Waitangi Tribunal's Veterans Inquiry reaches milestone

Members of the NZDF contingent and the Waitangi Tribunal at Wairaka Marae in Whakatāne.

The latest claimant stage of the Waitangi Tribunal's Military Veterans Inquiry has drawn to a close in Whakatāne.

The tribunal heard dozens of accounts from Māori veterans and their whānau, as well as relatives of service personnel who have died.

Stage one of the inquiry is specifically looking at evidence from claimants regarding a number of campaigns and operations from the 1950s to modern day, in relation to concerns raised by Māori ex-service people and/or their whānau.

Chief of Army Major General Rose King was among senior Army and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel in attendance for the hearing at Whakatāne's Wairaka Marae last week, and said it was humbling to hear the accounts of veterans and their whānau.

"Firstly, I'd like to acknowledge those who have provided testimony - not only this week, but throughout this process. For our veterans and their whānau, it's been a long journey to get to this point, and I want to tautoko their bravery and courage in sharing their experiences. It has been nothing short of inspirational.

"We fully acknowledge that mistakes have been made; tikanga was overlooked, our people and their whānau weren't cared for appropriately. It's impossible to ignore that when you hear their testimonies.

"It is also important to note that progress has been, and continues to be made in this area, and we are continuously looking for opportunities to better support our veterans, their whānau and our current serving personnel."

Last week the tribunal heard further evidence from campaigns and operations from Korea and South East Asia, missions to Antarctica, nuclear testing, Afghanistan, peacekeeping and observer missions, broadly covering the period from the 1950s through to present day.

There have been some key themes that have arisen during this stage of the Kaupapa Inquiry:

• The physical and mental health effects endured by Māori servicemen while deployed on missions and operations, and the lack of support available on their return.
• The impact of health effects on veterans' families and the lack of support available for whānau.
• A lack of whakanoa process to safely return service people from operational environments.
• An indifference and lack of respect for the inclusion of tikanga customs and use of te reo Māori.
• Inadequate support to prepare servicemen and servicewomen for life and a career beyond the Defence Force.
• A lack of support for veterans and their whānau.

Tangata whenua welcomed the New Zealand Defence Force contingent onto Wairaka Marae in Whakatāne to get the latest Wai 2500 hearing week underway.

The tribunal has also heard evidence of how the culture within the NZDF has evolved in recent years, with positive feedback for the bicultural journey the Defence Force is on. The creation of the three service marae was a key driver for positive change, the tribunal was told.

In the next stage of proceedings, three Crown hearings will provide the tribunal with a chance to hear the Crown's perspective in relation to the evidence heard from claimants regarding campaigns and operations from the 1950s through to recent, modern-day operations.

The purpose of these hearings is to demonstrate that the Crown has listened to and engaged with the claimants in order to inform change.

The first of the three Crown hearings is set to begin in March next year in Waiouru.