Gudgeon Bill: War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading 
Gudgeon Bill: War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading 
[Volume:606;Page:3950] 
BILL GUDGEON (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First supports this bill not only because it is right to do so but also in recognition of our servicemen and servicewomen who have served our nation with distinction established our citizenship and made it known throughout the free world. Before going any further I would like to compliment and thank previous speakers from parties throughout this House who have recognised this. 
In recent gatherings that I have attended with servicemen and servicewomen throughout the country this matter has been a very popular topic. Many are still not aware of what is available to them that might be of assistance in their later years. Comment received from veterans under retirement age and in receipt of a veterans pension is that they are aware of people on the unemployment benefit who work extra hours above and beyond what they are entitled to and who are not penalised unlike the abatement scheme that servicemen and servicewomen are subject to. In my view a recommendation should be made to the officials from the Ministry of Social Development to progress this issue; a special case should be presented to the ministry in favour of our servicemen and servicewomen. 
On page 5 of the commentary on the bill it states: “At this time the issue of the definition of war or emergency in relation to eligibility for a veteran’s pension was concerned primarily with the status of service in Malaya and Indonesia. In 1995 service in Malaya and Indonesia was considered as routine service only”—that is an indictment on the thousands of men who served in that area—“for the purpose of accessing a war disablement pension under the War Pensions Act 1954 and therefore was not qualifying service for a veteran’s pension … In 1999 the Government recognised service in the Malayan Emergency Indonesian Confrontation and on the Thai/Malay border … Initially some restrictions were applied to the service requirements for these emergencies. However these restrictions were removed in June 2002.” 
When we hearken back to the years of service that our fellow men have given in these theatres why was it only in June 2002 that that service was recognised? Let me put this from the perspective of the people who served there. There was a war and the Victoria Cross was awarded to a member of a Gurkha battalion that was attached to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. A member of our own Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment received medallic recognition of his acts of bravery in saving members of his own platoon. 
New Zealand First supports the bill and will also support further amendments that will enhance the personal conditions of our veterans in recognition of their unselfish service in putting their lives on the line for Queen and country. 
I remember a quote from a former battalion commander of the 28th Maori battalion Colonel Awatere: “We have won the war and now for the battle.” I wondered what he meant by saying “now for the battle” on returning to New Zealand and to the service of his country and the men who had served with him those who suffered through being wounded and those who had died and were buried over there in the countries that we see commemorated around this House. I now realise what Colonel Awatere meant. What was the battle he was talking about? Was it for their living conditions? Was it for the conditions of their homes? Was it for their health? Was it to be recognised? It was not that they wanted to be recognised because they were men who would never ever ask for a handout. And I speak for all the servicemen and servicewomen of New Zealand having experienced these things personally. I talk to my fellow servicemen and servicewomen but they will never ever ask for a handout. 
I recognise the remarks made by Mr Hide. It should be our duty regardless of our political affiliation to recognise the service that these people of our country rendered for us. We are bound by it and it is our duty to give this recognition to the people who did that for us. 
I remember that we were invited to go to see the Prime Minister of that time Mr Holyoake. We received a message through our radios: “Your Prime Minister is visiting you.” We were on operations on the Thai border so we tossed a coin to decide who would go. We must have walked about 3 to 4 hours through those jungles in Thailand and Malaya to see our Prime Minister. None of us at that time thought about politics or anything to do with politicians but because a Prime Minister had taken it upon himself to visit his troops who were serving our country we felt honoured. I did not realise how short he was until I saw him. We called him “Kiwi Keith”. 
It is our responsibility regardless of our culture our race and our religious affiliation to recognise the servicemen and servicewomen of this nation. We are a proud nation. We have some of the best servicemen and servicewomen in the world. They are professional and able to carry out their responsibilities and duties regardless of the risks they face which are accepted by them before they go away. I admonish this House to support the bill and anything that will enhance the living conditions of these men and women because they will never ask us for it. They never will. We honour them and if members do not believe that they should go to the Anzac Day celebrations and learn what they have done for us. I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on behalf of our servicemen and servicewomen. 
Bill read a third time.