Wayne Mapp National Foreign Affairs Spokesperson

5 November

Prime Minister must clear up confusion

Tonight the Prime Minister was examined during the Estimates Debate on the Security Intelligence Service. She said that the confidential intelligence briefings to the Leader of the Opposition would settle the concerns about the quality of information received by the New Zealand SIS on Indonesian terrorism, says National's Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wayne Mapp.

"In itself that is extraordinary. Those briefings are not supposed to be in the public domain and the Prime Minister knows that. She has now decided to use these briefings in a political way.

"The implication is that the confidential briefing would demonstrate that the New Zealand SIS briefings about Indonesian terrorism would have mentioned Bali.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs has specifically said Bali was never mentioned, even as an example of a potential target.

"The Prime Minister has now added confusion by her public reference to confidential briefings, the content of which she knows cannot be disclosed.

"The question to be answered is whether Mr Goff's public statement is correct or does the Prime Minister have secret information, which mentioned Bali.

"Prime Minister Howard felt able to state in the Australian Parliament that Bali was mentioned in the Australian intelligence briefings. For the sake of the security of our nation the Prime Minister must clear up the confusion of whether or not Bali was mentioned in the New Zealand intelligence briefings," says Dr Mapp.

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