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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.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for an official visit to China.

“The New Zealand – China defence relationship has grown in recent years, and I look forward to engaging with representatives of the Chinese military on how that might continue,” Mr Brownlee says.

“I also look forward to gaining a greater understanding of China’s views on a number of regional and global issues.”

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and his Australian counterpart the Hon Kevin Andrews MP met in Auckland today for the annual Australia-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

“It has been my great pleasure to host Kevin Andrews today,” Mr Brownlee says.

“In this centenary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps fighting side-by-side on the battlefield at Gallipoli, the defence relationship remains as important as ever.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will host Australian Defence Minister Hon Kevin Andrews in Auckland tomorrow for the annual Australia New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

The Ministers will discuss a range of regional and international security issues, including our respective responses to the fight against Da’esh and future capability projects.  Wider programme events include a tour of the military base at Devonport.

“I am looking forward to talking with Minister Andrews on a number of important, topical issues,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced the appointment of new Chiefs of the New Zealand Army and the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The new Chief of Army will be Peter Kelly, who is currently a Brigadier and is acting Chief of Army.

He will formally take up his new responsibilities at a handover event at Waiouru on 10 September, and will be promoted to Major General.

Brigadier Kelly takes over from Major-General Dave Gawn, who was recently appointed Head of Mission and Chief of Staff to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Foreign Minister Murray McCully today announced that this year’s Tropic twilight Exercise will be conducted in the northern Cook Islands atolls of Penrhyn and Manihiki.

“Tropic Twilight is a regular joint exercise in the Pacific involving the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), and other countries with an interest in the region,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has paid tribute to Major General Louis Gardiner, who died on Saturday.

Major General (Rtd) Gardiner was Chief of Army from 2006 to 2009, and held other significant New Zealand Defence Force roles including Commander Joint Forces, New Zealand Defence Adviser to Australia and Land Component Commander.

Mr Brownlee says Major General Gardiner, who was an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, is a loss to his country as well as his many friends, colleagues and family.

The Commander of United States Pacific Command, Admiral Harry B. Harris, will visit New Zealand this week and hold talks with the Government and senior Defence officials. 

Admiral Harris flies into Wellington on a US military aircraft today and will hold talks with Prime Minister John Key, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee, and Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully later this afternoon.

“The Government is pleased to host Admiral Harris on his visit to New Zealand,” Mr Brownlee says.

Senior Iraqi officials have conveyed thanks to Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee for New Zealand’s deployment of military personnel to help build the capacity of the Iraqi security forces.

Mr Brownlee has just left Iraq after visiting New Zealand personnel on the Building Partner Capacity mission in Taji.

“Our soldiers are in very high spirits,” Mr Brownlee says.

“They are highly professional and strongly committed to their mission, which is to provide training.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and his counterpart the Rt Hon Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence, have signed a joint statement on defence cooperation between the United Kingdom and New Zealand at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. The statement reflects findings from a review of the defence relationship.

“The joint statement reflects the depth and significance of the defence relationship between our two countries,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for Singapore to join his counterparts at the 14th annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

“The Shangri-La Dialogue is a major regional security-focused meeting, bringing together Defence Ministers from around the Asia-Pacific,” 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, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States of America.

New operating funding of $264 million over four years for the New Zealand Defence Force continues the Government’s commitment to deliver long-term funding certainty to our armed forces.

“Budget 2015 confirms that investment in the New Zealand Defence Force remains a priority,” Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The Defence Mid-Point Rebalancing Review (DMRR) in 2013 considered and valued defence priorities and costed all elements of defence capability out to 2029/30.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the appointment of the independent panel which will advise him on the Defence White Paper 2015.

This follows the announcement on 5 May that the public would have the opportunity to provide their views on the White Paper.     

The four members of the Panel are:

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee welcomes the beginning of the public consultation process for the 2015 Defence White Paper, calling for New Zealanders to seize this opportunity to influence defence policy.

The White Paper, which is intended to be published before the end of the year, will be the blueprint for how the Government plans to address the security threats, challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand over the next 25 years.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today for Belgium, where he will be New Zealand’s official representative at Anzac Day commemorations.

Mr Brownlee will attend a number of commemorative services at key Western Front sites in Flanders.

“A century on from the Gallipoli landings, it is important to continue to 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.

The New Zealand Defence Force’s commitment of mentors and support staff to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy in Afghanistan has been extended out to December 2016, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“Since late 2013 New Zealand has contributed five mentors and three support staff to the academy to assist in building the capacity of the Afghan National Army.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee have announced that the HMNZS Canterbury will be sent to Vanuatu to support the recovery effort following Cyclone Pam.

“HMNZS Canterbury will depart for Vanuatu as soon as possible carrying personnel, heavy engineering equipment and other supplies to support the recovery effort,” Mr McCully says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the New Zealand Defence Force will deploy a non-combat training mission to Iraq to build the capacity of the Iraqi security forces to combat ISIL.

This is likely to be a joint mission with the Australian Defence Force.

“Up to 143 NZDF personnel have been approved by Cabinet to deploy on a training mission, with the main body likely to deploy in May,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will meet today with his recently appointed Australian counterpart the Hon Kevin Andrews, in Melbourne.

Mr Brownlee says the meeting is timely given the upcoming commemoration of the Gallipoli centenary, and the ongoing centennial commemorations of World War One.

The Ministers will also discuss a range of regional and international security issues, including our respective responses to the fight against ISIL and future defence capability projects.