Shipley claims rejected
2 October 2001 Media Statement
Shipley claims rejected
Claims by embattled National Party MP Jenny
Shipley that the Government has not done enough to state its
support for the United States have been rejected by Deputy
Prime Minister Jim Anderton.
Jim Anderton was the Acting Prime Minister when the attacks occurred.
"Mrs Shipley is making these allegations at some cost to her own credibility. New Zealand has been unflinching in expressing our grief and our willingness to help in any way we can.
"As Acting Prime Minister on the day of the attacks I sent a message to President Bush at 4 a.m., and stated New Zealand's support in a news release and press conference at 9 a.m., in a Ministerial statement to parliament, in a motion I moved in the House, and in an address to a commemorative service."
- Message to President Bush at 4
a.m. on 12 September:
"The people of New Zealand share
your sense of outrage and pain."
- News release issued at
a.m. on the day of the attacks:
"We must see this attack
not only as an attack on the United States, but as an attack
on all civilised nations….We will stand ready to offer help
in any way we can."
- Ministerial statement:
"The
perpetrators of this violence must be brought swiftly to
justice…The international community must work together to
find everyone who has made this happen, and to punish them.
New Zealand will stand with all other democratic countries
to do whatever is necessary to prevent and remove threats to
peace and the devastating scourge of terrorism."
- House
resolution:
Expressing "New Zealand's strong resolve to
work with all other countries in the international community
to stamp out terrorism and swiftly to bring terrorist to
justice."
- Address at St Paul's cathedral commemorative
service;
"We resolve that we will stand against such
acts of terror, and demand that those responsible be brought
to
justice."
ENDS