English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question Time Questions to Members 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question Time Questions to Members 
[Volume:607;Page:4486] 
2.  
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: In light of her reported comments earlier this week that New Zealand wanted the United Nations actively involved in the distribution of humanitarian aid in Iraq does she now support the United Nations’ view that the United States and its coalition partners are legally responsible for providing humanitarian aid to Iraqis; if so why? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 
 on behalf of the 
 Prime Minister 
: The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has correctly pointed out that under international law belligerent forces are responsible during the period of conflict for the well-being of the civilian population in the area they control. The United Nations Security Council however is considering right now how to reactivate the oil for food programme so that humanitarian aid can be provided just as soon as conditions on the ground allow that to happen. 
Hon Bill English 
: Why did the Government make a disgraceful statement to the UN on this matter today showing no support for Australian British and American troops who are losing their lives in Iraq and implying that there is no distinction between the troops of our friends and allies and those of the vicious Saddam regime? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member is wrong on both counts. If he wishes however to say that the deaths of innocent civilians should not be regretted then he is entitled to say that. 
Hon Roger Sowry 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I cannot see how it is in order for the Minister to interpret the question by saying “if he wishes to say” and go on to say something that is way outside anything that was said by the Leader of the Opposition. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister was in order. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: What the Government of New Zealand said in the open session of the Security Council today represents the overwhelming majority of public opinion in New Zealand and the majority of opinion leaders including the church leaders of each of the seven major churches in New Zealand who have strongly supported what this Government has said and by implication opposed the lack of position held by that member. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Can I take it from the Minister’s answer that the Government’s distaste for getting involved in any post-war assistance to victims of that war will ensure that if there are attempts by Iraqis to be refugees to this country the Government will likewise stop that happening? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member is quite wrong to say that this Government has any distaste for getting involved in post-conflict humanitarian aid to the people of Iraq. Indeed we have already committed to the first instalment of that aid and as a country that is a good international citizen we will continue to give assistance to humanitarian aid and post-conflict reconstruction. 
Tim Barnett 
: What information does the Minister have on the level of need for food aid in Iraq? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The United Nations World Food Programme estimates that overall Iraqis probably have food for about 5 weeks. However as many as 60 percent of Iraq’s 27 million people were entirely dependent on aid for survival prior to the war which is why it is so urgent that we resume the oil for food programme as soon as possible. In some areas the situation with aid and water supplies is critical as in Basra where supplies of electricity and safe drinking water have been cut. I believe that once the World Food Programme can resume its task will be the biggest humanitarian operation we have yet seen through the United Nations. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Will the New Zealand Government offer active assistance in the distribution of humanitarian aid in post-conflict reconstruction if that aid is controlled by the United States and the United Kingdom or is any offer of assistance from New Zealand conditional upon the aid programme being under the auspices of the United Nations? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: We have already indicated the agencies through which we are committed to providing aid. Some of those are UN agencies but there are others including the International Committee of the Red Cross. We have already provided money for the provision of humanitarian aid and we will continue to do so. Moreover we join with the leadership of the United Kingdom and Australia in saying that the United Nations must have a crucial role in overseeing what happens in post-conflict Iraq. 
Keith Locke 
: How will the Government be promoting the total UN engagement in Iraq which it proclaimed in the Security Council this morning when Colin Powell today asserted for his coalition “a significant dominating control in Iraq” and how will the Government be challenging the Bush administration on that? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I think the member will find that countries within the coalition that have forces in Iraq will be strongly promoting the role of the UN. The Prime Minister of Australia Mr Howard said yesterday that in the long term the UN would have the critical role of providing post-conflict reconstruction. Clare Short the Secretary of State for International Development in the United Kingdom went even further saying that for the purposes of legitimacy the UN had to be the agency responsible for what happens in post-conflict Iraq. 
Hon Bill English 
: Why did the Government not indicate support for the troops of Australia Britain and America—which are our allies—in their effort to overturn the Iraqi regime when it had the opportunity to do so today in the United Nations and why did it imply that there is no distinction between those troops and the soldiers of Saddam Hussein? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I have the statement in my hand and I am happy to table it. The member’s allegation is utterly wrong. I will table the document so that members opposite who are yelling so loudly can see it for themselves. This Government makes absolutely no apology for the fact that it has consistently argued that all other avenues for achieving the disarmament of Iraq should have been pursued before resorting to force. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek the leave of the House for the Minister to be granted a concession to read the statement so that all those people who are listening can make up their own minds. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A member can seek leave only on his or her own behalf. A member cannot seek leave for any other member. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek the leave of the House for the Leader of the Opposition to read the Prime Minister’s statement to the House. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member cannot do that either. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave to read the statement myself. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has sought leave to read the statement himself. Is there any objection? There is. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Will the Minister give a plain answer to the question: if the post-war aid is under the aegis of the United States and not the United Nations will this Government be involved; if not why not and if the answer is no does it mean that we will therefore not take any refugees from Iraq? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It is abundantly apparent to everybody in the country that we have already given the money for that aid—at least the first instalment. That aid which the Iraqi people desperately need will be delivered regardless of what sort of regime exists in that country because the aid is for people who are the innocent victims of that conflict. The agencies employed are the UN and other reputable agencies—the sorts of agencies through which we always deliver our international assistance. 
Rodney Hide 
: I seek the leave of the House to table a contribution to the  
Listener 
 by the Green MP Keith Locke where he declares that he gets a warm feeling at the thought of a world without— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that article from the  
Listener 
. Is there any objection? There is.