In accordance with section 9 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 (“Act”), I hereby give the following notice.

Notice

1. I declare service:
   • in the Solomon Islands as defined, from 1 April 2000 up to and including 31 July 2019, to be operational service for the purposes of the Act.

Solomon Islands – The geographic area of the Solomon Islands includes all of the sovereign territory of islands and features of the Main Group (New Georgia), Rennell-Bellona-Indispensible Reef Atoll, Ontong Java, Duff Islands and Santa Cruz archipelagos, inclusive of the archipelagic waters enclosed by the baselines defined in the 1978 Delimitation of Marine Waters Act, No 32. The geographic area also includes the 12nm territorial sea extending seaward from the baselines defined in the Delimitation of Marine Waters Act, No 32 of 1978.

2. I declare that the declaration for service in the Solomon Islands will supersede the declaration made under the War Pensions Act 1954 for service as part of:
   • Operation RATA in the Solomon Islands from 1 July 2003 to the present.
3. This declaration covers:
   • members of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) serving with the NZDF;
   • members of the NZDF on secondment with the armed forces of other nations; and
   • any person seconded to the NZDF with the permission of the Chief of Defence Force.
4. The persons covered by this declaration shall have access to the entitlements and services specified in the Act and the Veterans’ Support Regulations 2014.
5. I am satisfied that there was a significant risk of harm to those who undertook this service, as required by the Act.

Dated this 25th day of July 2019.

Hon RON MARK, Minister for Veterans.