The departure this morning of the Black Caps for Africa is a stark reminder of the New Zealand Government's failure to live up to its responsibilities on behalf of Kiwis to stop the tour.
"The overwhelming majority of New Zealanders are united in their opposition to this tour because they can see the atrocities Mugabe is committing and understand that sport and politics are inextricably linked," Green Co-Leader Rod Donald said.
"They expect the Government to do more than propose high-minded but ineffective motions in Parliament. Our sporting heroes are about to become pawns in Robert Mugabe's obscene power games, and the Government has done nothing to save them from that terrible fate."
Mr Donald said the Government's position on sporting contact with Zimbabwe was contradictory.
"The Government is refusing to pass legislation to stop the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe, saying that it is unwilling to undermine NZ Cricket's right to be free from government interference. However, it has already been quite willing to interfere in NZ Cricket's business by preventing Zimbabwe's tour to New Zealand in December from going ahead.
"Why is it that our cricketers' right to play in Zimbabwe is inalienable yet their right to play cricket with the Zimbabwe team in New Zealand is not? In truth, the Government's position is nothing more than hollow rhetoric. It's just a smokescreen to divert attention from the fact that the Government does have the political will to do what the majority of Kiwis want it to do: pass legislation to prevent the Black Caps' tour from going ahead."
Mr Donald said the tour proceeding was still not a certainty.
"The Black Caps' first match in Zimbabwe is scheduled for August 4, and the team will be in Namibia for the next week or so. Our Government could still find the courage to stop the tour.
"There is also the prospect that the fuel and food shortages in Zimbabwe will deteriorate to such a point that NZ Cricket will decide that it's unsafe for our team to be there anyway."
Mr Donald will be at Christchurch International Airport at 11am this morning to "farewell" the team.
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