Anderton under fire over war heroine

Nancy Wake

National wants Jim Anderton sacked from the Government's Honours Secretariat for failing to acknowledge a war heroine.

MP Judith Collins says he has already decided Nancy Wake should not be recognised, while the secretariat is considering a petition saying she should be.

Nancy Wake, now 93, was born in Wellington and raised in Australia.

She is revered in France for her resistance work. At one stage during World War II she is said to have topped the Gestapo's most-wanted list. She was codenamed "the White Mouse" for her ability to evade capture.

Ms Collins yesterday released a letter Mr Anderton had written in his capacity as MP for Wigram to the Rev Harvey Dalton of Thames, who had asked him to support the award of a New Zealand honour to Nancy Wake.

"My information is that Nancy Wake left these shores for Australia as a child of 2 in 1916 and, as far as I know, has not lived here at any time since," Mr Anderton said in the letter.

"Certainly there is no question of her heroism during the Second World War, and this has been recognised with numerous decorations.

"However, she did not serve with or alongside New Zealand forces at any time during the war, which would usually be the basis of specific recognition of her war service by this country."

Mr Anderton wrote that there were other ways of recognising famous New Zealanders.

"I have been instrumental myself in arranging for the recognition of Colonel William Malone by way of a plaque in Parliament Buildings. I wonder if you have considered an alternative of this nature?" he said.

But the paragraph that annoyed Ms Collins was: "Being famous, and born in New Zealand, are not of themselves sufficient reasons for her to be considered for an honour, however heroic her history."

Ms Collins said Nancy Wake was one of New Zealand's greatest living war heroines.

"She has been honoured by Great Britain, France, USA and Australia, and as such was the Allied forces' most decorated service-woman," she said.

"Mr Anderton's comments belittle the immense courage and self-sacrifice of Nancy Wake and are an insult to every one of our veterans.

"Jim Anderton must be sacked from any position with the Honours Secretariat. He's clearly made up his mind against Nancy Wake."

Mr Anderton is one of 12 senior MPs who form the secretariat, which is chaired by Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Mr Anderton is overseas. His spokeswoman said he was not belittling Nancy Wake's wartime efforts by not supporting the request for an honour.

"Nancy Wake has been honoured for services for other countries, which she deserved. But her association with New Zealand, on advice that he received, was slight."

- NZPA