PSA MEDIA RELEASE
August,16 2007
For Immediate Use

PSA Pleased At The Process And Outcome In Troop Transport Case

The Public Service Association is pleased with the way Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, has handled his investigation into his Ministry's actions concerning the transport of Australian military personnel to the Middle East by Air New Zealand.

"We are pleased that Mr Peters took the time to talk to the Ministry's chief executive, Simon Murdoch, so he could establish the facts surrounding Mr Murdoch's involvement in the matter," says PSA National Secretary, Brenda Pilott.

Mr Murdoch has today acknowledged that in hindsight he can see that he made an error in not passing on information, that he received in January, about the troop transport in June, and has apologised for this error.

He has also accepted personal responsibility for not recognising, in January, that the subsequent transporting of the Australian troops to Kuwait could become a sensitive matter for the Government.

"We applaud Mr Murdoch for owning up to his mistake and apologising for any embarrassment that it has caused the Government," says Brenda Pilott.

"We also applaud Mr Peters for accepting that apology, in the light of Mr Murdoch's distinguished career, and the fact that until now he has led a Ministry that has been virtually mistake free."

The PSA agrees with the way the way the Minister and his chief executive have handled this matter.

"We believe there's a lesson to be learnt here," says Brenda Pilott. "It's very easy to point the finger of blame at public servants who often aren't free to defend themselves."

"We hope that in future that there won't be such a rush to line up public servants as possible scapegoats when the Government comes under fire."

ENDS

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