John Carter - National Party Defence Spokesman
3 February 2005
Labour lets down Air Force again
National Party Defence spokesman John Carter says the grounding of a third Air Force plane on its way to help in tsunami
relief is another embarrassment for Labour.
He is commenting on the breakdown at Ohakea of a Boeing 757, the third breakdown of an Air Force relief plane in four
weeks.
"Here we go again. First it was the old Hercules, which something should have been about years ago, and now it is a
second-hand 757.
"It is disgraceful that our international reputation has descended to this level, and it is embarrassing when we can't
get our peacekeeping roles right, let alone our defence.
"How can we expect our defence staff to do their jobs properly when Labour will not give them reliable gear.
"Our Air Force is virtually falling out of the sky before our eyes, and it is time Helen Clark and Mark Burton did
something about it," Mr Carter says.
ENDS