11. H V ROSS ROBERTSON (Labour—Manukau East) Link to this
to the Minister of Veterans' Affairs
What funding has he made available to local community groups to enable them to undertake projects and activities to celebrate the Year of the Veteran?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister of Labour) Link to this
I have established a $1 million contestable fund called the Year of the Veteran Community Grants Fund to assist community groups and local authorities to undertake locally focused activities. Submissions to the fund will be assessed by a ministerial working party that consists of membership from Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand, the New Zealand Defence Force, and the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association.
H V Ross Robertson Link to this
What is the purpose of the Year of the Veteran Community Grants Fund?
The purpose of the Year of the Veteran Community Grants Fund will be to assist community groups and local authorities to refurbish and redecorate local war memorials and honours rolls, to hold local veterans’ appreciation days, to collect veterans’ stories, to hold local concerts and exhibitions, and the like. In addition, I am making $200,000 available to assist with national-level events for the Year of the Veteran.
Judith CollinsIn the light of the fact that 2006 is the Year of the Veteran, will the Minister support the call of the National Party and the Māori Party, and the petition of Harvey Dalton and 540 others, for New Zealand - born war hero Nancy Wake finally to be honoured by her country, or does she agree with her colleague Jim Anderton that: “being famous and born in New Zealand are not of themselves sufficient reasons for her to be considered for that honour, however heroic her history.”?
I understand that a submission for such recognition has been made to the relevant Cabinet committee and I know that that will be given fair consideration at the appropriate time.
Tariana TuriaAt what point will the Government fund the health needs of veterans who fought in Viet Nam and of their families, and compensate them so that they will have something to celebrate too in the Year of the Veteran?
I have been advised that a report is due to be completed by the chair of the joint working-group on Agent Orange soon, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment prior to the release of that report. After its completion it would be appropriate to direct any such questions to the Minister of Defence.
I seek the leave of the House to table a press release from my colleague Sandra Goudie, MP for Coromandel, asking for Nancy Wake to be honoured.
Madam SPEAKERI seek the leave of the House to table a copy of my letter to the Prime Minister requesting that Nancy Wake be honoured, and the reply from her office.
I seek the leave of the House to table a copy of an article published in Justices Quarterly in December 2005 entitled “Why no gong for Nancy?”.
I seek the leave of the House to table a copy of an Internet article from the “Heroes” page of the New Zealand Edge website entitled “Warriors: Nancy Wake”.
I seek the leave of the House to table a copy of a letter from the Hon Jim Anderton to the Rev. Harvey Dalton dated 20 February 2006 in which he—
I seek the leave of the House to list for the House the honours awarded to Nancy Wake by the people and Governments of the following countries: Great Britain, France, the United States of America, and Australia.