Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Parliament honours fallen soldiers

Updated at 2:00 pm on 22 August 2012

Parliament on Tuesday stopped to convey its sympathy to the families, friends and military colleagues of three soldiers killed in Afghanistan at the weekend.

Corporal Luke Tamatea, Lance-Corporal Jacinda Baker and Private Richard Harris died instantly on Sunday when their Humvee was blown up by a roadside bomb in Bamyan province.

Prime Minister John Key led the tributes, saying the three soldiers were different but shared the characteristics of loyalty, bravery and hard work, and Bamiyan province is a better place for them having been there.

Labour Party leader David Shearer told MPs the deaths are not right or fair.

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira questioned why New Zealand is staying the distance in Afghanistan when the job has clearly changed from reconstruction to something more aggressive.

But United Future leader Peter Dunne said this was not the time to play politics, but instead to pay tribute.

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