Dad's Air Force use by Navy a bizarre insult

new-zealand-national-party

Mon Feb 18 2002 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Dad's Air Force use by Navy a bizarre insult

Monday, 18 February 2002, 3:08 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Max Bradford National Defence Spokesperson

18 February 2002

"The Clark Government is using private aircraft for defence training which it could do with its own aircraft and pilots, National's Defence Spokesperson Max Bradford said today.

"At a time when the Government still has two Sky Hawks and two Macchis maintained in full flying condition, Defence Minister Burton has approved the use of three elderly Warbirds aircraft for providing maritime air combat training for HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Canterbury off Great Barrier Island.

"The Government paying for privately owned aircraft to train the Navy when there are properly equipped government-owned aircraft owned with trained air force pilots available, makes a mockery of the country's defence policy.

"This is just bizarre. It shows that disbanding our air combat wing is already proving to be dopey and unwise.

"How is it the Government can afford to pay for privately owned aircraft, when it is crying poor over being not able to maintain elderly war veterans in their retirement homes? The Defence Minister has again got his priorities sadly and badly wrong," said Mr Bradford.

Ends

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