This is edition 2024/131 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome to the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
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1. The Aukus decision, and the undermining of NZ foreign policy debate
Bryce Edwards
- 🌏 Former Defence Minister Andrew Little has publicly endorsed joining the Aukus military alliance, aligning with the US, Australia, and the UK against China in the Asia-Pacific region.
- 💬 Little's stance contrasts with current Labour policy, which leans towards a more independent foreign policy approach.
- ⚔️ His speech emphasized the need for New Zealand to update its defence technology alongside Western allies to counter perceived threats from China.
- 🎤 Little's comments sparked criticism from former Prime Minister Helen Clark and others who advocate for a more balanced foreign policy not aligned solely with Western powers.
- 🇳🇿 The security conference Little spoke at, funded partly by the US and Taiwanese governments, highlighted tensions over foreign influence in New Zealand's geopolitical debates.
