Phil
Goff
Defence Spokesperson
6 May 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Government intended to keep damaging report secret
Minister of Defence, Jonathan Coleman clearly hoped that criticism made in a Court of Inquiry Report embarrassing the
Government would remain hidden from the public, says Labour Defence spokesperson, Phil Goff.
“The Court of Inquiry’s report into the death of Corporal Doug Hughes says that New Zealanders serving their country and
putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan were not given proper preparation or resourcing to minimise the risk of
harm.
“The report’s findings are a damning indictment on the government.
“The specific finding that Defence Minister Coleman wanted to be kept secret was that the Crib 19 Commanding Officer and
Warrant Officer believed that the soldiers were not adequately prepared prior to deployment in Afghanistan. In the words
used in the report they ‘felt they had no choice but to deploy the force element anyway’.
“The Government’s first responsibility to soldiers whose lives they are putting at risk is to minimise that risk,” Phil
Goff said.
“To deploy our troops without doing that is negligent and irresponsible. The Court of Inquiry found that failure to
deliver the full training required created ‘considerable risk’.
“The Minister must tell New Zealanders why this was allowed to happen and why he didn’t want that made public. The
section of the report I released does not touch in any way on the privacy of Corporal Hughes and his family. His family
want the truth to be made public.
“Jonathan Coleman should front up and be accountable for the failure and other serious failures listed in the Court of
Inquiry Report,” Phil Goff said.
ENDS