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Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee and Defence Minister Mark Mitchell have announced that the Government has decided to bring home the group of New Zealand SAS troops in Tonga for a jungle training exercise as soon as possible.

New Zealand has congratulated the Iraqi government on the successful liberation of Mosul from ISIS after a long and hard-fought campaign.

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee and Defence Minister Mark Mitchell say the liberation of Mosul is an important milestone in Iraq’s battle against ISIS.

“Losing the symbolic heartland of its so-called Caliphate in Iraq will serve as a severe blow to ISIS fighters and its supporters around the globe,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee, on behalf of the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting, has issued a Joint Communique agreeing on key areas to collaborate and coordinate.

“It was a very successful meeting, and demonstrated how New Zealand can work closely with our South Pacific neighbours to tackle the defence and security challenges for our region,” Mr Brownlee says.

“We reached agreement on a number of important areas for action.

New Zealand will deploy a Royal New Zealand Navy Inshore Patrol Vessel and crew to Fiji for six months from May, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

Mr Brownlee and his Fijian counterpart Ratu Inoke Kubuabola announced the deployment today at the third South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Auckland.

“This is an excellent opportunity for New Zealand to partner with Fiji on maritime security and protecting fisheries – important issues not only to Fiji but also to New Zealand and the wider region.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will tomorrow welcome counterparts to New Zealand for the 2017 South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting, being held in Auckland.

“The South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting will bring together the highest levels of defence leadership from around our region to address common security challenges, and to improve cooperation and coordination on regional defence issues,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has paid his third visit to NZ Defence Force troops training members of the Iraqi Security Forces at Camp Taji, near Baghdad.

Mr Brownlee arrived back in Dubai this morning, accompanied by Chief of the Defence Force Lt Gen Tim Keating.

“Once again I’ve been impressed by the way our trainers are able to connect with the Iraqi Security Forces,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee will be treated to a spectacular display of air power at this weekend’s Royal New Zealand Air Force 2017 Air Tattoo.

“This is a unique opportunity to see all of our Air Force air craft in one place, plus aircraft from militaries all around the world,” says Mr Brownlee.

Mr Brownlee will be at RNZAF Base Ohakea on Sunday, 26 February, to attend the air show, which marks the 80th anniversary of the RNZAF.

Civil Defence and Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has requested the New Zealand Defence Force to provide support to local authorities in Christchurch as they deal with the Port Hills fires.

“The Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group has offered its assistance to both Selwyn District Council and Christchurch City Council but at this time the councils have not declared a state of local emergency,” Mr Brownlee says.

Three months after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on 14 November, encouraging recovery progress is being made in affected communities.

Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the government and local authorities are working alongside not-for-profit organisations and businesses on a multi-pronged recovery effort in the wake of the 14 November earthquake.

“People’s wellbeing and livelihoods are our top priority,” Mr Brownlee says.

Joint Statement

New Zealand and Singapore’s Defence Ministers Gerry Brownlee and Dr Ng Eng Hen today observed Exercise Thunder Warrior, an artillery live-firing exercise at the Waiouru Training Area.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) exercise.

The ministers also conducted the inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says 2016 has seen the New Zealand Defence Force respond to natural disasters, train Iraqi soldiers and future-proof the country’s Defence industry.

“I think most of us will remember 2016 as a turbulent and extraordinary year for the world,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force perform essential roles in protecting New Zealanders, supporting our friends and neighbours and furthering New Zealand’s interests around the globe.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today that approval has been given for the New Zealand Defence Force to progress work on the Consolidated Logistics project at a cost of $130 million over five years.

“New Zealand’s Defence Force holds a wide range of equipment, all of which needs to be stored, maintained and serviced so that it is ready and safe to use when required,” Mr Brownlee says.

“However the systems presently used to do this need to be brought into the modern age.

The recipients of the annual Minister of Defence Industry Awards of Excellence for 2016 have been announced by Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee.

“The awards are an important way of acknowledging the role the defence industry plays in supporting both the Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force,” Mr Brownlee says.

“In providing and maintaining key assets, as well as supplying the Defence Force with goods and services, the defence industry is vital to the success of New Zealand’s defence policy.”

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has today launched the Defence Capability Plan 2016, detailing the $20 billion investment in capability needed out to 2030.

The Plan is the next step in delivering on the Defence White Paper, released in June this year.

“Since then the government has agreed to the procurement of an ice-strengthened naval tanker and high mobility vehicles for the Special Air Service,” Mr Brownlee says.

Thank you to the Defence Industry Association for inviting me to open the Forum with this speech.

This is my first time attending the Forum, and I can see from the programme that you have an excellent two days of meetings and discussion ahead of you.

The Government released its second Defence White Paper in June.

So it is worth briefly reflecting on the New Zealand’s defence policy and the environment that has helped shape it.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the support of nations attending the International Naval Review to help with the response to the November 14 earthquake.

The New Zealand Defence Force has accepted offers of help from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and Singapore.

New Zealand Defence Force helicopters have so far airlifted 103 people from Kaikoura.

Defence Minister and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the evacuees have been taken to Christchurch, where local authorities have been helping make arrangements for affected tourists. 

“The four New Zealand NH90 helicopters have been evacuating people and bringing in supplies on each flight,” Mr Brownlee says.

The New Zealand Defence Force has accepted offers of help from the United States and Japan militaries as part of the ongoing response to the November 14 earthquake.

Defence Minister and Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says providing essential supplies to Kaikoura and getting tourists out of the region remains the priority while work to assess the scale of the damage continues.

“The district is completely isolated after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent landslides,” Mr Brownlee says.

The New Zealand Defence Force will host two large multilateral naval exercises in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty from November 13 - 16 in the lead up to the International Naval Review.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the exercises, Nga Tahi and Mahi Tangaroa, have been designed to maximise the training opportunity provided by the presence of ships and personnel from at least 15 international navies.

The New Zealand Defence Force will soon have access to cutting-edge communication systems, providing a complete picture of the battlefield and allowing information to be shared quickly.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the government has approved the purchase of a battle management system, provided by Danish firm Systematic.

“The new system will enable NZDF to gain a complete picture of the situation on the ground and share information quickly,” Mr Brownlee says.

The government has given approval for New Zealand Defence Force personnel based at Taji, Iraq, to offer training to Iraqi Security Forces at Al Taqaddum Air Base, west of Baghdad.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the approval is for about five NZDF personnel to help deliver a training programme to Iraqi Security Forces for short periods of about two weeks.

“We want to keep contributing to the training of Iraqi Security Forces as they combat Daesh and return stability to Iraq,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee leaves today to attend the Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Paris.

The meeting is being hosted by French Minister of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian and United States Defence Secretary Ashton Carter on October 25.

“As we have seen recently, Daesh continues to pose a significant threat not only to the citizens of Iraq and Syria but also the wider world,” Mr Brownlee says.

The last 15 years has seen the international strategic environment become increasingly uncertain and unstable.

Terrorism is a global issue that affects many nations, including those in the Asia-Pacific.

It is not new to Southeast Asia – extremist groups have had an enduring presence in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines for decades.

The increasing influence of Daesh in the region is very concerning.

Cabinet has today agreed to deploy an additional 35 New Zealand Defence Force personnel to an international peacekeeping mission in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“Our personnel will provide engineering support to build a security fence around the Multinational Force and Observers’ South Camp in the Sinai, near Sharm El-Sheikh,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The short-term contribution will bolster the security of the mission, which observes and reports on the Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel.