McClay ToddHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua): Madam Speaker thank you very much. National won't be supporting this legislation because we are not convinced of the need for this at this time. Indeed whilst there are many things with the Defence Force that may well need addressing this is not the number one priority.This legislation has come about as a result of an inquiry the Government undertook. As the last speaker said the Defence Force has called for this: no the Defence Force hasn't called for that inquiry; it was the Government that did it and it was into allegations that were made against the New Zealand Defence Force claiming that they had caused civilian casualties during Operation Burnham in Afghanistan. This was at the time that we were in Government. It was looked at and considered fully and a decision was made that an inquiry was not needed. However jump forward the new Government called for an inquiry and launched it in 2008. The inquiry found no wrongdoing by SAS soldiers and at all times they complied with the rules of engagement and the laws of armed conflict and it said that New Zealanders therefore should have confidence in the fact that the New Zealand SAS on the ground did the right thing acted completely lawfully did nothing that was of a revenge attack acted in accordance with international law and did nothing wrong on that night. That was stated by the Attorney-General the Hon David Parker.We back our Defence Force. The last speaker spoke of those who have defended New Zealand stood up for freedom and the rights of others around the world and who gravely and sadly have lost their lives. The New Zealand Defence Force at all levels and Governments take their responsibility seriously. In opposing this legislation we send a very clear message to the men and women that have served and continue to serve on behalf of New Zealand that we respect them we thank them for their service and we thank them for their professionality.This will create additional bureaucracy at a time when the case has not been made clearly that it is required that there is something that needs fixing and that it is something that will assist and help. I would suggest that an area that we would be better to spend our time on is how to support the men and women that are part of the New Zealand Defence Force and the work that they do in an area that is extremely difficult.We take our responsibility in Opposition seriously also and have taken a long time to consider this issue but do not believe it's something that is going to assist in any way. Indeed if we look at the reason for it the inquiry was undertaken by the Government not because they suspected that there had been any action taken by our SAS that was inappropriate or unlawful but because of media pressure concerned by one or a very small number of individuals in the private sector—in the public—who raised an issue with this.Rather than looking at it and working with the Defence Force and considering it and making a decision it feels like the Government kicked it to touch and said We'll have an inquiry into it." They have the right and the ability to do that but at the same time that inquiry found that nothing—nothing at all—was wrong with the way the SAS had acted and found that they were lawful and responsible and that the procedures followed were correct they were appropriate and indeed in the words of the Attorney-General David Parker a member of the Government himself that New Zealanders should have confidence in the fact that the New Zealand SAS on the ground did the right thing acted completely lawfully did nothing that was a revenge attack acted in accordance with international law and did nothing wrong on the night.But we're creating another piece of bureaucracy. The Government says oversight as a result of claims that were made that were found not to be correct. And if that's the case then we will end up with much more bureaucracy in all parts of Government because people will make claims. It was investigated fully; it was investigated properly; the Government accepted the report and has decided to create additional regulation and cost around that.We won't be supporting this. We believe it is just more bureaucracy and more costs with negligible benefit. We would much rather see the $5 million the Government has said they have set aside used for other things in the Defence Force that will assist the Defence Force to assist the men and women who work very hard to represent New Zealand properly. And those are the reasons we're not supporting it.Debate interrupted."