SAS activity should be disclosed

Richard Worth - National Defence Spokesperson

The Prime Minister’s stubborn insistence to down play the role of the SAS is an embarrassment to New Zealand and its defence forces, says National Defence spokesperson Richard Worth.

“The SAS is a key element in New Zealand’s diminishing armoury and when it is operationally deployed in a world hot spot, the public expect this will be disclosed rather than hidden.

“New Zealanders have a right to know the broad involvement of our SAS troops as much as Australians do. New Zealanders should not have to hear through a website discovered by journalists.

“The SAS is a force which all New Zealanders should be proud of. Its record of achievement in contributing to the resolution of conflicts should be more widely known and the bravery of its soldiers more widely recognised.

“The Prime Minister persists in her delusion that New Zealand defence strategy should be shaped by what she describes as a ‘benign strategic environment’ in which New Zealand sits.

“The SAS operations prove how far removed from reality the Prime Minister really is,” Mr Worth said.

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