Here is Anti-Bases Campaign's programme for Saturday January 30th.

The protest will start at 10.30 a.m. at the spy base outer gate, Waihopai Valley Road. There will be speakers, including new Green MP Teanau Tuiono

After that, we're going to the Nativity Church, 76 Alfred Street, in central Blenheim. We will be in the lounge.

There will be three speakers.

At 1 p.m. freelance investigative journalist Ollie Neas will speak about Rocket Lab, the American company which operates an NZ launch pad for US military and spy agency satellites. It is, effectively, a US base on NZ soil. Ollie has written extensively about Rocket Lab, on investigative NZ sites like The Spinoff.

At 2 p.m. world renowned investigative journalist and writer Nicky Hager will speak about: "What Is Five Eyes Today? An Update".

At 3 p.m new Green MP Teanau Tuiono will speak on how to get Waihopai/Five Eyes/defence & foreign policy back onto the political agenda

We also plan to screen some extracts from the recently updated documentary "Islands Of The Empire", the definitive study of the NZ/US military and inteliigence relationship.

Please join us at Waihopai and/or in Blenheim on January 30th. You are welcome to join us for lunch at the Nativity Church (from 12-12.30) but please e-mail us at abc@chch.planet.org.nz in advance, so that we know numbers for catering.

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In light of the disastrous Trump Presidency – why is New Zealand still an active and willing part of the US Empire? The US intelligence and nuclear war machine controls the NZ Government Communications Security Bureau. The GCSB is legally allowed to systematically spy on New Zealanders; as well as routinely spying on any number of other countries, on behalf of the US National Security Agency (NSA). And the NSA spies on everyone. More pressure must be put on the Government to end the anti-democratic and destructive activities of this NZ spy agency

New Zealand's most significant contribution to Washington's global effort to manipulate world business and diplomacy is, and has been for 30+ years, the Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base, located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. It is controlled by the US, with NZ (including Parliament and the PM) having little or no idea what goes on there, nor any control.

Apologists for Waihopai say that it is vital to "protect us from terrorists" and from threats to NZ's national security. But NZ's electronic spy agency did nothing to protect New Zealanders from the March 2019 Christchurch mosques massacre by an Australian terrorist with extensive electronic international links. Nor has it been any help in detecting, preventing or combatting coronavirus, the biggest threat to NZ's national security since WW2. Not to mention climate change. The public money spent on the GCSB & Waihopai would be better spent on public health.

First announced in 1987, Waihopai is operated by the GCSB in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped together in the super-secret Five Eyes Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its satellite interception dishes intercept a huge volume of civilian telephone calls, e-mail and the likes of Twitter and Facebook, etc. Five Eyes is the reason for the existence of both the GCSB and Waihopai. Getting out of Five Eyes is vital to NZ becoming a truly independent nation

Anti-Bases Campaign is not taking responsibility for organising a camp this time. The Committee is going to be camping from Friday January 29 until Sunday 31 inclusive and we invite people to join us.

Each person will pay their own Department of Conservation camp fees (cash). You will need to bring your own tent, food, money, and everything you need for a weekend of camping. There will be limited local transport available. It is a public camp with basic facilities, so come prepared to rough it.

How to find the camp at Onamalutu: Take Highway 6 out of Blenheim (the Nelson road); cross the Wairau River bridge, take the first turn left into Northbank Road. Drive approximately 6 kms (15 minutes) to the bridge turn off to DoC's Onamalutu camp (turn right at sign, into Onamalutu Road and follow for 7 kms to camp).

Waihopai does not operate in the interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. It spies on both. It has no proper oversight or control from our Government. It is a foreign spy base on NZ soil and directly involves us in US wars and America's cynical manipulation of business and diplomatic affairs. It does absolutely nothing to keep New Zealanders safe from terrorist mass murderers or pandemics. It serves no useful purpose at all.

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Please email abc@chch.planet.org.nz if you are coming to the protest on Saturday January 30.

There will be an afternoon activity in Blenheim. ABC will provide lunch for that.

For catering purposes, we need to know numbers.

Please let us know if you're joining us for that lunch.

Donations to ABC's Waihopai campaign are welcome

Payment to ABC, 389000 0619007 00.