Shearer David: Motions — Afghanistan Bamian—Withdrawal of Provincial Reconstruction TeamText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShearer David: Motions — Afghanistan Bamian—Withdrawal of Provincial Reconstruction Team[Sitting date: 09 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9112. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition): The Labour Party joins in paying tribute to all our brave service and civilian personnel who have served in Afghanistan: the thousands who were part of the 21 crib rotations our special forces and those who worked for the International Security Assistance Force deployment as well as for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other agencies. They all did our country proud. They went there as part of an international effort backed by the United Nations Security Council. The decision taken by the Labour Government was not taken lightly but it was made for the right reasons. The Taliban were hosting al-Qaeda. The threat to the international community was real as we all saw in the tragic events of September 11.Now 10 years have passed and it is more than enough time for us to withdraw. It has been our longest deployment—longer than World War I and World War II combined. We can all be proud of our soldiers and others who acted with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity. We were well regarded by the local people. The ability of our armed forces to work in communities and establish relationships with locals is second to none. It is something that marks us out and was a big part of our success particularly in Bamian.However it came with a cost most sadly for the families of those soldiers who served but did not return. Today we pay tribute to those who made that supreme sacrifice; the names that the Acting Prime Minister just read out. Each of those 10 lives that were lost is a tragedy and we acknowledge their loved ones. We also acknowledge those who were injured in the course of their service. New Zealanders are prepared to make the painful sacrifice but only when the cause is worth fighting for.The situation in Afghanistan has now changed; al-Qaeda is no longer a force. We have brought hope and the promise of a better future to the people of Bamian. Whenworking in post-conflict areas progress depends on three key pillars: a secure and stable environment good governance and increasing development in areas such as health and education. In Bamian New Zealand was able to strengthen all three of those together for results that will endure. Our close work with the local administration has strengthened its abilities. Our work allowed schools to be built and vaccination programmes to run and it brought the stability needed to allow Afghans to lead good lives.A question remains about the future of Afghanistan. It will not be determined by those outside the country however. Unfortunately the Government we have been supporting in Afghanistan is blighted with corruption and has failed to win the hearts and minds of its people. But in the end only the people of Afghanistan can make their country flourish.I remember being in Kabul when I was working for the UN speaking to the head of the UNICEF vaccination programme. She estimated that the programme that she was running saved 30000 children a year. In deployments like this it is often forgotten that had we not been in Afghanistan and Bamian thousands would have lost their lives and many more would have had a much poorer quality of life.The contribution of New Zealand has saved the lives of many and vastly improved the lives of many more. That is something for which both our personnel and New Zealand can be proud and that nobody can ever take away.