An Opinion

NGA MIHI 0 TE TAU HOU.  By Neal Catley.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS IMPOSSIBLE – IT IS MERELY A FAILURE OF PRIOR PREPARATION AND PLANNING.

The days of ‘ostrich denialism’ is well and truly alive.  It’s hard for one not to feel helpless and hopeless in the face of wilful blindness when government representatives and departmental leaders seemingly label any inconvenient truth, no matter it being based on 100 per cent historical fact, as insufficient evidence or fake submissions to acknowledge and justify appropriate recognition.

Given that it has taken over five years of attending meetings, writing endless letters and emails and at the same time receiving mountains of  ‘quiz master’ letters, emails, draft reports, draft interim final reports to learn thus far nothing of any tangible substance has been unearthed and, it being declared much further investigation work is needed.

Politics has been so unpredictable in recent times that one would have to be a fool to make any prediction about what the Veterans’ Advisory Board [VAB] Interim Final Report, [to be forwarded to the office of MOVA by 31 July 2020], might hold in store.   Moreover, at the back end of the election year, it will be interesting to learn what MOVA finally recommends to the cabinet!

Also, strong prescription ‘wake-me-up’ medicine may be needed for those half-baked potatoes, from all walks of life, who seemingly enjoy sitting on the sidelines masquerading as quasi representatives to former NZ military personnel.

With this year’s General Election likely to be held near the back end of 2020 the casual observer could be forgiven to thinking the Office of MOVA has rehearsed a POSITIVE cunning plan from the nursery rhyme book entitled: ‘ LITTLE JACK HORNER.’

Following the final Veterans’ Advisory Board [VAB] report and it being approved by the Office of MOVA and Cabinet – let’s hope MOVA will be able to PULL OUT A PLUM and say, “WHAT A GOOD BOY AM I!” Also, let’s have faith and trust the formal ‘Press Release’ outlining the PLUM PIE Ingredients’ is equal to or better than ex-military personnel long-awaited veteran expectations.

Semper Fidelis