Te Tairawhiti MP, Tuariki Delamere, said today he was deeply disappointed the Government had again declined to award a
posthumous Victoria Cross to Lance-Sergeant Haane Manahi.
"I believe today's announcement of a New Zealand honours system for bravery would have been the proper time for this
long-standing injustice to have been righted," he said.
"I have carefully examined the reasons given by the Prime Minister for the decision, but I find I cannot agree with
them.
"Why did we bother to go to all the trouble of setting up a New Zealand-based honours system, only then to find we
still have to crawl back to Britain when we want to award a medal?
"When are we ever going to break away from the apron strings of Britain in these matters?" said Mr Delamere.
Ends