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Scoop Audio: Key on The Cycle Way to Afghanistan
Scoop Audio: PM’s Press Conference – The Cycle Way, to Afghanistan
By Spike Mountjoy
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The Prime Minister said his long term strategy is for New Zealand to exit Afghanistan - putting the kibosh on calls for New Zealand to colonise the country. But Key gave the strongest signal yet that he will authorise the redeployment of specialised SAS combat troops in mid August. Cabinet will make a decision on redeployment after the release of a report looking into New Zealand’s commitments there.
Bringing Afghanistan closer to home, Key tried to connect our role there to the recent bombing in Jakarta.
“[Jemaah Islamiah] are just another of these terrorist offshoots, and whether it’s the Taliban or Al Qaeda, or any of the others - if you lose control of Afghanistan then you're leaving that country, and potentially others, exposed as a breeding ground for global terrorism; and I can’t see how that’s in New Zealand’s best interests.”
The PM said he would like to see NZ reconstruction troops exit Bamyam Province which is an expensive deployment. He also said he wouldn’t like to see our troops used to train the Afghan Police or Army which is a particularly dangerous task.
Much closer to home, Key confirmed that he has not done a cost benefit analysis for the proposed cycleway, but instead quoted figures from the UK which, he said, showed a return of $18 for every $1 invested for a similar project there. The PM said he hopes local councils will contribute to the network’s construction, and that he considers such spending as core council business. He agreed that Rodney Hide might disagree.
Also discussed: Construction of the new Kopu bridge begins; the project will cost just under $50m and take three years to complete. The National Party conference will be held this weekend, where a new party president will be chosen to replace Judy Kirk, who is standing down. The Law Commission’s report into alcohol policy is due out on Thursday.
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