Today the government told New Zealanders how it’s going to spend their money over the next three years. Yet a murder trial led both major channels’ evening news bulletins.

They were the day’s “top stories”: the budget and the Kahui case. Presenters on both stations gave a token nod to the economics of the country before launching into the most salacious story of recent weeks.

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Here’s an ethical conundrum. An Iranian woman leaves her country and converts to Christianity. She moves to New Zealand and claims asylum. Should we give it to her?
The North Shore Times clearly thinks so. It has waged a campaign on behalf of Bahareh Moradi, dedicating several front pages to the 25 year old woman’s case. Commentators at Dhimmi watch have joined the chorus.
I guess the underlying assumption is that conversion from a male-dominated religion like Islam as a positive step, and we should protect a woman who does so.
But what if it seems that she converted purely to get asylum in New Zealand?
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As the New Zealand government’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) wanes in popularity, perhaps we should remember that New Zealanders will pay for the country’s greenhouse emissions one way or another.
We signed the Kyoto Protocol, along with other countries that give a toss about the greater good, pledging to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels. Part of the deal is that we will pay for anything we emit over this limit.
The idea behind the ETS is that those who are responsible for the pollution pay – and greener options look cheaper and more favourable in comparison.
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Friend of Ed
Pasang Sherpa
Click for larger imageThis Nepalese man holds a picture of Sir Edmund Hillary, proclaiming Hillary as a hero for his nation, not just because he was the first man to climb Mount Everest but for his philanthropic actions in Nepal.

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I don’t like war. But wars are political actions and, in New Zealand at least, we are responsible for electing the clowns who sign us up to fight.
When soldiers head overseas, they go on our behalf. Okay, also in the name of freedom, anti-terrorism, anti-communism – whatever happens to be the cause celebre of the day.
But the soldiers go because our government tells them to. The least we can do is give them some respect.
Over 3000 Kiwi soldiers fought in Vietnam. Not a particularly popular war. Not, in my opinion, a war New Zealand should have gotten involved in. But that doesn’t justify the treatment these guys got when they came home.
I wasn’t aware of the issue until I started researching this story.
It wasn’t until 2004 – 30 years after they came home – that the government acknowledged the soldiers had been exposed to Agent Orange while in Vietnam.
In 2006 the government agreed Read the rest of this article »

Welcome to the new foreign-correspondence.com – same good content, new pretty face.

Have a browse. Enjoy Fernando’s photos of the ANZAC dawn service in Auckland, and keep an eye out for my upcoming piece about New Zealand’s Vietnam Veterans.

The site is expanding and looking for new contributors. So if you’ve got something to say about what’s going on in your neck of the woods, get in touch.

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