11. DAVID SHEARER (Labour—Mt Albert) Link to this
to the Minister of Defence
What is the total cost of the two Defence Force flights that took foreign affairs Minister Hon Murray McCully to Vanuatu on 13 February and returning on 14 February, including fuel, salaries of staff, allowances, accommodation, maintenance, landing fees, and all other costs associated with the flights?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Defence) Link to this
The total cost for the two flights includes an aggregate—as is stated in the question, in fact—of direct costs such as fuel, and indirect costs such as staff costs. I have already told the House that the approximate fuel costs were a bit over $65,000. It is, however, not practical to break out all the indirect costs on a per flight basis, as many of those, such as salaries or, indeed, annualised maintenance, are incurred whether or not the aircraft fly. For instance, aircrew are clearly paid even on non-flying days. However, the indirect and direct costs are part of the total appropriation for the Boeing 757, which was $93.5 million. This includes all indirect costs, including salaries, a share of Whenuapai Air Base, and so forth. The total number of hours flown by the 757s is programmed at 1,450 hours. I should note that there were two flights on this particular occasion, involving firstly a 757 and secondly a P3 Orion. I did say to Mr McCully that I would guarantee that the 757 would fly without any maintenance problems. Unfortunately, that was not true. The 757 fleet incurred a breakdown that required the aircraft to return to New Zealand, and therefore a P3 was required.
Can he advise the House why the use of military flights was justified in part because the Samoan delegation could be collected on its way to Vanuatu, but they were left in Port Vila to make their own way home when the Orion was sent there to collect the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr McCully?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP Link to this
It is noted that the flight included the secretary-general of the forum itself and also the Samoan Minister who went up. I am not aware of further details.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think it has been well established who went there. I think the question is why they left them behind.
Mr SPEAKERSadly, though, the supplementary question asked included both bits, and the Minister answered the first bit. He confirmed that there were other people picked up on the way. He is not obliged to answer both parts.
Does he stand by his advice to the House last week that his colleague Murray McCully had to take military flights to and from Vanuatu because otherwise “that would have meant that the Minister of Foreign Affairs would have not been able to meet Prime Minister Julia Gillard.”; if so, how does he respond to the inconvenient truth that commercial flights through either Australia or New Caledonia were, in fact, available to get Mr McCully back in time to New Zealand?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP Link to this
I was advised that military flights were necessary to enable Mr McCully to meet all his obligations—