This week the taxpayers of New Zealand have sent our current Minister of Defence and Minister of Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, to a conference overseas. The task of the conference is how to reconstruct Mosul, once it is rid of Islamic State fighters. Why should we, a small nation in the South Pacific, impose our incompetence on the long suffering Iraqis?

Five years after the Christchurch earthquake many citizens of that city are still waiting for relief and the overall satisfaction rate of those who have received some assistance is 34 per cent. What a joke! I can't think of anyone less helpful than Mr Brownlee, we are lumbered with him so God defend New Zealand and God help the Iraqis.

P Dolden, Papamoa