PM's 'private Air Force' runs into flak

Prime Minister Helen Clark has been accused of using Air Force planes as her own private jets after saying that she expects to travel with the RNZAF more often.

In July, Helen Clark raised the idea of a dedicated prime ministerial aircraft after a row over her motorcade speeding through Canterbury.

She came under fire then after the flight she was meant to take back to Wellington was cancelled and she made a 200km dash from Waimate to Christchurch Airport to catch another plane.

A complaint, which police are investigating, was laid about the speed the motorcade travelled at, estimated at an average 147km/h for much of the trip.

Helen Clark said at the time that in other countries leaders would not have to rely on commercial airlines. "In other countries the Prime Minister would have a plane that flew them there."

Asked yesterday whether she had ruled out the idea of a prime ministerial plane, Helen Clark said that she had "never ruled in the idea of private transport. That was a media creation".

What she had talked about was whether the Air Force could offer more assistance with travel, she said.

"There are planes which are used for transporting the Governor-General, chiefs of defence, me from time to time and the Air Force is more than happy to help.

"What I'm saying is that we've been clearer with the Air Force that there may be more occasions when I need some assistance to carry out a heavy programme."

That prompted Act leader Rodney Hide to accuse the Prime Minister of using Air Force planes as her "own private jets anyway".

He has questioned Defence Minister Mark Burton on destinations visited by the Air Force's Boeing 757s.

Mr Hide said the trips were listed as "strategic transport but there's nothing strategic about going to Nigeria or Cassino and it's a considerable expense to fly Helen Clark round the world".

"Here's a Prime Minister that disbanded the combat air wing ... to save money and then declared the 757s are strategic transport and they carry her around. It's a disgrace."

Mr Burton said that the two Boeing 757s had cost $108.2 million to date.

Winging it

Trips undertaken by the Air Force Boeing 757s include:

July 2003: Helen Clark, guests, Defence Force personnel and war veterans to Korea for the 50th anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire.

October-November 2003: Helen Clark to the Middle East.

December 2003: Helen Clark, South Pacific heads of state and official delegation to Nigeria for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

May 2004: Helen Clark, historians, guests, media, war veterans, Defence Force personnel, cadets and children to Italy and Malta for Battle of Monte Cassino commemorations.

Last month: Helen Clark, South Pacific heads of state, official delegation and media to Samoa for the Pacific Islands Forum.


- NZPA