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Media Release - Embargoed until Saturday Morning

18 June 1999

Mrs Shipley - Get Our Soldiers Off The Bread Line - NZ First

"The Prime Minister should explain to lower ranked soldiers at Burnham today how her government is going to pay them a decent living wage and get them out of a poverty trap," says New Zealand First Defence spokesperson, Ron Mark.

Mrs Shipley is due to visit Burnham Camp today (Saturday).

Mr Mark says it is an ideal opportunity for her to learn firsthand about the plight of soldiers who are being paid as little as $13,000 as recruits.

"Most New Zealanders will be disgusted to learn that many of the soldiers they rely on to defend New Zealand have to rely on community service cards, the accommodation supplement and emergency benefits.

"These soldiers are living on welfare payments because their pay is so low they can't support their families.

"To make matters worse, they have to pay market rents for houses because the government no longer cares about housing them.

"We have reached Third World status with our troops. The government seems to expect them to live off the land or on charity while they train to defend our country," said Mr Mark.

"Mrs Shipley and her mean-fisted National government are only interested in the Army for the photo opportunities they provide for her on Anzac Days.

"She should explain today to the soldiers why her policies are aimed at training them to go from welfare to warfare," said Mr Mark.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>