Mark Ron: General Debate 
Mark Ron: General Debate 
[Volume:620;Page:16109] 
RON MARK (NZ First) 
: 
 I rise to deal with a press release put out by the Minister of Defence today in which he criticises me and my party of trying to garner publicity off the grief of the Bain family. Let us put a few things on the record here in the House so they may be clearly understood. 
This issue was brought to the attention of the Minister of Defence back in March 2002. I am now told that information is available to the Government showing quite clearly that this issue was first brought to the attention of the House by Marilyn Waring sometime before that. I assume that the Minister of Defence has access to all that information more so than I. This issue arose when the Bain family first gave its concerns about a number of issues but the one that upset the family the most was the inappropriate use of photographs of their deceased son used as training aids. 
Let us be clear what the Minister was told. I wrote to the Minister and pointed out these matters. I told him that the Bain family was not satisfied with the information it had been given surrounding Grant’s death at the time and that the revelation of the use of those photos had only made the situation worse. I outlined a number of things to the Minister and in my letter pointed out to him that the Bain family had made a number of inquiries. The family had requested a copy of the report of the inquiry into Grant’s death and was told it was not entitled to it. That is in my letter to the Minister. I also told the Minister that I found all of this totally contrary to the manner in which Private Manning’s family was treated and I was disappointed and puzzled that this should be so. I requested that the Minister personally ask the Chief of Army to look into this issue and have an officer visit the family with the aim of satisfying its needs and putting right this whole sorry affair. The Minister claims he did everything that was asked of him in that letter. Well the question is this. Did the Minister do so? He says in his letter to me: “I am now satisfied the matter had been dealt with as best as it can be given that it is some 21 years since the tragic death. Army will remain responsive to the needs of the family and I await the decision of the family as to how they will proceed.” He washed his hands. 
If as the Minister said he had met my request of satisfying the family’s needs then he would have known that the family has never been satisfied with the explanations given. The family was still so concerned that it brought in its local MP Shane Ardern to assist it as well. He again wrote to the Minister and asked for further assistance. Again this Minister washed his hands. Now this Minister says that some people are using this case to garner publicity. Well is that not rich? It is this case that the Minister and the Prime Minister have gaily referred to as an alleged murder and they have used it as justification for the actions they have taken to initiate an independent inquiry into the goings-on at Regular Force Cadet School. So quite the reverse; it is the Government the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence who are playing off the Bains. 
This case stood on its own merits. It deserved investigation. Not one not two but three MPs during the time of this House have raised this issue and this Minister who gets paid a small fortune and who has the joy the pleasure and the responsibility of looking after our Defence Force did nothing more than palm it off. He did not follow up. He did not take on board the concerns of Shane Ardern. He did nothing until suddenly it looked as though the Government was going to be embarrassed. The only thing that motivates this Minister is when he gets three bad trots on the  
Holmes  
show night after night. That is what motivates this Government. It is poll driven: “How do we look? Oh my God let’s do something!” 
Well I have a request for the Minister. As he has suddenly found it within his heart to look to people in time of need might I bring to his attention the petition from Damien Patrick Nepata and George IllyahNepata and the recommendations of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee that said that those two boys should get compensation which he the Minister rejected. I bring to the Minister’s attention the case of an able seaman. I will not say his name because the Minister knows that in 2000 I brought to his attention a case about an able seaman who to this day I still believe was not looked after by the military. He was subsequently medically discharged. His life has never been the same. Did this Minister care? No he did not. He overlooked the case. Maybe what it needs is: “Mr Holmes please help us out. Please put this naval rating on to your TV show.”