Defence wants UFOs off its radar

MICHELLE DUFF
Last updated 05:00 31/03/2011

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Spotted a bird, a plane or a UFO lately? Then the New Zealand Defence Force doesn't want to know about it.

The most recent instalment of previously classified UFO files were made public yesterday – and within the documents, former chief of defence Jerry Mateparae makes it quite clear the military has no time for little green men.

"The NZDF does not have any expertise or role in respect of ... `flying saucer' matters, nor is it qualified to address questions on the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial lifeforms," he writes in a staff guide from October 2009.

"The NZDF believes that rational explanations, just as aircraft lights or natural phenomena, could be found for [unusual aerial sightings] if resources were diverted for this purpose but ... it would be inappropriate use of defence resources."

All UFO reports should be referred to police, he said.

Meanwhile, a blue-tinted light racing across the North Island's night sky on Tuesday was definitely not a UFO. It has been identified by the Carter Observatory as an exploding meteor – one that could have been as big as a desk.

Witnesses were treated to a dramatic light shower after the meteor exploded 80km above Auckland. Some described the light as "several times brighter than daylight with a definite blue tint", and "like a firework", while a Raglan resident reported a sonic boom that "awoke the dog and nearby birds".

This was not an unusual occurrence, the observatory said, estimating it happened once every three years.

More than 2000 pages of Defence Force files, containing every UFO report since the early 1950s – including the 1978 Kaikoura lights mystery – were made public in December. The most recent files, dating from 2009, contain news articles and Official Information Act requests from the public and media.

There is one reported sighting, of a wingless object appearing to have "magnetic media emitting from the ends", spotted flying over the Kapiti Coast last May. The Otaki witness informed the Defence Force he had submitted the photo to an expert analyst in the United States, and would keep it in the loop.

The files also show repeated requests by citizen investigators group UFOCUS for access to the Defence Force documents. In a 2009 letter, director Suzanne Hansen expresses her concern at the "marked increase" in UFO sightings around New Zealand.

Her organisation was receiving credible reports from farmers, hunters, logging contractors and scientists, which continued to "defy logical explanations"and fit with worldwide trends showing sightings were on the rise, she said.

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Ms Hansen offered to meet the Defence Force to discuss UFO phenomena.

This offer went unacknowledged by Lieutenant General Mateparae when he replied to Ms Hansen a year later, assuring her the files were being declassified.

Before their release last year, he wrote to alert many of the agencies that had dealt with UFO sightings over the years – such as Internal Affairs, the Civil Aviation Authority, Metservice and Carter Observatory. "While most correspondents were remarkably restrained in their comments (given a degree of skepticism about the subject)", he warned that some material could still "give rise to minor embarrassment".

- © Fairfax NZ News

19 comments
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Kozma   #19   11:14 am Apr 05 2011

Off course there is life elsewhere..humans think they are so special on their little planet Earth that seeing exceptional technology burns their entire existence..I have read ancient texts (Vedas) that actually describes how these things operate..there is no magic but precise science which we have lost due to wars and invasion..take for example the microwave..that thing is atleast 50 years ahead of its time but is been used because we somewhat need it..necessity is the mother of invention! We need to unite in order to advance and sustain our existence.Peace :)

MICHAEL   #18   08:19 pm Apr 03 2011

The facts are that Astronauts , pilots , police and all manner of military people have sighted UFOs that behave in ways that defy our laws of physics and the military establishments of most countries know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it so its better to let someone else deal with the problem. I really suspect very strongly and there is evidence, that while they may feign disinterest, in secret they are very interested, they just do not want to be responsible to the public for explanations.

Charlie   #17   05:49 am Apr 03 2011

When the attempt to disregard ET activity is taken to the media by the peole most likely to encounter UFO; it is a problem. This is the group of skeptics taking over in an unprecedented time of UFO sightings all over the world, their agenda must coincide with the naysayers who say we are alone. New Zealand has been an hotbed of sightings for decades who has control of their Air Force now?

mfritz0   #16   04:03 am Apr 03 2011

I wish I had proof, but I don't. My suspicions are the reason they don't want to hear about the UFOs is because they know about the UFOs. That about says it.

M.L.   #15   03:31 am Apr 03 2011

I FOUND THE TRUTH ABOUT ALIENS AND 12 21 2012!!!!! it is located here http://www.cafepress.com/raunchygear/7529832 . Hmmm, I guess it was a cookbook after all (Twilight Zone)LOL

anonymous   #14   12:07 am Apr 03 2011

The media doesn't need to be so rude about this. Aliens are real and they do abduct people. I know from personal experience. I know most people don't believe me but I don't care. I probably wouldn't believe someone who said they had been abducted by aliens either if I had never been abducted before. I have been abducted once before and it is not 'in my mind' or a 'product of fantasy' even my neighbour could verify that there was a bright light outside her window which woke her up on one of these occasions. In brief, I remember that I was being lifted off the ground and somehow ended up inside a metal room and I saw grey beings walking around. I was terrified as anyone would be. I sat up then one of them pointed a light at me and I went completely weak and could not move. Then one came over to me and stuck something like a needle in my arm. That is all I remember. Next thing I know I was outside my house in the dark and no clue what I was doing there. As I had been abducted from my house and I had already locked the doors I had to go the neighbors and call a locksmith to get me back into my house. When I got inside I found a clock and realized at least two hours of my time was missing. It is psychologically traumatising for victims of abductions. We have to live in seclusion and fear all the time and to make matters worse no one believes us that this has happened or is happening so we have no choice but to keep it to ourselves. This incident has affected me so much psychologically that I had to quit my job as a school teacher, something I loved doing. It has ruined my life. I currently have to attend therapy at least once a week and am on several different kind of anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants. And no of course the therapist doesn't believe me. And it isn't sleep paralysis like my doctor said, how does that explain being locked out my house, fools? And no I did not jump out a window either they were closed. I have explored all possible, logical explanations for my experience and there is none. And DO NOT contact me for a story either. I am not willing to have a media show about it. I do not want fame or attention for this, I posted this to try warn other people.

USA   #13   11:45 pm Apr 02 2011

@hobbit #1 Thanks for the good laugh, I needed that today! Cheers

Mike   #12   09:13 am Apr 02 2011

LOL, New Zealand has a military, why? Are the aussie's invading?

Rick Pinfold   #11   11:22 am Apr 01 2011

Hello fellow travellers...I am the Informant to Defence report as chronicled in the above article,"Kapiti wingless object"...I understand that "The photo"..of course,dosn`t allow the viewer to see anything,due to it being merely printed on the release documents...I don`t mind at all to supply anyone who emails me on huntercarole86@yahoo.com & I`ll supply the original(colour).One should "Blow It up",(To the max),use a pixel smoother,try photolab filters ect.(Reverse to negative gives startling view)rgds.R.Pinfold.

Chris M   #10   12:49 am Apr 01 2011

No need to worry about UFOs, our defense forces aren't. They have all the latest technology to track and counter any incoming UFO or other threats using the latest jet fighters and state of the art missile systems. Somehow I feel a Tui add coming on or perhaps pigs will fly?


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