Tight security planned
Organisers of a controversial and exclusive defence forum that protesters claim is an arms fair say the event will be good for Palmerston North.
Its official name is the New Zealand Defence and Industry Forum and it’s being hosted at Central Energy Trust Arena in the city from October 31.
Opponents, having failed to convince the city council to cancel the booking, plan to protest outside the venue, likely repeating confrontational scenes that have dogged the forum in Auckland and Wellington.
Defence Industry Association board chairman Andrew Ford and chief executive Jennie Vickers said they respected people’s freedom of speech and rights to protest peacefully.
But, they said, the protesters have got it wrong.
The association’s 140-odd member companies are involved in the supply of goods and services to the Defence Force and other national security services.
Its goal was to enable more of the money spent on defence and security to go to New Zealand businesses rather than overseas.
Attracting up to 700 people, the forum entitled, ‘‘Exploring the role of industry in national and regional security’’, is promoted as an opportunity for industries to understand defence and security needs and promote their ability to supply them.
Potential customers included the New Zealand Defence Force, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police, customs and border security.
Member businesses were involved in activities as diverse as building components for ships and aircraft, telecommunications, catering, facilities management, engineering, providing specialist clothing, and office equipment.
None of its current members supplied weapons, Vickers said.
‘‘[The Defence Industry Association] does not, and never has, run an arms expo or weapons show in New Zealand,’’ said Ford.
‘‘Government rules of sourcing preclude the dealmaking alluded to by protester groups.’’
Ford said from time to time, there might be weapons included in displays at the forum.
‘‘But they are not there as a shopping opportunity.
‘‘The forum is not about the procurement and proliferation of arms.’’
Some of the detail about who would be attending and what went on inside the forum, returning to the defence hub of Palmerston North for its 20th anniversary, is not being released publicly.
Attendance is by registration and invitation only.
Ford said that was not because there was anything illegal or
‘‘[The Defence Industry Association] does not, and never has, run an arms expo or weapons show in New Zealand.’’ Andrew Ford
unethical going on, but because the association took security seriously in light of a history of protest that could turn violent.
‘‘Delegates also have a right to meet freely, and I have a duty of care to ensure their health and safety.’’
For the same reason, he would not name the sponsors, who protesters believed had con- nections that ran deep into the international weapons trade.
‘‘Sponsors in the past have attracted unwarranted and unqualified harassment, and we do not want to do that to a group of sponsors who are simply going about their legitimate business.’’
Ford said the forum would not have to rely so heavily on sponsorship if protest was less confrontational and the security costs were less.
‘‘But we can’t control the actions of protesters.’’
Security measures around the forum would include a footpath closure outside the Pascal St venue, a road closure at the Cuba St end of Waldegrave St, and various checkpoints.
Ford said the association was managing its own security and was not responsible for any police measures or responses.
Despite the likely protest and media coverage, Ford said the forum would be good for Palmerston North, bringing visitors, employment and income to the city, and cementing its claim to be New Zealand’s defence capital.