Army covering up planning for Iraq - NZ First MP

NZ First MP Ron Mark.

NZ First MP Ron Mark claims the Army has moved to cover up its planning for potential deployment to Iraq to spare the blushes of Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee who continues to deny it is taking place.

Sources have leaked details of the Army's training for Iraq over the past two weeks. But while Mr Brownlee's office has confirmed training is under way for Iraq on a "contingency" basis, Mr Brownlee himself has continued to deny that.

" There is not training being undertaken for potential deployment to Iraq but the member will know from his own time as Minister for Defence that NZ military always trains for the contingency they might be asked to do anything", Mr Brownlee told Parliament today in response to a question from Labour's Phil Goff.

Mr Brownlee's reasoning appears to be that as the Government has not yet made a formal decision to deploy to Iraq, any training currently being undertaken is not for that purpose.

Former Army officer Mr Mark asked Mr Brownlee why, given no decision had been made to deploy, " why then is the Army moving all communications regarding the Iraqi deployment to secure networks and deleting orders previously sent, are they just covering the tracks for the minister?".

Mr Brownlee said he couldn't answer that question.

"All I know is there is no Government decision, there has been no Government instruction to prepare for deployment to Iraq."

In a follow up question Mr Mark questioned whether it was fair for troops who were likely to be sent to Iraq early next year to be prevented by the Army from discussing their deployment with family over the Christmas break.

Mr Brownlee once again said there had been no decision and added a barb to his response, saying Mr Mark " might think he knows everything because he's got a few mates from his days when he was a storeman in the Army".

Mr Mark took issue and raised a point of order to clarify he was never a storeman.