“The Labour/Alliance Government is hypocritical in its treatment of the Centre for Strategic Studies for its alleged leak of a letter implying sedition on the part of the Army,” Party Leader Graham Capill said.

“In opposition, Labour criticised the National government for not protecting a whistle blower who reported problems in the health system in Wanganui. Legislation was subsequently passed to protect such a person. Now we have a situation where someone is alleged to have exposed a conspiracy that amounts to sedition in the Army, but instead of taking the matter seriously, the government has become defensive and ‘shot the supposed messenger’.

“Clearly Defence Headquarters needs a shake up and those responsible for such tactics should be held to account. Instead of cutting funding to the Centre for Strategic Studies, it should be listening to the advice which clearly has identified key issues and drawn them to the Government’s notice. That, surely, is what the centre is tasked to do.

“When will the Prime Minister take defence seriously and be consistent in her handling of whistle blowers who have without doubt exposed an unacceptable situation?” Mr Capill asked.
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