Today on The Detail, Emile Donovan speaks to investigative journalist Ollie Neas about the company's deep ties with the US military and intelligence agencies, and whether our policies around space launches are in the country's national interests.

Rocket Lab was founded in 2006 by engineer and scientist Peter Beck.

Three years later, in 2009, it became the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to launch a rocket into outer space, from its idyllic launch site on the Mahia Peninsula, between Napier and Gisborne.

And over the past decade, the company has gone from strength to strength: attracting hundreds of millions of dollars in investment from companies like ACC, Callaghan Innovation, and US arms company Lockheed Martin.

Nelson-based investigative journalist Ollie Neas says the company has carved out a niche for itself as a premier space courier company.

"Rocket Lab likes to think of itself as the FedEx of space, essentially. The idea is it has these small rockets that it can launch quickly and cheaply, and that allows people to put satellites into orbit on a much faster basis, and at a far lower price, than in the past."

But Rocket Lab's clientele isn't as varied as its list of investors: in 2010 it was awarded a U.S government contract from the Operationally Responsive Space Office.

Since then it's gone on to deliver payloads on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) - one of the US government's largest intelligence agencies.

It's also carried out work on behalf of the Office of Naval Research - the main research agency for the United States Navy and Marine Corps - and the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is the Pentagon agency tasked with developing technologies that "maintain and advance the capabilities and technical superiority of the United States military". Continue reading

The trial of the former head of the Australian Catholic military diocese, Bishop Max Davis, is expected to run into next week.

The court has been told that Bishop Davis will testify.

Bishop Davis has denied the charges against him, which pertain to the time when he worked at St Benedict's College in New Norcia, WA.

The prosecution alleges he performed indecent acts on five students aged between 13 and 15, between 1969 and 1972.

The alleged acts reportedly came under the pretence of medical examinations or while the victims were seeking clarification on sex education.

But Bishop Davis's lawyer said other adult men at the school -a priest and a religious brother- could performed these acts.

Both are now dead.

Bishop Davis was ordained as a priest in 1971.

In his opening statement, Bishop Davis's lawyer said he would not dispute the victims had been sexually abused while at the college.

However, the lawyer said there were two other religious men who were known to have been involved in inappropriate behaviour with boys, and that the victims could have mistaken them for Davis.

The jury was told that Bishop Davis was the bishop for the Australian armed forces for 12 years, but had stood down from the role after the allegations surfaced.

Defence lawyer Sean Rafferty said Bishop Davis had always found this kind of conduct "utterly abhorrent".

Mr Rafferty told the jury that Davis was approached by several Year 12 students in 1971, who told him one of the brothers at the college had been behaving inappropriately.

He said Davis had taken that information straight to the abbot, and the brother had been immediately replaced.

Mr Rafferty told the jury it was likely some of the indecent acts against the victims could have been done by the brother, not Davis.

A victim who gave evidence on Tuesday rejected suggestions he was mistaken about who abused him telling the court, "It was Max Davis. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind."

Sources

• Sydney Morning Herald
• ABC (Trial day one)
• ABC (Trial day two)
• ABC (Trial day three)
• Image: Yahoo News

The vigils are among those to be held around New Zealand at 5pm on March 5 under the auspices of Peace Movement Aotearoa.

They will call for increased humanitarian assistance and diplomatic support for Middle East peace processes, as well as opposing military deployment.

Last week, Prime Minister John Key announced the deployment of up to 143 New Zealand military personnel to support training for Iraqi forces.

This is part of action against the Islamic State.

Other church-based organisations to arrange vigils on March 5 include the Quakers in Hamilton, Kapiti, Golden Bay and Nelson.

Further vigils have been confirmed for Auckland - at Aotea Square - and Wellington - at the Cenotaph.

Details of vigils in other towns and cities will be announced online when they are confirmed.

People who don't have a vigil in their area are advised to gather friends and family at 5pm on March 5.

