Two brothers who were severely injured in separate Defence Force accidents over 25 years ago say they're relieved to have finally received an apology.
George and Damien Nepata have been battling for 24 years for the Defence Force to take responsibility for their injuries.
George broke his back during an Army training exercise in Singapore in 1989 which left him as a tetraplegic. Five years later, Damien suffered burns to 40 percent of his body when a tank rolled in an exercise in Waiouru.
"It had a really huge impact on the family, particularly our mother, to see two sons go through two such traumatic experiences literally one after the other," Damien says.
Along with an apology from the Defence Force, the brothers also found out George will receive a payout.
"To see him, to see all of that struggle over all those years finally come to an end, and he can sit back and say he can have some financial security," Damien says.
Damien won't get a payment, but says he's happy for his brother.
"I'm absolutely stoked for him. For me, it's always been about George. If you ask George, he'll say from day one it's been about me," he says.
"A long road, but I guess we're at the end of it now and it's time to find a new pathway."
It took three select committees, a Waitangi Tribunal claim and three Cabinet decisions to get this outcome.
