Max Bradford National Defence Spokesperson

27 March 2001

PM the one who should apologise

Reports today that Helen Clark's department approved the release of information about several submarines being spotted by the New Zealand Airforce Orions, prove the Prime Minister has no idea what is happening in her own department, National's Defence spokesman Max Bradford said today.

"Both her staff and Defence Minister Mark Burton's staff approved the information be released after a request to Chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshal Carey Adamson, under the Official Information Act.

"Next thing, she is pressurising Air Marshal Adamson to apologise for releasing the information, simply because it contradicted ill-advised statements she made to the press earlier this month.

"Miss Clark should be the one apologising to Air Marshal Adamson for her public tongue lashing of him over releasing factual information, a release which her department had approved.

"The revelation today that both her department and Mr Burton's department knew of, and approved, the release of the information proves that Helen Clark is inclined to shoot from the lip all too often these days.

"She should seek apologies from Mr Burton and Mark Prebble for their failure to advise her what the Defence Force was required to do under the law," Mr Bradford said.

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