Tues "The Australian"
Red-faced Kiwis to boost aid donation
Claire Harvey, New Zealand correspondent
January 11, 2005
NEW Zealand will dramatically raise its tsunami aid after criticism of the Government's "inadequate" $NZ10million donation and embarrassment over aircraft breakdowns that have hampered aid flights.
Two New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules planes have struck maintenance problems in recent days while attempting to deliver aid to the Indonesian province of Aceh, forcing flights to be delayed and preventing Foreign Minister Phil Goff from touring the devastated region.
Political uproar now surrounds the "national embarrassment" the Opposition said was caused by the troubled Hercules, which have broken down several times in the past.
In 2002, the Hercules failed en route to Bali to evacuate victims of the nightclub bombings, and last year deployments to Nuie and the Solomon Islands were delayed by breakdowns.
New Zealand's cabinet is expected next Tuesday to approve a boost to the aid budget, which sources said could bring the total donation to $NZ80million ($73.4million) in cash, military equipment and defence personnel.
Already, more than 120 New Zealand defence, medical and police personnel are working in Aceh and Thailand.
Individual Kiwis have donated $NZ9million but the official contribution adds up to just $NZ 2.45 a person, compared with Australia's $NZ 57.25 per person.
"New Zealanders are a generous people and would expect their Government to be more forthcoming," said Opposition Leader Don Brash, adding that New Zealand should follow Australia's lead by holding a national day of mourning.
The equipment failures were a clear result of the Labour Government's lack of attention to defence, Dr Brash said.
Prime Minister Helen Clark scrapped the fighter-jet wing of the air force and decided to renovate the fleet of five 38-year-old Hercules rather than buying new aircraft -- decisions understood to have baffled and infuriated the highest levels of Australian government.
"There's no doubt we have run down our military," said Rodney Hide, leader of New Zealand right-wing minor party Act. "Thank God for the Australians and the US."
But Defence Minister Mark Burton accused his rivals of "cheap political point-scoring", saying the Hercules breakdowns were the result of the intense, constant rescue work.
"New Zealand has been very generous and a further major contribution is coming," Mr Burton said.
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