Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:616;Page:11784] 
7.  
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
 to the  
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
: What level of support has New Zealand provided the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 
: 
 New Zealand has strongly supported regional action to restore the rule of law in the Solomon Islands from the time that New Zealand and Australia jointly reported on the situation in the Solomons to the Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers’ meeting in Sydney in June 2003. We subsequently provided 229 Defence Force personnel four helicopters 35 police officers and ongoing development assistance of at least $14 million per year. This has been a significant component in the success of the mission. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: What has been the response to New Zealand’s contribution to the Solomon Islands? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: We have had a hugely positive response from the Solomon Islands—whose Prime Minister visited us just 2 weekends ago—from Australia and from New Zealanders as a whole. But there was one exception to this apparently and that was the comments made in the  
Australian 
 this week by Don Brash who badmouthed New Zealand’s efforts and supported the view that New Zealand was not pulling its weight. Challenged by the New Zealand media to repeat and elaborate on those comments Dr Brash refused—apparently not being prepared to say to New Zealanders what he was caught out saying to Australians. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The last part of the Minister’s answer was out of order. 
Simon Power 
: How does the Minister’s answer to that last question then fit with comments made by the Australian High Commissioner Dr Allan Hawke who said on 15 August 2003: “Our future relationship is anything but certain.”? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The address made by Dr Hawke some time ago had absolutely nothing to do with the Solomon Islands— 
Simon Power 
: You brought up the relationship! 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It had absolutely nothing to do with the Solomon Islands and the member knows that. What I can say is that the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer has praised New Zealand’s contribution as being essential to the success of the mission in the Solomon Islands—which is quite different to what Dr Brash said. What an irony that the Australian Foreign Minister praises what we do and the leader of the National Opposition condemns it. 
Keith Locke 
: Could the Minister explain a little how our military and civilian contribution to the Solomons is helping the Solomon Islands people to restore their basic social services and to address the underlying problems in that country? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The critical thing that needed to be done in the Solomon Islands was to restore the rule of law. The New Zealand Police backed by the New Zealand military and working with the Australians and many other Pacific Islands Forum countries have been successful in arresting over 940 people laying 1630 charges and confiscating and destroying 3700-plus weapons. The restoration of stability has also led to the lifting of the travel advisory from New Zealand so tourism can get back under way. The assistance being given on the economic front will hopefully put that country back on its feet and give the people of the Solomon Islands a chance to get on with their lives for the first time in many years.