Veterans granted $888,000

Press, 30 May 1985, Page 1

Veterans granted $888,000

PA Wellington Five hundred Vietnam war veterans in New Zealand seek a share of the SNZBBB,OOO granted by an American Federal District Court from the Agent Orange Fund. The general secretary of the Returned Services' Association, Mr Don Quigley, said yesterday that about 500 New Zealand veterans have lodged claims. "The R.S.A. has been involved for some time to bring all Vietnam veterans’ representatives together to satisfy Judge Weinstein that an effective and comprehensive trust could be established here," Mr Quigley said. In his provisional order, the Judge had said that if he was not satisfied with arrangements in New Zealand, the funds would remain as part of the United States trust. "On the information given him so far he appears to be favourable but. from what I hear on radio broadcasts he

has given us a deadline, until September, to produce a finite document.'' Mr Quigley said the main New Zealand groups involved were the two Vietnam veteran's bodies: the Vietnam Veterans’ Association. and the Ex-Vietnam Services’ Association. “The R.S.A. is trying to bring about some measure of agreement between these two bodies so that a fully representative trust can be formed to discuss this with the Minister." Mr Quigley said. The trust, once established, would consider the merits of the 500 claims. He said that he was awaiting a written report on the Judge's order. "Until I get that, I do not know what we can do next." said Mr Quiglev. The Minister of Defence. Mr O'Flynn, had indicated to the Americans that everything would be conducted according to New Zealand law. Commenting on the

$BBB,OOO granted by the court. Mr Quigley said that his initial reaction was that in such cases the amount was never enough. "But it is more or less in line with what I expected.’’ The chairman of the Veterans' Association. Mr Victor Johnson, of Whakatane. said yesterday that he had yet to be advised that the Judge had said maximum payments for total disability would be about $NZ27.750, less than the $NZ55,500 envisaged earlier this year. The association would wait for details of the distribution. If it found these unsatisfactory, it would lodge an appeal based on the fact that New Zealand soldiers fought in areas most heavily affected by Agent Orange. Mr Johnson said that between 18 per cent and 20 per cent of New Zealand veterans were affected by Agent Orange compared with 10 per cent of American and Australian servicemen.

The association registered 500 claimants to the payout from 2600 combatant troops in Vietnam. However, not all who suffered disability, or whose children have suffered abnormalities, were registered as claimants. "The number of them would be hard to measure. It could bring our percentage of those affected by Agent Orange even higher,” Mr Johnson said. It could be another two years before veterans saw the money from the multi-million-dollar settlement, as appeals might not be finally dealt with until 1987, he said. The payout would be handled by a trust board chaired by the former High Court Judge, Mr Peter Mahon, and made up of a legal adviser, a medical adviser. and veterans. The Government had already approved setting up the board as the American courts required, and would also need to guarantee that the board fulfilled the vari-

ous orders made by the American Judee. The trust would be run by the New Zealand Guardian Trust which had the experience of involvement in the thalidomide trust distribution. New Zealand Vietnam veterans will receive 0.2 per cent of the total, according to the NZPA staff correspondent in Washington. Court sources say the fund is expected to grow to about SUS2OO million (SNZ444 million) by the time it is disbursed. Australian veterans will receive 1.8 per cent of the total. The figures correspond to the number of Australian and New Zealand claimants, a court official said. More than 100 lawyers were involved in the case. They originally claimed a total of SUS4O million (SNZBB.B million; in fees. The Judge reduced those to less than SUSIO million, which will come out of the fund.