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

Notice

1. I declare service:
   • in Timor-Leste as defined, from 1 August 1999 up to and including 31 July 2019, to be operational service for the purposes of the Act.

Timor-Leste – The geographic area of Timor-Leste includes all the sovereign territory of the eastern half of the island of Timor based on the boundaries defined in the 1904 Convention for the Demarcation of Portuguese and Dutch Dominions on the Island of Timor and the subsequent 26 June 1914 Arbitral Award, as well as the Ambeno (Oecussi) exclave and all outlying islands pursuant to the territory of Timor-Leste including Pulau Ataro (Kambing) and Pulau Jaco (Yako). The geographic area also includes the 12nm territorial sea extending from the low water line as defined in the National Parliament Law No. 7/2002.

2. I declare that the declaration for service in Timor-Leste will supersede the declaration made under the War Pensions Act 1954 for service:
   • on the Island of East Timor from 30 August 1999 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.