Frigate protest

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 274, 14 February 1989, Page 1

Frigate protest

A small band of protesters gathered outside the Waiouru Army museum last Thursday to protest at the proposed $2,000,000,000 deal for the government to buy Australian built frigates. The group chose the museum because Australia's Defence Minister Kim Beazley was visiting Waiouru for a meeting of the AusTurnpage2

Frigate protest at Waiouru

From page 1 tralia-New Zealand Consultative Committee. New Zealand Defence Minister Bob Tizard was to take part in the talks. People from Taupo, Turangi, Raetihi, Ohakune and Taihape made up the group of 17 protesters, who carried a variety of placards and banners. The protest was quiet and orderly and lasted from 10am to 12pm. Spokesman Paul Beckett, of Ohakune, said "we now have 150,000 people unemployed and over 20,000 homeless, so who needs another $2 billion debt? Isri't the country in debt enough already to the tune of $36 billion. Why not put the money to better use?" The Dominion reported last week that Mr Tizard said a wide range of bilateral defencc topics were on the agenda for the Waiouru talks and that it was expected developments in the Anzac frigate programme would be discussed. The paper also reported that the Labour Party was sponsoring a New Zealand-wide campaign against the project. While in New Zealand Mr Beazley visited Taupo to observe the exercise Golden Fleece, where there was also a protest, according to protest organiser Betty Wheeler.