WAI2500 – LtCol Martin Dransfield, ONZM

LtCol Dransfield spoke to Veterans' Affairs

Lieutenant Colonel Martin Dransfield’s career has spanned five decades. It includes tours to Northern Ireland, Berlin, Sinai, Timor-Leste (as the second New Zealand Battalion’s Commanding Officer in 2000), Afghanistan (as the Commander of New Zealand’s Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan 2009 and 2010), and a two-year tour as the United Nations Chief Military Liaison Officer in Timor-Leste. He was posted to Timor-Leste as a strategic advisor to the Timorese Defence Force following the UN withdrawal.

Veterans’ Affairs and WAI2500

While NZDF lead the engagement with WAI2500, Veterans’ Affairs staff have also attended many of the WAI2500 hearings and have provided information to the WAI2500 and the NZDF team, and responses to questions from the Inquiry since December 2017.

The Waitangi Tribunal WAI2500 Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry was initiated in September 2014.

Kaupapa inquiries deal with nationally significant issues affecting Māori as a whole. This kaupapa hearing, WAI2500, hears claims involving past Māori military service undertaken directly for, or on behalf of, the Crown in right of New Zealand or, in colonial times, the Imperial Crown.

LtCol Martin Dransfield was appointed as the NZDF lead, a role that he has now filled for over three years, with a small team. LtCol Dransfield and his team attend the hearings to listen and understand the concerns that are raised, with the aim of making improvements for all veterans and their whānau.

LtCol Martin Dransfield, what is your role in terms of the WAI2500 hearings and how long have you been involved?

My position is the NZDF WAI2500 Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry Director, which means having the responsibility to work with the Waitangi Tribunal, Crown Agencies and the claimants to meet the Crown’s objectives. Those objectives are to prepare an official narrative that will put Māori experiences of military service on public record, and to consider and discuss potential improvements in the current implementation of support for veterans’, service people and their whānau.

What has been the key take-out for you from these hearings?

To date there have been hearings at Tunohopu Marae in Rotorua in June 2023. This opened with a kōrero from Tā Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies, the last surviving member of the 28th Māori Battalion. The second hearing was at Mōtatau Marae from in March 2024.

At the Pōwhiri, the former Defence Minister Peeni Henare, along with Kaumātua from Ngāti Hine, welcomed the Tribunal, senior NZDF leaders and claimants onto Mōtatau Marae grounds.

The third hearing was at the Takahiwai Marae in May 2024, where the key issues raised by the claimants included how the NZDF safely brings back our people from overseas, including the Whakanoa process and recognition, prepares service people for life after service, and supports the whānau of serving personnel and veterans.

There will be further hearings in 2024, followed by three Crown Hearings in 2025, which will include the Tribunal commissioned report writers, Crown commissioned report witnesses and NZDF witnesses.

What do you hope will come from these hearings?

Our approach is to listen, engage and keep an open mind, with a view to actively looking for opportunities to improve the experience of Māori veterans and service people, and the Māori Crown relationship generally.

What has been a highlight for you?

Issues raised by claimants included discrimination, recognition, disproportionate risk of harm, inadequate care and rehabilitation, welfare and entitlements, and cultural practices.

Working with incredible people. The Tribunal, Crown officials and agencies, NZDF and claimants who all believe in a process that aims to learn from the past, and shape a better future for not only our Māori veterans and service people, but all veterans and their whānau.

For further information about WAI2500 go to this page on the Waitangi Tribunal website: www.waitangitribunal.govt.nz/inquiries/kaupapa-inquiries/military-veterans-inquiry

Credit: NZDF