By ANNE BESTON
Outspoken Disarmament Minister Matt Robson has flown in the face of Anzac tradition by describing New Zealand as Australia's first overseas battlefield.
Mr Robson used an alternative Anzac Day service in Aotea Square yesterday to remind Australians that their soldiers fought and died in New Zealand during the land wars of the 19th century.
He added that the "British imperialistic" aim at the time then was to grab valuable land and that in these days those responsible would probably be charged with war crimes.
The Alliance MP's comments contrast with lofty political rhetoric from both countries in the past week emphasising Kiwi-Aussie mateship and shared values in war and peace.
On Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said at the dedication of the New Zealand Memorial in Canberra that the Anzac relationship was "as strong as the relationship between any two countries can be."
"Whatever history may deal to us in future, nothing will separate us," he said.
"Our destinies will forever be together and we will forever share, in this part of the world, a common set of values that mean so much to all of us."
Yesterday, at the service at Aotea Square, Mr Robson said the Australian War Memorial revealed how 2500 men in the Australian expeditionary forces of the 19th century, most of whom joined the Waikato militia regiments, were promised confiscated Maori land by their New Zealand recruiters.
"This was nothing to do with the defence of Australia from a military threat, it was simply the pursuit of British imperialistic ambitions," he told 30 people at the meeting, organised by the Peace Foundation.
"The authors of that would now likely go before the international criminal court."
Mr Robson, who went to school in Australia, said Australians volunteered for the Sudan, which, again, had nothing to do with defence.
"But it had a lot to do with the colonial mentality, feelings of moral and racial superiority and perceptions of a great imperial destiny."
There were always powerful voices promoting military responses as the way to secure and advantage New Zealand and Australia's interests.
"But the lesson of history is that not everybody agrees," he said.
Mr Robson said after the speech he was talking in a historical context and referring to both Australia and Britain.
"I am really saying we have now reached the stage where countries have to justify their wars," he said.
The Auckland Returned Services Association president, Chris Yates, advised Mr Robson not to dwell on the past.
His association and war veterans' families welcomed the Government's recent moves to help veterans and he said he took his hat off to Helen Clark, who had addressed some serious issues.
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