Don Brash MP - National Party Leader

16 December 2004

Please explain Prime Minister

"The Prime Minister must explain why the relationship with Australia has deteriorated to the point that we are being left out of decisions affecting our own coastal waters," says National Party Leader Don Brash.

"The Government's clearly been caught by surprise."

Dr Brash is commenting on Australian plans to intercept ships once they are inside a 1000 nautical mile (1850km) security net, which stretches south of New Zealand to north of Indonesia.

"Close friends would be talking to each other about these regional security matters.

"But Labour is clearly unconcerned by the growing gap with our nearest neighbour. Why else would the Prime Minister be missing in action on this issue?

"National takes New Zealand's security seriously. We, like the Government, are looking forward to learning more about the proposal," says Dr Brash.

ENDS

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