Disgrace from Hawkins
Judith Collins has done a great job with her perservance on behalf of Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.
It is outraegous that George Hawkins tries to take credit by saying “Previous Governments had acknowledged that New Zealand troops operated in areas where defoliants were used, but it was the present Government that had insisted on a proper investigation”
The present Government’s investigation concluded there was no exposure!! It was the select committee inquiry (which Labour tried to block) which got to the truth. And Labour also blocked a recommendation for compensation and apologies.
No Government of today is personally responsible for what happened in Vietnam. However there is a responsibility to put things right, and it is of no credit that Hawkins behaves in such an outraegous way. He actually attacked Collins when the map was first produced, suggesting it may have been downloaded off the Internet.