7 August 2005

Democrats Only Choice For Effective Defence

A Party Vote for Democrats for Social Credit is now the only choice for New Zealanders concerned about the state of the nation's Defence Forces, says Defence Spokesman and Otago candidate Richard Prosser.

Mr Prosser, a long-time civilian Defence commentator, said that National's abrogation of its responsibility to provide a sensible Defence policy meant that there was now little to separate the party from the current Labour-led Government.

"They're virtually the same on economics, virtually the same on foreign ownership, they copy each other's policies about Law and Order, and the Treaty, like kids drawing pictures, and now they're the same on Defence," Mr Prosser said. "National's Defence cop-out yesterday is as big a betrayal of the NZDF and the New Zealand public as was Helen Clark's unmandated disbandment of the Air Combat Force. They've gone soft on Defence, and they simply don't understand the necessities and realities of it," he said. "People aren't leaving the forces because of poor pay or conditions, they're leaving because the equipment and tasking given to the military in this country is becoming increasingly non-military in nature."

Mr Prosser said that while some other third parties had sensible attitudes towards Defence, only the Democrats had a comprehensive policy including a full and balanced force with a purpose-driven structure.

"New Zealand can't be defended by LAVIII's or Boeing 757's, and neither have the dangers the world faced before 9/11 gone away because of it," Mr Prosser said. "Democrats for Social Credit is the only Party which regards Defence as a priority, and which has a policy designed to meet all the threats New Zealand may face, rather than, as National and Labour appear to be doing, just the few they choose to believe in," he said.

ENDS

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