PM Challenged to Come Clean on Defence Advice

Thursday 11 Jul 2002 Rodney Hide Press Releases -- Foreign Affairs & Defence

Prime Minister Helen Clark's claims that she had nothing to hide over "Corngate" and that she believed in "open government" lacked all credibility, ACT Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide claimed today.

"Helen Clark is a control freak who doesn't trust the public with the truth.

"Helen Clark has run down New Zealand's defence capability but has been refusing for over a year to release the advice that the Chief of Defence Carey Adamson gave her government.

"Helen Clark is refusing to release the documents on the basis they contain "free and frank advice". These documents concern the very security of the nation. The public have a right to know the risks Helen Clark's government have exposed us all to.

The documents being denied are the following with a summary of what I understand they contain:

· 15 August 2001 - CDF to Minister - Cancellation of Project Sirius

Details of the military risks of failing to upgrade the Orions.

· 17 January 2001 - CDF to Minister - Sustainable Defence Plan

The government's failure to provide a sustainable defence force.

· 9 March 2001 - CDF to Minister - Review of Options for Air Combat Capability

The implications of disbanding the air combat wing.

· 9 March 2001 - CDF to Minister- Maritime Patrol Review

An expose of why the Maritime Patrol Review was flawed.

· 16 March 2001 - CDF to Minister- Detection of Submarines by P-3 Orion Aircraft

The actual number of submarines the Orion's had detected contrary to Helen Clark's claims that none had ever been detected

· 9 April 2001 - CDF to Prime Minister

· 12 April 2001 - CDF to Prime Minister

Chief of Defence exercising his power to go over the Minister of Defence straight to the Prime Minister expressing his concern over the government's decisions and their impact on the security of the nation.

"Helen Clark should come clean. She says she has nothing to hide. She should release these documents immediately and allow the public of New Zealand to be the judge of the wisdom of the decisions her government has taken on behalf of their defence," Rodney Hide said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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