Press Release
For Immediate Release

7 October 1999

Duynhoven’s Demark junket disgusting

“Taxpayers will be disgusted at the hypocrisy. They footed the bill to pay for Harry Duynhoven and his Labour colleague Geoff Braybrooke to swan around Europe admiring Danish frigates,” said New Plymouth National candidate Len Jury today.

“This junket was a farce because Labour is by no stretch of the imagination interested in purchasing frigates. Only last month Labour made it clear it wants to get rid of the frigates in our navy.”

Labour leader Helen Clark said on national radio, a few weeks ago, that a bluewater frigate navy was not part of Labour’s long-term plans. She also said Labour might cancel the deal to lease 28 F-16s from the US.

“Labour wants to narrow New Zealand’s defence capabilities and develop a land-based niche defence force instead. They prefer to take an isolationist approach. When it comes to regional security, Labour is not interested in pulling its weight.”

National’s New Plymouth candidate Len Jury said the East Timor Crisis was a wake up call for Labour.

“With the overwhelming number of New Zealanders strongly supporting an active role in the East Timor mission, Labour soon realised that it had misread voters attitude towards defence and in particular the issue of frigates.”

Mr Jury said in a bizarre U-turn Labour MPs are now excitingly boasting the credentials and capabilities of the Danish Standard Flex 3500 frigates.

“With the election on our doorstep Labour is trying desperately to re-position itself on the frigate issue. However voters won’t be sucked in. What’s more, the fact that taxpayers had to pay for Harry Duynhoven’s recent electioneering junket to Denmark will fail to impress a single person,” said Mr Jury.

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Len Jury
Phone (06) 751-1270

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