﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 7, the Hon Phil Goff.
Hon PHIL GOFF (Labour—Mt Roskill) to the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs:
Will the Government support families who want to repatriate the remains
of family members buried in Malaysia who died while on deployment
between 1956 and 1969; if not, why not?
Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Veterans' Affairs): I respect the views of those families, but, no,
this Government is continuing the policy of previous Governments,
most recently reconfirmed by that member’s Government in 2007.
Hon Phil Goff: What considerations does the Government think should take precedence
over the wishes of those families whose husbands, brothers, and sons died
while serving their country in Viet Nam and in Malaysia who want their remains brought home?
Hon CRAIG FOSS: I am sure those matters are the same as those
that the previous Government considered when it recently reviewed this policy
and reconfirmed the policy that this Government has picked up.
There are many issues in and around this matter. There are many complex matters
that I am sure that member is aware of.
Hon Phil Goff: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question was about
what considerations should take precedence. I think the Minister is bound to give more than:
“Oh, the same ones that somebody else did.” I think he should be more specific.
Mr SPEAKER: I will hear from the Hon Simon Bridges.
Hon Simon Bridges: The member asked about, as he said, the considerations.
The Minister then went on to outline the same considerations
as the previous Government. That in itself was a full answer,
but he then went on to also talk about a range of complex factors.
Mr SPEAKER: I thank both members.
I agree with the points made by the Minister in this case.
I think that the question has been addressed.
Hon Phil Goff: When the Australian Government has offered to repatriate the remains of Australian soldiers
who died in Malaysia and Viet Nam and who are buried in Terendak in Malaysia,
why is it not possible or appropriate for the NZ Government to do the same thing for Kiwi soldiers
buried there whose families desperately want them home?
Hon CRAIG FOSS: Yes, I became aware of the Australia initiative in—
I do not know—March this year.
The Australians are absolutely able to do what they choose to do in their affairs.
They did not recently review the matter themselves, as far as I understand it,
as NZ recently reviewed the matter in 2007.
Hon Phil Goff: Given that the position of the RSA, which represents the interests of veterans,
has changed since the Government last considered this issue in 2007,
and that it is now calling for a change of policy and a full review of the repatriation of those—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can I have the question, please?
Hon Phil Goff: —who are buried overseas, why will he not back the RSA’s call
for that review and for a change?
Hon CRAIG FOSS: I am aware that when that member was interested in this issue
and took papers to Cabinet in 2007, which were picked up by the Hon Rick Barker,
the points around the RSA point of view at the time were for the status quo.
I am not aware of any official change in the RSA’s position, although I am aware
that some members are considering it.
Hon Phil Goff: I seek the leave of the House to table two emails. One is from the RSA
setting out its change in policy, and the second is from the Minister’s own department
asking for a copy of the RSA’s change of policy. How he does not know—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Leave is sought to table those two emails. Is there any objection?
There is not. They can be tabled.
[MEMBERS SHOUT]
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Hon Phil Goff: Does he accept that if the Government rejects the wishes
of the families who want their loved ones brought home,
its claims to honour the fallen veterans and their families on whom the burden
of their loss fell most heavily will sound rather hollow to those families?
Hon CRAIG FOSS: I take offence at that, actually. I carry out my role,
and I carry the burden of this office and the respect of veterans and their families
and the values that they stood and fought for for this country very, very seriously.
[MEMBERS SHOUT]
Mr SPEAKER: Question No 8, Todd Muller.
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