A Farewell To The New Zealand Troops Being Deployed East Timor

Sunday 19th Sep 1999 Richard Prebble Media Release -- Foreign Affairs & Defence

19 September 1999

Rt Hon Jenny Shipley
The Prime Minister
PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Dear Prime Minister

Re: A Farewell To The New Zealand Troops Being Deployed East Timor

I see from the media that the Prime Minster of Australia, John Howard, has gone today to Darwin to farewell the Australian troops who will shortly be embarking on the potentially very hazardous peacekeeping mission to East Timor.

I believe that the New Zealand Armed Forces deserve to also be symbolically farewelled.

Our Armed Forces go to East Timor with the support of the whole of New Zealand.

This letter is to request that you ask the Governor General, Sir Michael Hardie-Boys, to travel to Darwin to farewell the New Zealand troops.

I believe that the Governor General is the appropriate person to farewell our New Zealand troops. He is, of course, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces more importantly, he is non political and his going will be a symbol of the support that our troops have from the whole nation.

I believe that if you, or a Minister, were to go some would regard that as partisan.

Just as John Howard has thought it necessary to travel to Darwin, it is appropriate that someone goes from New Zealand.

I do urge you to act on this request.

Yours sincerely

Hon Richard Prebble
CBE LEADER, ACT NEW ZEALAND
MP WELLINGTON CENTRAL

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