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Prime Minister John Key has confirmed that the NZSAS deployment to Afghanistan will end as scheduled in March next year – a decision which has been foreshadowed for some time.

“The SAS has achieved the job they were sent to do with Kabul’s Crisis Response Unit (CRU), and they have done that job to the very highest of standards,” says Mr Key.

“Tragically, they have also paid the highest price, with two of the SAS’s fine soldiers losing their lives in the course of this work and I would, once again, like to pay tribute to Corporal Doug Grant and Lance Corporal Leon Smith who were killed in action.

“I deeply regret the loss of our soldiers but I do not regret our commitment to operations in Afghanistan.

“Thanks to the SAS’s efforts, the CRU is widely considered to be one of the best trained and most professional units operating in Afghanistan today.”

New Zealand remains committed to Bamyan province and completing the job begun in 2003. The Provincial Reconstruction Team continues its important work in building the security, governance and development capacity in Bamyan province.

“On behalf of the whole country I want to thank the SAS for their courage and professionalism over the two-and-half years they were in Afghanistan on this deployment.

“You made a difference. It’s time to come home.”

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Prime Minister John Key will visit Australia from 27 to 29 January 2012 for the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting and a joint meeting of senior Cabinet Ministers.

This will be the second time the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers have convened a joint meeting of senior Cabinet Ministers – the first was in 2009.

Mr Key will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and six other Ministers - Steven Joyce, Judith Collins, Tony Ryall, Hekia Parata, Jonathan Coleman and Craig Foss.

The travelling Ministers, several of whom have new portfolios with significant trans-Tasman responsibilities, will also have the opportunity to engage individually with their Australian counterparts.

In addition, the Ministers of Health and Commerce, Tony Ryall and Craig Foss, will take part in the first meeting on 28 January of the Ministerial Council to oversee work on establishing a joint therapeutics agency.

“The annual Leaders’ Meeting provides an opportunity for both countries to start the New Year with a focus on issues of mutual interest in domestic policies, the bilateral relationship and regional and international affairs,” says Mr Key.

“That Ministers on both sides of the Tasman have found time to participate in these meetings in January demonstrates the closeness of the trans-Tasman relationship.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has invited Mr Key and the New Zealand Ministers as guests of the Australian Government.

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Prime Minister John Key has appointed Parliamentary Private Secretaries to assist the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Ethnic Affairs.

John Hayes will be Parliamentary Private Secretary to Murray McCully for Foreign Affairs and Melissa Lee will be Parliamentary Private Secretary to Judith Collins on Ethnic Affairs.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS) are MPs appointed to assist Ministers but, unlike Under-Secretaries, are not part of the Executive. They receive no extra remuneration.

“This is an important position that ensures a strong link between the Minister and the caucus and gives back-bench MPs valuable experience,” says Mr Key.

“The main role of the PPS is to use their expertise, and act as a sounding board and advisor to the Minister. They would be heavily involved in the caucus policy process in the area they are working – for instance, chairing the caucus committee in the relevant area.

“The Minister can not delegate any statutory roles or function to a PPS, however it is expected that the PPS represent their Minister at public events and deliver speeches on occasions when the Minister is not available.

“I congratulate both Mr Hayes and Ms Lee on their appointments,” says Mr Key.

The appointments are effective immediately.

Related document:

What_are_Parliamentary_Private_Secretaries.pdf (pdf 12.88 KB)

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Prime Minister John Key has announced the election of National’s new senior whip and junior whip following the National Party Caucus this morning.

Mr Key says the new senior whip will be List MP Michael Woodhouse, who is from Dunedin.

He will replace Chris Tremain, who is now a Minister outside Cabinet.

The junior whip will be MP for Taupo, Louise Upston.

She replaces Jo Goodhew, who is also now a Minister outside Cabinet.

“Both Michael Woodhouse and Louise Upston are hard-working MPs, and I am confident they will do a good job in their new roles,” says Mr Key. “I congratulate both of them.”

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