Harawira Hone: International Non-Aggression and Lawful Use of Force Bill — First Reading 
Harawira Hone: International Non-Aggression and Lawful Use of Force Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5746] 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 Kia ora tatou katoa e te Whare. The Maori Party supports the International Non-Aggression and Lawful Use of Force Bill in line with the history the experience and the example that Aotearoa offers the world in terms of the philosophy of peaceful resistance and leadership. We know only too well the history of the people of Taranaki who in 1881 refused to fight at Parihaka instead drawing on their traditions of passive resistance. We all know the international reputation we gained when former Prime Minister David Lange told the world that nuclear weapons were morally indefensible and declared Aotearoa to be nuclear-free. We recall the protest against nuclear testing in Mururoa in 1985 and the 1996 case that went before the World Court at The Hague. 
We know that our history tells us that unless the peoples of the land are involved in determining their solutions to conflict peace will always be fragile and temporary. We know that the international world must stand strong in condemning any abuse of human rights and democratic freedoms. And we know too that the stage has been well and truly prepared for this bill to be heard. And so we commend Mr Graham for putting forward a bill that will restore the opportunity for New Zealand to be a world leader to get out there and say that we will not violate the United Nations Charter and that we will not plan prepare initiate or execute an act of aggression that violates that charter. 
In many ways this bill mirrors Maori Party policy for we have often advocated for nations to decrease their military expenditure. We seek to maintain a nuclear-free Aotearoa and we support a peacekeeping role for New Zealand defence personnel in the world. 
This bill also makes an honourable attempt to hold our leaders to account in the future by determining that our continued involvement in acts like the United States - led coalition’s war of terror now labelled a fraudulent war by most nations outside of the coalition might constitute an act of aggression illegal in New Zealand law. 
The events of 9/11 were tragic and disturbing and led to many changes in the way Governments reorganised their defence capabilities but also to the way in which they treated their own citizens. The world watched as the war of terror swept through Afghanistan and Iraq showcasing the military power of America and the disembowelling of national sovereignty. New Zealanders watched as that international chain reaction of military enterprise led to our Government executing military actions throughout many communities here in Aotearoa in the local version of the American war of terror. So there is a lot at stake when we consider the possibility of international non-aggression. 
We support the notion that this bill would make it mandatory for any New Zealand leader when deciding whether to deploy our armed forces to a conflict situation to seek and obtain written advice from the Attorney-General to determine whether the deployment was consistent with New Zealand’s obligations under the United Nations Charter—simple. 
As I said in the House yesterday the Maori Party supports Aotearoa committing to activities like peacemaking in Timor-Leste and provincial reconstruction in Afghanistan rather than unjustifiable military endeavour. And we welcome the introduction of a new crime into law a crime of aggression. It is defined as “the use of armed force by the State of New Zealand against the sovereignty territorial integrity or political independence of another State or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.” and—I use this word again—justiciable in New Zealand courts. 
The Maori Party takes seriously the obligations our nation has on the global stage. We take seriously the obligation to refrain from the use of armed force inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations Charter and we will support this bill being referred to a select committee. Tena tatou katoa.