HMNZS Te Kaha Personnel take time out in Singapore in the New Zealand elections. (WN08-0134-01)
28 October 2008
New Zealand Defence Force personnel making up the Kiwi contingent in Timor-Leste have begun voting in the New Zealand election.
Since last week members of the contingent have been given the opportunity to lodge overseas votes ahead of the general election held here in early November. Crew from the frigate Te Kaha have also been able to lodge their votes while passing through Singapore.
Members of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan will also be able to lodge their votes well ahead of time to ensure their votes get counted.
Speaking from Timor Leste, Colonel Peter Wood, Deputy Commander of the International Stabilisation Force said, “Soldiers are coming in here, downloading the voting papers from the computer and then faxing the response back to New Zealand. There’s no voting station in Dili, so this is the solution we’ve come to.”
Sergeant Marian Anderson says, “I think that voting online is a very practical way to vote in our environment.”
New Zealand currently has 876 Defence Force personnel in 14 missions and deployments around the world with 187 of those presently serving in Timor Leste.
ENDS
Video footage of members of Timor Leste contingent voting including interviews is available on DVD from Defence HQ after 2pm
Media Contact: Chris Wright, Defence Media Manager (04) 496 0296, (021) 487 980.