Latest report confirms LAV purchase bungled

Tuesday 8 Feb 2005 Rodney Hide Press Releases -- Other

ACT Leader Rodney Hide today described Labour's highly controversial purchase of the 105 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) as Helen Clark's bungle.

"The Controller and Auditor-General's report tabled in Parliament today tells us nothing that we didn't know at the time of the purchase. The Chief of Defence himself said he didn't want 105 LAVs. They were foist on him by Helen Clark.

"The purchase of the 105 LAVs was driven by Helen Clark's driving desire to disband the combat air-wing. That's what drove her thinking. So now we have no combat air-wing and 105 LAVs that we don't know what to do with or how to use.

"It's a shocking, shocking waste.

"There are two people responsible for this: Helen Clark and Mark Burton. They are the ones that need to be held to account for such appalling decision-making," said Mr Hide.

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For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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