Simon Power National Rangitikei MP

10 November 2002

Decommissioned jets costing up to $300,000 per month

The National Party's calling on the Labour Government to spell out what's happening with the sale of the sky-hawks and aermacchi jet trainers.

"While this Government continues to cobble together a make-shift defence policy, the storage and maintenance of these aircrafts is costing the taxpayer more than $175,000 a month, and that's expected to rise to $300, 000 a month," says Rangitikei MP Simon Power.

The figures have been released to the National Party after written questions to the Minister of Defence.

"He's told us 47 parties have shown an interest in buying the aircraft, but he won't tell us which countries they represent or how many firm offers they've had," says Mr Power.

"The Government's decision to leave us defenceless in the air is costing the taxpayer up to $300,000 a month.

"That $300,000 a month would go a long way towards patching up the other planes in our air force that are falling apart," says Mr Power.

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