Free Milkshake by Matt Hammond Page A

would be nurtured by its respective chairman
until slowly, over a number of years, the tree would grow almost
unnoticed, spreading its branches into every facet of American
politics, business and beyond.
    Alex Weisner, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations, was, as he had anticipated, handed a particularly
weighty dossier. He speed-read the summary of the meeting with the
President fifteen days earlier and was keen, excited almost, to
learn what had been delegated to his team. He was therefore
somewhat taken aback when he opened the dossier to read the first
heading.
     
    Identifying nurturing and encouraging investment by companies
and individuals expressing an interest in developing motion picture
opportunities in New Zealand.
     
    Senator Weisner could not think of a single film or TV show he
had ever seen that originated from that small country. He was
expecting to be dealing with political, even military, influence.
How was encouraging Hollywood to make some kind of film in New
Zealand going to encourage people to want to go and live there?
Weisner sighed. This was going to be even harder than he expected.
The title of the following chapter, however, whetted his
politician’s appetite:
     
    Maintaining the diplomatic and economic status quo whilst
ensuring there is no Free Trade Agreement between the US and NZ
until 2015 and beyond.
     
    Now that was more his sphere of interest and
influence.
    And so, in the late summer of 1997, the seeds were sown. All
the Administration had to do now was to wait patiently. No one
would even be able to detect the germination phase; that took place
out of sight; subtle, unnoticeable. Eventually a combination of
apparently unrelated factors would come together to create the
environment for the next phase of the program to take its course.
No-one was directly controlling what was happening since no one
person or group could be seen to be influencing the decisions that
were being made as a result of that initial secret meeting in July
1997.
    For the experiment and the migration manipulation policy to
work, it had to be left to take its own course.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    David and Katherine Turner pulled away from the hotel and
headed down the street. After five minutes they realised they were
heading into the city, not away from it. “We need to be going
south. Are we going in the right direction, David? Pull over
there.” Katherine was pointing to a small car park. “Let’s get our
bearings and work out a proper route.”
    David remembered being told about maps in the glove box. “Look
at this lot. This is a bit generous.” There was clearly more than
the usual basic tourist information. There were detailed maps of
both islands as well as a plain white envelope marked 'Private and
Confidential'.
    Katherine handed it to him. “This must be your Mission
Impossible tape, Tom.”
    David hesitated before taking it. “Do you think I should read
what’s in it?”
    “I don’t see the harm in reading something, do you? Have a
look while I work out these mobile phones.”
    David was hoping it contained some answers. He felt he had
earned the right to at least some of the detail, if that was what
the envelope contained. He read it to himself.
     
    The world’s supply of oil is running out. Experts predict
that within one hundred years all projected reserves will have been
extracted. The industrialised world in which we now live will slip
back to the dark ages within ten years. It is anticipated that
before this happens the major economic powers will have already
taken steps to secure the remaining stocks of oil, and that this
scramble for the last reserves will result in catastrophic global
conflict This scenario has been recognised by the major economic
powers for some years and they have all been working towards a
solution. The United States favours pursuing alternative forms of
energy, coupled with a decentralisation of primary industries. This
policy is not