Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today launched the Defence White Paper 2016, outlining a 15-year modernisation plan worth nearly $20 billion to ensure the New Zealand Defence Force has the capabilities it needs to meet the country’s security and defence challenges.
The Pacific People’s Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has welcomed the inclusion of 7 Pacific recipients in this year’s Queens Birthday Honours list.
“Service to family and the community is one of the core Pacific values. These outstanding individuals have worked tirelessly to serve and help their communities,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
"These recipients have strengthened their communities and worked to ensure Pacific people maintain links to their culture while being part of the wider New Zealand community.”
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for Singapore to join counterparts at the 15th annual Shangri-La Dialogue.
“The Shangri-La Dialogue brings together Defence Ministers, military chiefs and senior officials from around the Asia-Pacific to discuss security issues in the region,” Mr Brownlee says.
As well as attending dialogue sessions, the Minister will hold a number of bilateral meetings with counterparts from a range of countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom.
The Defence Force receives new operating funding of $300.9 million over four years as part of Budget 2016 to support the work it does, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.
“This funding follows the 2013 Defence Mid-Point Rebalancing Review, which determined indicative funding needs of the Defence Force to 2030,” Mr Brownlee says.
“The Review continues to be implemented, and I’m pleased that this is the third year that new funding has been made available.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will today arrive in Stuttgart, Germany, following his first visit to NZ Defence Force (NZDF) troops at South Camp in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Israel, and the Golan Heights.
“Visiting the Sinai provided a great opportunity to talk with Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) leadership and our 27 strong Kiwi contingent who form part of the deployment that for the past 34 years has maintained peace between Israel and Egypt on the Sinai Peninsula," Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has today arrived in Dubai following his second visit to NZ Defence Force (NZDF) troops training members of the Iraqi Security Forces at Camp Taji, near Baghdad.
Mr Brownlee was accompanied on his visit by Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little, Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Mark Mitchell, and Chief of the Defence Force Lt Gen Tim Keating.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for Turkey, where he will be New Zealand’s official representative at Gallipoli for this year’s Anzac Day commemorations.
“As we mark the centenary of the first Anzac Day, it is important we remember and reflect on the enormous sacrifices Australia and New Zealand made at Gallipoli and across other battlefields in the First World War,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Foreign Minister Murray McCully have announced that the New Zealand Defence Force have completed post-Winston relief operations in Fiji and are preparing to return home.
"The NZDF’s operation in Fiji is one of our biggest peacetime deployments to the Pacific, with close to 500 personnel, two ships and six aircraft, involved in delivering hundreds of tonnes of critical aid," Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) new Battle Training Facility (BTF), which was officially opened today by the Prime Minister John Key, at a ceremony in Auckland.
“The $46 million facility in Ardmore for special forces training is state of the art,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will host the Canadian Defence Minister, Hon Harjit S. Sajjan, in Wellington tomorrow.
The Ministers will discuss a range of regional and international security issues, including international efforts to counter Da’esh and deployments such as the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai.
“I welcome Minister Sajjan to New Zealand,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cabinet has received and accepted the review of the first nine months of the joint New Zealand-Australia mission to train Iraqi Defence Force personnel at Taji, in Iraq.
“So far this has been a successful mission,” Mr Brownlee says.
“It has allowed some of New Zealand’s best soldiers to impart their knowledge and high standards to Iraqi soldiers who need help to rid their country of Daesh,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for Fiji to meet and thank New Zealand Defence Force personnel helping with the relief effort in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston.
“I am visiting Fiji to support and thank our military people who have worked hard to assist the Fijians following last month’s cyclone,” Mr Brownlee says.
The cyclone killed at least 42 people, and damaged or destroyed many thousands of homes and other buildings.
The NZDF has mainly been conducting relief operations in the Lau group of islands.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced the appointment of Air Commodore Tony Davies as the new Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Air Commodore Davies, MNZM, is currently acting Chief of Air Force.
He will shortly be promoted to Air Vice Marshal and a formal command appointment ceremony will be held on 20 April at Whenuapai.
