Anderton defence shot a misfire

By VERNON SMALL

Two days after Prime Minister Helen Clark promised long-term certainty for defence spending, the Alliance yesterday appeared to cast doubt on the sustainability of the extra funding.

"Increased spending on defence over the next 10 years is so high that it will need to be reviewed by a future Government," said Deputy Prime Minister and Alliance leader Jim Anderton. But after intervention by Prime Minister Helen Clark's office, Mr Anderton corrected his statement, saying it had not been intended as an attack on the defence package.

He said the Alliance was right behind the decision and would not try to wind back either the extra operating spending or the extra capital budget for defence equipment if it were part of a Government after the next election.

He had intended to point out the problems that would be created by the billions of dollars of promises made by National and Act.



In the statement Mr Anderton had said that while the Alliance supported the increase, "where it is needed in defence," its backing was not a commitment "to continue to support increased defence expenditure in years further out after the next election."

The Coalition Government on Tuesday announced a new configuration for the defence forces, including the scrapping of the Skyhawk combat fighter force.

Helen Clark had said defence funding would be increased by $300 million over the next five years and $700 million over the next 10 years.

She also earmarked a doubling to $2 billion in the capital expenditure on defence over the next 10 years.

Mr Anderton said the extra money was equal to 25 times the cost of New Zealand Post's planned Kiwi Bank "without the likely commercial return on the investment."

He said New Zealand's real enemies were domestic - poverty, illiteracy and sickness - and a future Government would have to balance those needs against defence spending.

His statement caused a flurry of concern in Government ranks. Both Defence Minister Mark Burton and Helen Clark sought clarification.

Mr Burton said later he accepted the criticism was aimed at National's "empty" promises to spend another $1 billion on defence on top of the Government's plans.

But National's defence spokesman, Max Bradford, said that Mr Anderton was trying to appease his own voters for rubber-stamping Labour's plans.

A spokesman for Mr Anderton said the Alliance had signed up to the Government's announcement. But the Alliance could have different policies and priorities after the next election.