Defending New Zealand

"Minister of Disarmament Mark Burton yesterday announced with pleasure the sale of the fast jet arm of the Air Force, not with sadness at the loss of capability, not with deep regret that in the best of economic times he couldn't make the case to fund combat aircraft, but surrounded by his anti-war protestor comrades," notes Libertarianz Defence Spokesman Robert Palmer. "The hapless minister continues to display his woeful ignorance on what the purpose of having a defence force is."

In stark contrast today, releasing the Libertarianz' Defence Policy, Libertarianz Defence Spokesman Robert Palmer said that "the chief difference between the Libertarianz Defence Policy for New Zealand and those of all the other parties is an insistence that New Zealand be defended."

Palmer declares as "outrageous" Labour's six years of cuts. Where for example has the Defence funding allocated to the F16 lease deal been reallocated? Not to new C130's transports as promised. "The claim that the scrapping of air combat aircraft will continue to restore the overall defence capability lost in the nineties is pure spin-doctoring - the loss of capability this century, such as the air combat wing and the third frigate, is a much greater capability loss. This direction for defence doesn't make sense. That is, unless you are a minister of disarmament, when it is a major gain. Hence Burton's continued dissembling."

"No new hulls in the water, no new wings in the skies overhead - for six years the do-nothing minister has done what he does best," says Palmer. "Nothing."

Burton's job is to fight for "vote Defence" within the Government, not to be heading the disarmament cheer leading team. Palmer repeats again that what is missing, most of all from Defence is political leadership, political vision and a sense of purpose.

"Will the loss of combat aircraft today cost Kiwi lives in the future?", wonders Palmer. "History has shown us time and time again that ill-trained, ill-supported, ill-equipped and poorly-led forces suffer higher losses than any other. A country worth defending must be able and willing to defend itself." Palmer recommends that all other spokespersons of disarmament read a defence policy not
written by a yellow pacifist:

"It's Enough to Make You Vote Libertarianz."

ENDS

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