4. Question No. 4—DefenceHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of DefenceQuestion No. 4—Defence4. Hon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Defence: Is it his intention to continue the deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq beyond 2019?Hon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Ultimately those decisions are for Cabinet to make. This Government will undertake a strategic reassessment in early 2019. All options will be on the table at that point in time. Those decisions will be made around the strategic situation our values our independent foreign policy and how we think that this Government might make a difference to the lives of the Iraqi people. Hon James Shaw: Does he agree that continued military involvement of outside forces has actually further destabilised the region and made it easier for terror groups to recruit and has led to an increase in violence rather than a decrease? Hon RON MARK: No we don't. We're confident that the independent principles-based decision that Cabinet made yesterday was the right thing to do. I think I would add that for Iraq to become a prosperous nation once again for its people to enjoy a quality of life that we enjoy and for them to enjoy the well-being and the support of a good Government such as we enjoy they need security. Security is paramount to the well-being of the people of Iraq and I think that is the greatest contribution we're able to make at this time. But again come next year this Government will reassess the situation. Hon James Shaw: Does he agree that if New Zealand were to play a role beyond 2019 then the New Zealand public would rather it be focused on building schools and roads and hospitals rather than a seemingly never-ending military engagement?Hon RON MARK: We understand that that is the view of some people and we would share those views that ultimately that is where we would like Iraq to be. Right now the most important thing is to guarantee security. Right now where we can make a strong contribution along with our Australian partners is to improve the quality of the security forces there and thereby lend greater security. For NGOs to be able to deliver to those people they need security. We've seen examples in Sudan where the wonderful efforts of NGOs have been interdicted by the lack of security. I would also point out that in Afghanistan alone this Government over the years since 2001 has put in over $100 million in aid. There's another $2 million to the UN Development Programme and there is about $3.5 million going into the UN Development Programme around technical assistance for de-mining support.Hon James Shaw: Well would he agree that the money that we spend on these military deployments would be better spent on humanitarian aid and reconstruction?Hon RON MARK: I guess a quick add-up of the cost of all of the deployments that the Government has just announced comes to a grand total of about $31.4 million bearing in mind that a couple of those deployments are for two years not one year. Ultimately the Government will in time—and I think next year—look at how we can make a contribution. It may well be that there may not be a military contribution; the focus may be on humanitarian assistance. Of course we'd like to build hospitals. Of course we'd like to help build schools. Of course we'd like to help re-establish the infrastructure. Iraq in particular is looking at a $100 billion bill for reconstruction but $31.4 million is not going to build a new school it's not going to build a new hospital and it's not going to rebuild the infrastructure. It can make a substantive difference to the NGOs who are delivering that sort of support and thereby enhancing security.