex-spies to live somewhere quiet, Pitcairn or Tristan da Cunha perhaps?

carcajou

Or can she not do anything because Winston won't like it?

Bo-Jangles

I guess she can speak with some confidence, afterall there's nothing much here of interest going on; it would be the most boring place on earth to spy on.

Unless of course some espionage required to trace every movement of every rental car and foreigner who arrives at the airport; in the mission of trying to rid the country of freedom campers.

scrubbedexpat094

Probably!

Clappy

This.

MrsFychan

sorry Russia but we are not expelling any of your spies as they are the wrong sort, must try harder

Justcol

Of course there will be spies now and it will transpire they have been meddling with Jacinda's popularity ratings

bearskin

Yup. NZ has to be considered the weak link there. Military is chronically underfunded and disregarded; Very weak PM /government; general 'she'll be right' attitude all round.

Justcol

Funding could be zero saving us all a fortune, we simply dont need a military
All we do is provide emergency aid and relief

Charismatic

Well no one needs a military...until they suddenly do .

bearskin

Exactly.

Classic blasé / negative attitude that gets adopted towards any 'service' industry. Oh we don't need xxx. and then you do... and who's the big crybaby then.

Justcol

I'm just trying to recall when the threat of New Zealand flexing its military muscle has prevented anything.

Would anyone care to let know what huge threat we are under that our Captain Pugwash navy and Poor excuse for an army could possibly deter.

There's nothing blasé or negative about not wanting a military force that does nothing but suck funding from far more important causes.
The police, healthcare, education, infrastructure, raising families out of poverty are just a few that spring to mind

As for the Crybaby's, I think those who take comfort from hiding behind others, who are not brave enough to stand up and say enough is enough, who have been sucked into the centuries old, political saber rattling pissing contest, are the ones who need to look at themselves. Its not about NEEDING a military, its about the majority being frightened to live peacefully without one.

So the next time you want to complain about crumbling schools or hospitals, or there not being enough nurses, or teachers or police officers, or the roads being crap, or not getting a tax break or acc funding or homelessness and the lack of housing or drug treatment units, just think about the millions being wasted on the pathetic excuse of a military that we have and stfu.

Charismatic

Perhaps I have a misty-eyed and undue affinity for the young men and women that serve but I don’t agree. Having a military sets a threshold. If another country wants to invade they will likely be able to do so just due to scales, and there’s always a bigger dog out there unless you’re the US. However it will take a certain level of casualties and a high level of sustained commitment over a long duration to achieve which is, in itself, a deterrent.

New Zealand doesn’t need a large standing army in times of peace, we need rapid scalability in times of war. Some might point to the “protection” the UN affords but I’d point to the toothless response to the military annexation of Crimea.

Global conflicts only come along every 100 or so years and fortunately we live in a time and geographic location of sustained peace. However in my view the military expenditure (circa 1.1% of GDP) is the price of vigilance. We should not take our blessings for granted. Even people who haven’t made a claim have house insurance.

Clappy

Should we have a sweepstake on how long it is before either China or India become the bigger dog?

carcajou

Yeah. China is going to send its one aircraft carrier against seven American fleets.

Which ultimately is why NZ doesn't need more than a token military presence that can do things like search-and-rescue or secure assets in the Pacific Islands, and send an aesthetic group of 10 advisers to the Middle East every now and again.

Neither China nor India will surpass the West in our lifetimes or that of our children, or their children, for a whole host of reasons.