Post-Cabinet Press Conference on NZ’s Involvement in Iraq

Post-Cabinet Press Conference on NZ’s Involvement in Iraq

In a press conference held today in Wellington, Prime Minister John Key answered questions regarding the decision to send New Zealand troops to Iraq in a training capacity.

Key was adamant to save the release of information regarding troops being sent to Iraq until his final statement tomorrow.

[Update - Transcript: Post-Cabinet Press Conference: Monday, 23 February 2015]

However, the Prime Minister stressed that New Zealand’s role in Iraq would be strictly a training role, and that we would “not be involved in combat.”

Key denied that he was sending NZ to war, and that over 60 other countries have pledged their assistance in a range of ways to the fight against ISIL.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that there is always a risk when sending troops into a combat zone, but flexibility is needed to protect our soldiers from harm without them actually being involved in direct combat.

Key also answered questions about the fruit fly crisis in Auckland, and was confident MPI were doing everything possible to contain the problem.

MPI are currently operating at level 2 of 4 in their crisis management approach and 7 million dollars has been invested into bio security to address current and future problems.

ENDS

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