English Bill: Motions — Afghanistan Bamian—Withdrawal of Provincial Reconstruction TeamText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeEnglish Bill: Motions — Afghanistan Bamian—Withdrawal of Provincial Reconstruction Team[Sitting date: 09 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9111. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon BILL ENGLISH (Acting Prime Minister): I seek leave to move a motion without notice concerning the withdrawal of the New Zealand provincial reconstruction team after a 10-year deployment in Afghanistan.Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.Hon BILL ENGLISH: I moveThat this House acknowledge the withdrawal of the provincial reconstruction team in Bamian Afghanistan and formally thank those who have so ably served the team our country and the people of Afghanistan. The Governor-General and the Minister of Defence were in Bamian on Friday to witness the flag over Kiwi Base being lowered for the final time after a decade of service. Members of our provincial reconstruction team the majority of whom are from the New Zealand Defence Force are now in the process of coming home.The provincial reconstruction team’s achievements are very real and are ones of which the whole of New Zealand can be justifiably proud. The progress that has been made reflects a joint effort between a whole range of New Zealand and Afghan Government agencies and is mirrored in the enduring friendship between the peoples of Bamian and New Zealand.New Zealand first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 aware of the importance of collective security and international efforts to counter the threat of al-Qaeda. In 2003 we provided the provincial reconstruction team to help rebuild a province devastated by Taliban rule. Since then more than 3500 New Zealand defence personnel have been posted to Bamian in 21 crib rotations four separate deployments of the 1 NZ SAS Regiment contributions in International Security Assistance Force headquarters the UN mission and at Bagram Air Base. Scores of New Zealand Police officers and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade civil servants have also been posted there.New Zealanders arrived in Bamian in 2003 to a province that had been shattered. Hospitals and schools had been destroyed. Women and girls had suffered appalling treatment. New Zealand’s presence has facilitated the construction of roads that have dramatically improved access to markets schools and health facilities. Bamian’s hospital has been rebuilt and new health centres have been opened mortality rates for children under 5 have halved and maternal deaths are a quarter of the Taliban eralevels. Almost half the children in Bamian primary schools are girls and 38 percent of the teachers are female as are 15 percent of the students at Bamian University.Our expertise has improved agriculture in the province. We have supported training in basic veterinary skills and modernised farming techniques. We have introduced water management and flood protection measures have helped construct wells across the region and have been building the largest solar energy system in Afghanistan. Our contribution has been across the board and our people have worked tirelessly in often very difficult conditions.As a nation we can feel proud of the security and reconstruction improvements in Bamian but the Government is acutely aware that those gains have come at a huge cost. New Zealand mourned the deaths of 10 of our servicemen and servicewomen during the Afghanistan deployment. Each loss was felt deeply. Today we remember in particular the ultimate sacrifice paid by Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell Private Kirifi Mila Corporal Doug Grant Corporal Leon Smith Corporal Douglas Hughes Lance Corporal Pralli Durrer Lance Corporal Rory Malone Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker Private Richard Harris and Corporal Luke Tamatea. These were brave and committed young New Zealanders who will not be forgotten.Other service people have been wounded in Afghanistan and their lives fundamentally altered. We acknowledge the losses of Afghan lives too. Our Government pays special tribute to Governor Sarabi for her inspirational leadership of the Bamian province. As part of its responsibilities the Government will soon resettle a group of interpreters and their families in New Zealand. We are confident they will integrate well and contribute to this country.This Parliament can be proud of what New Zealanders have achieved in Bamian. New Zealand leaves the province in relative stability and prosperity ready for the next chapter in its history to be written by the people of Bamian.