TIME FOR OUR KIWI BROTHERS TO PROPERLY RECOGNISE THEIR VETERANS

New Zealand’s only living Victoria Cross recipient, Willie Apiata, has handed his precious medal to his Minister for Veterans’ Affairs to protest his nation’s current two-tiered system on veteran recognition and compensation.

Currently, only NZ veterans who have been injured while deployed overseas during a war or an emergency operation qualify for compensation or pensions as veterans, as defined by the nation’s Veterans Support Act 2014.

“The definition that resides within our country at the moment splits us into two peoples when we should be one because we all gave one service,” Apiata said.

 Whether we go abroad or we stay at home, we sear our allegiance to our people that are here, within Aotearoa and our shores, and to serve under our queen or king.”

Apiata has been advocating change in the definition of a veteran for more than five years and has decided he cannot wear his medal until all Kiwi servicemen and women are defined as veterans.

Handing his medal to NZVA Minister, Chris Penk, Apiata said:

“You are the chief and commander of the veterans, and you need to lead us now, and we will follow you to support you so that we are all under the same umbrella of what service really means. Every single one of us.”

For his part, Penk thanked Apiata for the gesture and committed to hand back the medal as soon as he could after working to change the definition.

“I don’t wish to retain that taonga (the medal) long. It weighs heavily on me. I will return it to you. I undertake to do that as soon as possible on the basis you have set out,” he said.

New Zealand is the odd one out among its Five Eyes partners in the definition of a veteran. Australia, UK, US and Canada all agree that a veteran is anyone who has honourably served as a member of their defence forces, whether deployed or not.