It's a curious question - but then, so is the National Party's response to Phil Goff's announcement that the Zimbabwean cricket team would not be welcome to visit in December. Rather than joining in and condemning the visit, National instead declared that
A National Government will not be bound by decisions by Labour, over which there has been no consultation, to ban any Zimbabwe teams from visiting NZ
The implication is clear: a National government means a Zimbabwean tour. Unless they can convince Labour to join them in playing silly-buggers, of course. Either way, I'm not impressed. Our support for human rights on the international stage is not something which should be used as a political football.
I'm also wondering how this fits with Don Brash's public opposition to the Black Caps' tour. Are Lockwood Smith and Murry McCully making embarassing policy on their own, or is this yet another example of Brash going back on his word on human rights...?
2 comments:
But you're quite happy to use NZ Cricket, the Black Caps, and New Zealanders desire to see cricket as a political football?
Posted by Anonymous : 6/24/2005 04:52:00 PM
This may have escaped you, but New Zealanders also want our country to respect human rights on the world stage. And that's a little more important than cricket...
Posted by Idiot/Savant : 6/25/2005 12:08:00 AM
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