Being a little more than 100 years ago since naval operations commenced in the Dardanelles and just over one month since HMNZS Wellington returned from her toothfish fisheries patrol, New Zealand First has but one question for the government, 'have you got them yet?”

'It has been a month since HMNZS Wellington returned with her quality evidence and despite heaps of bluster from the government, what's the sit-rep (situation report)?” asked Ron Mark, New Zealand First Defence spokesperson.

'In January, Murray McCully told media, ‘What we have already achieved is significant photographic evidence of what these guys have been up to down there…This is cynical international criminal activity and we need to stamp it out'.

'Defence Minister Brownlee chipped in with, ‘they've [HMNZS Wellington] got evidence about where they are coming from, and the track will now be on those ships where they head to port…They'll have quite some difficulty discharging their cargo'.

'Really? The only thing that smells fishy is the incompetence of a government wrong-footed by the word ‘no' and a false flag.

'Unless they have got them Ministerial heads should be rolling,” Mr Mark said.