Defence Forum might move
The prospect of the protestprovoking New Zealand Defence Industry Association Forum going ahead in Palmerston North in October is uncertain.
City councillors yesterday began a behind-closed-doors review of a venues policy that could effectively bar the forum from council facilities, while protesters outside made a plea to have weapons events banned from council venues.
Mayor Grant Smith said after the terror attacks on mosques in Christchurch, the council was likely to further distance itself from events related to guns and armaments.
And Defence Industry Association chairman Andrew Ford said decisions about the format and location of this year’s forum had not been made.
‘‘We have a reserve booking in Palmerston North, but we are still arranging what the forum will look like. We have no firm plans yet.’’
Former city councillor Peter Wheeler told yesterday’s finance and performance committee that last year’s forum led to various street closures, disruption to businesses, and vast amounts of money being spent on security to get delegates past protesters, many of whom came from out of town.
‘‘It did not need to happen,’’ he said, and urged the council to create a more ethical venues policy.
Peace Action spokesman Fred Hirst said the Christchurch tragedy made calls to update the policy and provide grounds to refuse to accept a booking for the forum even more relevant.
The attacks brought the reality that civilians were most often the casualties of modern weapons of war close to home.
Hirst said the council’s policy on ethical investment should be applied to venues hire.
The investment policy excluded funds related to manufacturing or development of controversial weapons, production of fossil fuels, manufacturing of tobacco, or generating revenue from the operation of casino gambling. Hirst said council staff had also previously declined events on the basis of pornographic or erotic content.
He said although the forum was not a trade fair, it provided networking opportunities for global armament manufacturers and dealers. ‘‘These are companies whose global shareholders profit from conflict and war.’’
He said Peace Action respected the activities of the Defence Force, civil defence, national security and peacekeeping.
‘‘Our opposition is centred on the presence of the arms developers, manufacturers and dealers of military weapons.’’
He said the council owed its refugees a duty of care, and should not host an event that contributed to the sort of hostile and traumatic events they had come to Palmerston North to escape.
Smith said, after yesterday’s briefing, the proposed changes to the venues policy would be discussed at a public council meeting and people would be invited to make submissions.
Hirst said he was concerned the process would take so long, that even if it effectively banned the forum, it would be impossible to cancel an event with 500 delegates in time this year.