Our previous item regarding a lost opportunity to have the Mururoa Veterans health status made public sure set off the RIMPAC Chairman. He claims that "privacy" prevented them from giving Mururoa veterans medical information to the NZ Herald.

The NZ Herald reporter was not looking to publish the identity of affected veterans. The Herald were looking for some form of Mururoa vets statistics, the number and types of cancers, Cause of death, average age of death, illness other than cancer, and any genetic effects on the veterans' offspring. For whatever reason, he assumed that RIMPAC had this information, but he could not make sense of the material that they gave him. Hence his inquiry to NZNTVA.

The reporter would have liked, but it was not necessary, to interview and photograph a Mururoa veteran who was suffering health damage through his service at Mururoa. The RIMPAC Chairman keeps saying that "NZNTVA is trying to climb onboard." Onboard what???. Certainly we do not wish to be associated with RIMPAC. Nor do we wish to be dictating the Mururoa Vets affairs. In particular we can only repeat, that if any group or individual holds sufficient data that indicates that the Mururoa vets have been affected by their nuclear service, then it should be made public and put to good use.

NZNTVA is perfectly comfortable with its Mururoa related activities. We know what we have accomplished and its relevance to the Mururoa Vets. More to the point, it is essential that the research into the Grapple veterans is fairly considered by Government. It's really very simple. Obviously if the Grapple research, health data, and other information held by NZNTVA, and forwarded to Government and VANZ, is related to the Mururoa Veterans health problems. It is then that a much more positive case for war disability, and surviving spouses pensions, and other assistance can be made for the Mururoa Group. It is not important whether NZNTVA or any other organization or individual is making the case, just the fact that the information is being used,.

In a recent conversation with Gerry Wright, he may well do a book on the Mururoa experience, when he has completed his book on Operation Grapple. That may assist in bringing a sharper focus on the Mururoa Veterans affairs.

(Just a note here ...... I would have been keen to be interviewed by the NZ Herald Reporter, but it appears that others like to speak negatively on our behalf. I am sure that Dodger Long or Michael Dinnwiddie would also have liked to be interviewed. The same goes for the widow of Terry Lines.) - PM

  (Another note... Both Stretch Kennedy and I have a data base of the illnesses affecting some of the crew members of both Otago and Canterbury, and their offspring.) - PM