[Sitting date: 04 December 2014. Volume:702;Page:1. Text is subject to correction.]

1. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Minister of Defence : Has the Government given instructions to the Defence Force to begin preparations for deployment to the Middle East against ISIS?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Defence): No , there has been no decision on any deployment to the Middle East beyond existing missions.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Is he aware as Minister that soldiers from Second First Battalion and 1 Battalion are in Waiōuru right now and that the Defence Force has, using its words, “made its own determination to prepare troops for a possible deployment to the Middle East”; if so, why would they do that?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : Post the discussions that took place in the House yesterday, I did ask that question of the Defence Force. They explained to me that in line with what they had previously stated, and published, I think, by the New Zealand Herald on Tuesday morning, they were looking at matters that could not be done in a hurry if they were asked to answer the question. But no instruction has been issued; no decision has been made. No soldier should anticipate any deployment at all.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Is he concerned that the army would begin such large-scale preparations for war engagement, bringing together soldiers from across New Zealand to conduct annual weapons qualifications and laws of armed conflict training, feeding and housing those troops away from their home camps, and sizing them up for expensive new body armour at great expense to the taxpayer, all without instructions from him to do so, and without the army informing him of what it is up to?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : I would be more worried if the army was not engaging in training and simply lolling about the place, resting up, hoping nothing happens.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Is it likely that the Government will deploy a company-sized force of infantry to Iraq to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS); if not, why is a company-sized infantry force being trained in Waiōuru right now?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : Despite the assertions of the Rt Hon Winston Peters, the Government has ruled out engaging in combat in Iraq. Further, we have made it very clear that if we were to be engaged in the fight against ISIS, it would be on the basis of intelligence, humanitarian aid, and capacity building for the Iraqi forces. All of those points were made in the Prime Minister’s speech on 5 November, which I am sure the member has read.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Is it not true that the Commander, Joint Forces—the commander when our forces are deployed overseas—is now threatening soldiers training for Iraq that they will be charged if they talk to media or members of Parliament about the pre-deployment training they are currently conducting?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : Given that there is no decision to deploy troops to Iraq, I really cannot comment on that. It is simply speculation, much like the ferry touched the bottom. [Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER : Order!

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Is it not a fact that he as Minister cancelled his planned visit with the Commander, Joint Forces to the troops currently undergoing training for Iraq so that he could deny any knowledge of the true preparations for war that are going on?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : No, that is absolutely incorrect. I was actually recently in Halifax and Washington with the Commander, Joint Forces. Tomorrow I will be at the Devonport naval base for a passing-out parade for young naval ratings and officers.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I did not ask about Halifax. I did not ask about Devonport. I talked about the troops currently—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member will resume his seat. The question started: “Is it not a fact …”. The Minister immediately answered to say no, it was not a fact.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My fact was to do with a specific locale or site.

Mr SPEAKER : The member has had plenty of time—[Interruption] Order! I am on my feet. The member has had plenty of time to frame his questions. He started his questions with “Is it not a fact …” and then went on about cancelling a visit. The Minister, when he rose to his feet, said no. Effectively, he was saying it is not a fact.

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE : Speaking to the point of order, it is, of course, a very well-known fact that the Rt Hon Winston Peters has a lot of trouble understanding what—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! And that is not a valid point of order.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Mr Speaker—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! Is this a supplementary question?

Rt Hon Winston Peters : No, Mr Speaker.

Mr SPEAKER : Then before the member starts, I just want to clarify whether the member is in anyway contesting a ruling I have just given, or is he raising a fresh point of order?

Rt Hon Winston Peters : I am raising a fresh point of order, because the question that I sought to ask had to do with only one specific location, and I got two locations that were never referred to.

Mr SPEAKER : Order! I have ruled that the Minister addressed the question. If the member has further supplementary questions, he should use them. But to continue to relitigate once I have given a ruling will lead to disorder.

ENDS

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