Mr Kidd dismisses Govt ‘leak’ claim

Press, 29 January 1986, Page 2

Mr Kidd dismisses Govt ‘leak’ claim

By

MARTIN FREETH

National's spokesman on defence, Mr Doug Kidd, dismissed a Government allegation yesterday that he received leaked information, and said that the Minister of Defence, Mr O’Flynn, was trying to stifle defence debate. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said in a statement that Mr Kidd had been receiving material “improperly for some time” and that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, was happy for him to do so.

Mr Lange said it was therefore unwise of Mr McLay to "speak virtuously” about the need to track down leads from military officers and Ministry of Defence staff. “To make sweeping allegations like this is just laying down a smoke screen behind which the Minister of Defence will be able to retreat to cover,” Mr Kidd told "The Press.”

Mr Kidd said he had studied defence matters for several years and had gathered information from a wide range of sources.

“I Bon’t depend on Ministry of Defence personnel for Information to be handed out improperly,” he said.

“Subject to the Minister’s approval in writing, I make regular visits to the defence forces, and because of the study I’ve undertaken, my eyes and ears can tell me everything I need to know.” Mr Kidd, a former Territorial soldier, said he had received Mr O’Flynn’s approval to recently attend the annual exercise at Tekapo of the 2nd Battalion, something he had now done five times as a politician. Unlike previous Ministers, Mr O’Flynn had issued a requirement that the Opposition spokesman not visit defence establishments without his written

consent “Past Ministers used to fall over backwards to encourage members of Parliament even if they had only a spark of interest in the subject” Mr Kidd said. He charged the Government with creating a climate where “servicemen are almost afraid to speak to me, or even to be seen with me, because of the political consequences.” Mr Kidd said Mr O’Flynn was "getting a hunted feeling” because of the scrutiny he was under for handling the defence portfolio. Mr Kidd also dismissed the significance of leaks to the news media, which generally did a poor job of reporting on defence matters.

“If in fact they were leaks, they were from second rate sources. They were probably more in the way of inspired writing rather than leaks.”