Air Commodore Davies career with the RNZAF started in 1984 when he joined as an Officer Cadet and trainee pilot.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the work the New Zealand Defence Force has been doing since 2014 to ensure a safe and healthy culture across the forces.
Mr Brownlee responded to today’s launch by the Defence Force of Operation Respect, which is the culmination of two years of effort to tackle inappropriate and harmful sexual behaviours.
“As a large and diverse organisation, the Defence Force has a number of challenges, and it is good to see the NZDF address these head-on with a campaign like Operation Respect,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today’s departure of the main New Zealand Defence Force contingent on the HMNZS Canterbury for Fiji with relief supplies, Army engineers and helicopters.
“This is just the latest component of the NZDF’s contribution to the relief effort in Fiji in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston,” Mr Brownlee says.
“First on the scene after Cyclone Winston was an Air Force P3K2 Orion doing reconnaissance work, followed by C-130 Hercules flights carrying initial relief supplies and personnel.”
The New Zealand Government today received two international awards for the mobile apps ‘Force Fit’ and ‘Occupation Outlook.’
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce congratulated staff at the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment who developed the apps, which received Best m-Government Service Awards at the annual World Government Summit in Dubai.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today to attend the first Counter-Daesh Defence Ministerial meeting, involving all countries contributing to the Counter-Daesh Coalition.
The meeting will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 11 February.
Ministers will discuss a range of regional and international security issues, in particular their respective responses to the fight against Daesh, and how the campaign will evolve over the next 12 months.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed news that Iraqi troops who were trained by the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) Building Partner Capacity mission in Taji were part of the force that has retaken the city of Ramadi from Daesh (ISIL).
“The success of these troops results from their commitment to the training programme they have been involved in. New Zealand and Australian trainers can take some pride over the successful action by the recruits,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will host the Australian Defence Minister, Senator Marise Payne in Christchurch today.
The Ministers will discuss a range of regional and international security issues, including international efforts to counter Da’esh and deployments such as the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai, and Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan. The respective New Zealand and Australian Defence White Papers will also be a topic of conversation.
“I welcome Senator Payne to New Zealand,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced that Cabinet has approved the purchase of new rifles to re-equip the Defence Force, 28 years after the Steyr 5.56mm rifle was introduced.
The new rifle is manufactured by Lewis Machine and Tools (LMT) in the United States.
“The LMT is a combat-proven rifle that has seen service in the most arduous conditions,” Mr Brownlee says.
“It gives our personnel a weapon they can rely on in any situation,” Mr Brownlee says.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has paid tribute to the courage and high standards of service exhibited by New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel who have been recognised in the Special Honours List released by Government House today, and also those who have received honours announced by the Chief of Defence Force.
“A range of honours have been conferred today, for gallantry and other outstanding service in two of the NZDF’s most demanding deployments of recent times, Afghanistan and South Sudan.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says off-shore patrol vessel HMNZS Otago will leave Dunedin for the Southern Ocean on Thursday, to monitor fishing activity.
“This patrol is in support of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which has oversight of Southern Ocean fisheries.
“Our goal is to ensure the fishery is well managed and sustainable.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has this afternoon welcomed home the first rotation of 105 New Zealand soldiers from a six-month deployment to Iraq, where they helped train more than 2000 Iraqi Security Forces’ personnel.
“These New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) troops and those still in Iraq have much to be proud of,” Mr Brownlee says.
“They’ve gone into a dangerous environment and professionally established a training operation which is upskilling large numbers of Iraqi troops to better equip themselves to fight Daesh (ISIL).
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has reacted to stories claiming numbers were to be slashed by releasing its people projections for the next four years, which show civilian numbers unaffected and hundreds more uniformed roles added.
Mr Brownlee and the Defence Force have moved quickly to scotch suggestions there was any planning for wholesale job cuts, but nonetheless media stories have still appeared claiming otherwise.
“Sadly these incorrect stories have unnecessarily caused widespread unease among Defence staff,” Mr Brownlee says.
