By Bryce Edwards* Opinion - This week New Zealand was officially pronounced the second most peaceful nation on Earth - just behind Iceland - in the publication of the annual Global Peace Index. New Zealand's high "peacefulness" score was based on the country's low amount of violence, conflict and terrorism. Defence Minister Peeni Henare said defence spending is 'business as usual'. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone However, New Zealand was marked down in the results this year because of "an increase in weapons imports and military expenditure." You can read the full report here: Global Peace Index 2021. Also in this last week, Labour has reconfirmed that the massive increases in defence spending agreed to during the last term of government are to be largely retained.