At these gatherings, they are asked to light a candle for peace, and to take a photo of their gathering displaying the message "'Military deployment in Iraq? Not in our name".

The photo can be posted online.

On February 11, Peace Movement Aotearoa released an open letter opposing military deployment to Iraq and Syria.

New Zealand's Catholic bishops released a statement last week giving support to the New Zealand government's deployment of military trainers in Iraq.

The bishops stated that action against an unjust aggressor is justified.

Sources

• Scoop
• NZCBC
• Image: Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice

The bronze of the figure of the Risen Christ is a tribute to the Catholic military chaplains who served during World War I and in subsequent conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

It will hang on the wall of the Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Wellington.

The Unveiling will took place at the Cathedral on Monday 14 July.

Archbishop John Dew led the service.

He was joined by Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan, and Bishop of Dunedin, Colin Campbell.

This Tuesday the Bishops will lead a Pilgrimage to the grave of Fr Patrick Dore MC MID in Foxton.

Fr Patrick died of his wounds at Chunuk Bair helping the medical officer attending to other wounded soldiers. His 'most gallant conduct' was honoured with a Military Cross.

"Their ministry ensured that our soldiers who were serving their country and putting their lives at risk for our freedom were cared for in times of great danger and sacrifice, a long way from home, and isolated from families and communities," Archbishop Dew said.

"This bronze of the Risen Christ and the coming together of the Armed Forces and Catholics is a way to recognise and honour the service of so many Catholic military chaplains, priests who put their lives at risk to minister to soldiers serving in theatres of war and places of conflict or unrest," he said.

"The presence of chaplains meant that soldiers could be given pastoral care, such as Christian burial rights, the last rites in their final moments, which meant some comfort to soldiers and their families in a time of tragic loss."

"Some chaplains, as well as pastoral care, took part in active duty alongside other soldiers."

"The documented history of these men shows clearly they too displayed gallant conduct like many of their comrades that served in the Great War," said Dew.

The bronze was commissioned by Fr Brian Fletcher when he was Catholic Chaplain to Burnham Military Camp.

On closure of St Michael's Chapel, it was gathered, with other artefacts from St Patrick's Chapel Waiouru, for presentation on an appropriate occasion.

The date for commemoration was chosen as it's the anniversary of Fr Patrick Dore's MC MID death.

New Zealand Military Chaplains Roll of Honour

James McMenamin
Patrick Dore MC MID
T B Segrief
R Richards MC
T W P Price
PJ O'Neill,
P OFlynn
W J Murphy
J C Murphy
O M Doyle
N B Moloney
P J Minogue
C Lacroix
L J Daly
T Kinkead
J Duffy
T Connolly
W Skinner
L Spring
JJ Fletcher
Bishop H W Cleary OBE
J T Brennan
M J Bleakley
F S Bartley
J F M Barra
J Kingan M C
V Callaghan
W Sheely
T Hayes
T Cloher
E Ryan
E Forsman
F Cullen
J Cullen
J Mcneil
J Rolland
M Ryan
E Cashman
F Scott
J Collins
F Columb
P Cronin
M Cahill
C Crosbie
T Duffy
P Foy
G Broad
J Hally
J Henley
P Holland
J Martin
R Marlow
J Murphy
T Power
A Welsh
E Joyce
N Berridge.

Source
Supplied: NZCBC

In some ways Latifa's story is heroic. To be a Colonel in the military takes some doing. To achieve this as a woman in a strongly male dominated culture is something of a triumph. Latifa deserves credit for her achievements.

However, like many heroic stories, this one has a fatal flaw. An irritant that can turn the story inside out and upside down making it hard to understand at face value, and making sure it gets under our skin.

In this story the hero has to risk, and perhaps sacrifice, her child's life in the pursuit of what she considers the greater good. Shades of the Christian crucifixion story.

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Sande Ramage is an Anglican priest and blogger