Friday, 30 May, 2008
Forty-three years ago this week, then Prime Minister Keith Holyoake announced that New Zealand would contribute to the defence of South Viet Nam by sending troops and, on Wednesday - to a full public gallery of veterans in Parliament - the Crown offered a long-awaited apology to those Defence Force personnel for the lack of recognition and inadequate support extended to them on their return.
New Zealand was not the only nation whose people neglected the Viet Nam veterans; John Howard gave the Australian apology in November 2006 at Long Tan in Viet Nam, and former US Senator and disabled US Army Viet Nam veteran Max Cleland has summed up the situation:
"Within the soul of each Viet Nam veteran there is probably something that says 'Bad war, good soldier.' Only now are people beginning to separate the war from the warrior."
This is the speech I delivered in response to the Crown apology:
The ACT Party supports this apology to Viet Nam veterans.
