Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:627;Page:21957] 
3.  
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
 to the  
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
: Would the Government accede to a request to send New Zealand troops into a combat role in Iraq? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Deputy Prime Minister) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
: No. The Labour-Progressive Government’s position has been absolutely consistent since before the start of the conflict in Iraq: we would not commit New Zealand to a combat role in Iraq. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: Has the Minister seen any reports of other proposals on this matter? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Yes I have seen four. One was to indicate support for sending combat troops. The second was to refuse seven times in a row to state a position. The third was to state that no final position could be arrived at without official advice. The fourth proposal was to state that under almost no circumstances would combat troops be sent to Iraq. All of those came from Dr Donald Brash—three of them within the space of 5 days. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. As the Minister is referring to various reports he has received relating to positions that he believes were taken by Dr Brash perhaps he could explain to the House his extraordinary turn-round in giving such a generous tertiary package today after saying just a short time ago that no money was available for such things. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member but that is not a point of order. 
Keith Locke 
: Is the Minister concerned that 39000 Iraqis have been killed since the 2003 invasion and that many of the Iraqis detained by the American forces have been seriously mistreated; and is that the reason why New Zealand will not send combat troops to Iraq? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Clearly the Government is concerned at the number of deaths in Iraq particularly the deaths of innocent civilians both during the invasion and subsequently as a result of a range of terrorist actions. The reason why the Government has not sent combat troops to Iraq—and will not send them—is that the Americans were never operating under United Nations auspices and the invasion could in fact be regarded as illegal as the United Nations itself has said. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: When the New Zealand Government committed forces to Iraq in a non-combatant role after the military invasion was that done as a result of a decision made by this Government or in response to a request from the United Nations or the United States? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: It was a decision by this Government in accordance with United Nations resolutions. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: Has the Minister seen any reports assessing proposals to commit New Zealand combat troops to Iraq? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Yes I have seen two. One stated that this issue has essentially gone and is no longer relevant at all. The second stated that it is too much to expect an answer from the man who wants to be Prime Minister on whether he would send our troops to war. The first assessment was from Dr Brash. The second after an interview was from a TV3 reporter. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Has the Minister seen the reports of the National Party leader Don Brash stating that he cannot conceive of a situation where New Zealand would send combat troops to Iraq; if not would he like a copy of the transcript? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Yes. That was indeed the fourth position that Dr Brash adopted and the third within 5 days. 
Rodney Hide 
: Does New Zealand have the capacity to send combat troops to Iraq even if it chose to and is that not the reason why the Minister of Defence said on 14 August 2003 when sending a team of engineers to Iraq that if shooting was to start their best option was to run? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: That is a misquotation from the member. Of course he is an expert in hiding rather than running. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. The Minister never addressed my question once and I am quite happy to read out the full quote from the Minister of Defence in respect of the engineers being sent to Iraq. It states: “Yes to the first three questions. It sounds quite sensible to run away if fired at.” I would quite like my question to be answered. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Minister has assured me that that is not what he actually said. Of course whether the member was suggesting they should throw their shovels at them instead is another matter. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The point of order was not a valid point of order because the Minister did in fact address the question in the sense that he took issue with the quote itself which was the essence of the question.