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 Republic of Iraq as defined, from 1 July 1988 up to and including 30 June 2022, to be operational service for the purposes of the Act.
  Republic of Iraq – The geographic area of Iraq includes all of the sovereign territory defined by the boundaries with neighbouring states through recognised agreements. These include recognised pre-independence agreements with neighbouring Turkey including the 1926 and 1927 Iraq-Turkey agreements and protocols; with neighbouring Syria including the 1932 and 1933 Iraq-Syria agreements and reports; with neighbouring Iran including the 1975 Iran-Iraq Treaty; with neighbouring Jordan including the 1984 Iraq-Jordan Border treaty; with neighbouring Saudi Arabia including the 1981 Iraq-Saudi Arabia Frontier Treaty; and with neighbouring Kuwait including the results of the 1993 UN Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission. The geographic area of Iraq also includes the 12nm territorial sea area in accordance with Law No. 71 of 1958, extending from the baseline defined in the 9 May 2011 UN Maritime Zone Notification (MZN.83.2011.LOS).
2. I declare that the declaration for service in the Republic of Iraq will supersede declarations made under the War Pensions Act 1954 and the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 for service:
• in the territory of Iraq from 19 April 1991 to 17 December 1999 as part of the United Nations Special Commission Iraq (UNSCOM);
• as part of Operation Teal in the Republic of Iraq, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates and while transiting between them (including the airspace above them) between 1 August 2004 and 28 February 2005 (inclusive);
• in the Republic of Iraq and the airspace above it between:
• 1 November 2002 and 31 March 2003 (inclusive)
• 1 May 2003 and 30 September 2004 (inclusive)
• 1 January 2005 and 31 October 2013 (inclusive);
• within the territorial limits of the Republic of Iraq and the airspace above it on or after 4 November 2014 until declared otherwise.
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. As required by the Act, I am satisfied that there was a significant risk of harm to those that undertook service in the Republic of Iraq prior to the making of this declaration. I am also satisfied that there is a significant risk of harm to those who undertake this service up to and including 30 June 2022.

Dated this 17th day of June 2020.

Hon RON MARK, Minister for Veterans.