Keith Locke

The Green Party has attacked Max Bradford's "green light" to the purchase of F-16 jets.

"It's an abuse of power to make such a large long-term financial commitment just four months out from an election which National is likely to lose," said Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke.

"The Green Party will push hard in the new Parliament for an incoming Labour-led government to cancel the contract.

"The F-16 purchase is another nail in the National government's coffin. There is huge public opposition to it.

"An air combat force is irrelevant to our real defence needs, which centre on peacekeeping, disaster relief and fisheries protection," said Mr Locke.

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