Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Defence
16 February 2008
Media statement
Goff welcomes recovery of national treasures
Defence Minister Phil Goff said that he was delighted and relieved at the recovery of the medals, including nine VCs,
stolen from the Waiouru Army Museum late last year.
“These medals are New Zealand’s national treasures, with a value beyond any monetary worth. New Zealanders will be both
delighted and relieved that the VCs and other medals have been recovered.
“I would like to thank and congratulate the Police for their work in recovering the medals and to thank the two
businessmen for their generosity in putting up money as a reward for information leading to the recovery of the medals.
“Along with other New Zealanders I also hope that those responsible for the theft will, in due course, be held to
account.
“The theft of the medals was a wake-up call for the need for a much higher level of security for them. The Defence Force
is committed to allowing public access to the VCs. They should be available for the New Zealand public to see, as a
celebration and reminder of the courage of the New Zealanders who won them.
“But it is also obvious that in future we will need the assurance that this can be done in a way that does not put these
medals at risk. I have asked the Chief of Defence Force to work with the Defence Force museums to put in place measures
that allow public access while maintaining the necessary level of security,” Mr Goff said.
ENDS