Friday, 3 July 2026
“The new US Ambassador to New
Zealand, Jared Novelly, is a danger to the people of
Aotearoa New Zealand. He spreads disinformation about the
risk of nuclear-armed and powered vessels. His attempt to
renegotiate our nuclear-free policy, and to pressure the
government to spend more on the military is straight up
bullying,” said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action
Wellington.
“Nuclear weapons are illegal under
international law. New Zealand is a signatory to the Nuclear
Weapon Ban Treaty, the first legally binding international
agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with
the ultimate goal being their total elimination. Why in the
world would we want to go backwards on nukes?”
“The US
does not protect Aotearoa New Zealand, and it certainly does
not care about our security. The US is the major source of
global conflict and instability. It is undermining the very
international law that provides small states with
security.”
“Meanwhile his role as sales guy for the
arms-industry with his pitch to increase military spending
is enraging. The National-led coalition government has
already committed billions in unnecessary and unjustified
war spending while hundreds of thousands of ordinary New
Zealanders are going to bed hungry.”
“Novelly has no
grasp on the world as it is. The US and Israel started an
illegal and unprovoked war on the people of Iran that has
resulted in a catastrophic defeat for both the US and
Israel. He claims that the possibility of Iran having
nuclear weapons is a threat to us all, but he makes no
mention of the actual nuclear weapons held by Israel. Israel
is an undeclared nuclear state that refuses weapons
inspections. It is responsible for the commission of an
unspeakable genocide as it seeks to erase the Palestinian
people from the face of the earth.”
“The US and Israel
are guilty of the supreme crimes of aggressive war and
genocide. Novelly has a lot of nerve lecturing us about
anything.”
“Novelly’s delusions about the state of the
world and the US’s place in it coupled with his power and
privilege represent a real and immediate danger to Aotearoa
NZ. He should pack his bags and go back to the US to watch
basketball.”
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