Nicky Hager hits Palmerston North for talks

Investigative journalist Nicky Hager says he is still hearing from people in the military, months after publishing a book alleging SAS involvement in the death of Afghanistan civilians.

Hager is heading to Palmerston North on Wednesday to talk about Hit and Run, a book he coauthored with Jon Stephenson.

The book details a raid the SAS was involved in in Afghanistan in 2010, where it is alleged civilians were killed. The Defence Force has denied killing civilians.

Hager said the focus of his talks would be on how the incident highlighted problems with how the military operated.

‘‘Jon [Stephenson] and I are still hearing from people in middle and lower [ranks] of the Defence Force who are glad we did the book and are giving more information.’’

The pair called for an inquiry into the incident, but Prime Minister Bill English has said there is no basis for one.

The Defence Force was also critical of the book.

Hager said he was not disappointed with how things had gone, as he expected the road to an inquiry would be long and hard.

‘‘Jon [Stephenson] and I are obliged and morally committed to those people [in Afghanistan] to stay with this so it can get sorted out in the end.’’

But he wanted to reassure people he was not attacking the ‘‘military family’’.

He was especially keen to get that point across in Palmerston North as it was a ‘‘military town’’, he said.

Hit and Run is the first book Hager has co-authored – an experience he said was tough at times.

But it had made sense to collaborate, with Hager doing work in New Zealand while Stephenson worked in Afghanistan, a place where Hager said he ‘‘wouldn’t last five minutes’’.

Hager will speak at Massey University’s Social Sciences Lecture Block room 6 on Wednesday at noon, and at the Palmerston North City Library at 7pm.