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Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the visit by a Chinese Navy Task Force, and says it reflects New Zealand’s wider engagement with defence partners from the Asia-Pacific region.

“It is in New Zealand’s interests to promote greater levels of engagement with a wide range of defence partners. This visit fits into our wider regional engagement programme,” says Dr Coleman.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman are holding talks this week with visiting UK Minister for International Security Strategy, Dr Andrew Murrison.

“As the UK’s Special Representative for the Centenary Commemoration of the First World War, Dr Murrison’s visit to New Zealand is a good opportunity to discuss the commemoration programme,” says Mr Finlayson.

Labour is not playing straight on safety in the Defence Force, says Defence Minister, Jonathan Coleman.

“The fact is Labour did nothing to address safety issues in Defence during its time in office.

“Sadly there were 8 accidental deaths in Defence over the past 5 years, and 8 deaths in the 5 years prior to that period. One death is one too many.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes today’s release of the external review of health and safety in the New Zealand Defence Force.

"I expect health and safety to be a top priority for the NZDF. It is crucial our people operate in an environment where the proper safety procedures are followed,” says Dr Coleman.

“I asked the NZDF to commission an external review to address questions raised around the culture of health and safety. Avoidable deaths are not acceptable.”

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman says the NZ Army is co-hosting a major gathering of top Army personnel from 29 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

“For the first time in over 20 years, the NZ Army is co-hosting a major event on the Pacific Armies calendar,” says Dr Coleman. “The NZ Army has a good working relationship with the US Army, and it is great that New Zealand was asked to co-host this event with the US.”

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman today congratulated the New Zealand Defence Force on the recognition it received at the ANZ and EEO Trust Diversity Awards.

The NZDF’s support structure for LGBTIQ staff, Operation OverWatch, picked up the supreme award and the NZDF/MSD Youth Development Unit received a highly commended award for its residential course.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman is joining his counterparts at the second ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Brunei, a key security forum bringing together the ten ASEAN nations and regional partners. 

“New Zealand has an important stake in the security of the Asia-Pacific region. The ADMM-Plus provides a key opportunity to develop practical cooperation and strengthen relationships within the region,” says Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has met with Australian, US and Chinese participants who are taking part in Exercise Phoenix Spirit, a NZ hosted defence planning exercise in Christchurch.

“This is the first time that Australia, the United States and China are contributing to a humanitarian disaster relief planning exercise in New Zealand,” says Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has met with participants taking part in a defence multinational and interagency planning exercise based on a major earthquake disaster in Wellington.

“Given the recent earthquakes in Wellington which have naturally unsettled people, it is very timely that this exercise is taking place,” says Dr Coleman.

I’d like to begin by thanking our hosts IPANZ and Deloitte for bringing together senior public servants, partners from across the public and private sectors, and many of you who took the time to help shape this new Act.

An article in the Sunday Star Times by Nicky Hager made two main allegations against the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The article alleges that the NZDF had copies of journalist Jon Stephenson’s phone metadata in Afghanistan.

“The Defence Force has assured me that this is not something that they would regard as a legitimate practice. I would be most concerned if this had occurred,” says Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman acknowledges the NZDF’s guilty plea on a Health and Safety charge and the release of the Court of Inquiry into the death of Private Michael Ross.

“This was an absolute tragedy and my thoughts are with the Ross family as they continue to mourn Michael. I know today’s guilty plea will be little consolation for their devastating loss,” says Dr Coleman.

“The Defence Force has apologised to the Ross family, and it takes full responsibility for the safety failings that led to his death.”

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and Police Minister Anne Tolley joined the Prime Minister John Key at today’s celebrations to mark the tenth anniversary of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

“New Zealand has made a significant contribution to security and stability in Solomon Islands through RAMSI, a partnership of Pacific nations established a decade ago,” says Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman says New Zealand is continuing to strengthen practical cooperation with its international partners as we develop our amphibious capabilities.

“At last year’s annual Australia-New Zealand Defence Ministers meeting we agreed to further develop our practical cooperation,” Dr Coleman says.

“The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is sending observers to Exercise Talisman Saber 2013, one of Australia’s major biennial exercises, to further develop our amphibious capability.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes today’s dedication and unveiling of three new commemorative plaques for Defence Force operations.

“It is appropriate that Parliament pays tribute to the 20,000 New Zealanders who served their country in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and other missions in more than 40 countries around the world since the 1950s,” Dr Coleman says.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman have paid tribute to members of the New Zealand Defence Force for their dedicated service to Christchurch on the eve of their longest ever domestic deployment.

“Tomorrow afternoon around 120 members of the Army, Navy and Air Force will be thanked in person by Prime Minister John Key for their duty to Christchurch,” Mr Brownlee says.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman welcomes a new defence agreement with Timor-Leste, which reflects the strong ties between the two countries.

“This agreement signifies how our bilateral relationship has matured, and it builds on the close working relationship between the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) and the Falintil Forcas de Defesa Timor-Leste (F-FDTL),” Dr Coleman says.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman welcomes today’s presentation of New Zealand operational medals to the 30 Afghan interpreters who have resettled in New Zealand.

“I am very pleased that our Afghan interpreters who served with our troops and police in the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) in Bamyan are being awarded these medals today,” says Dr Coleman.

“As New Zealand residents, it is appropriate that they receive the same medallic recognition as the New Zealand Defence Force and New Zealand Police personnel they served alongside.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman welcomes the release of the Defence Force’s Court of Inquiry into two incidents in August 2012 where five soldiers lost their lives in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan.

“Losing five of our soldiers in Afghanistan in August last year was a very tragic and difficult time for the Defence Force and for New Zealand,” says Dr Coleman.

“Today’s release of the inquiry will be difficult for the families who continue to mourn their loved ones.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman welcomes two new UK awards for service in Bomber Command and the Arctic Circle during World War II.

13 Bomber Command Clasps and an Arctic Star are being presented today to a group of Kiwi veterans at the Auckland War Memorial Museum Hall of Memories at an event organised by the Bomber Command Association.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman is attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this weekend.

Dr Coleman will hold a range of meetings with his counterparts from around the world. He will meet US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and a range of Defence Ministers from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, the UK, France and Canada.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the New Zealand Defence Force is improving its military capability in this year’s budget as it realises the benefits from the annual savings it has achieved.

“In the year to July 2013 the NZDF will deliver $190 million dollars in savings after achieving $140 million dollars in the year prior,” said Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman today announced the purchase of 200 new trucks for the New Zealand Defence Force.

In a $135 million project, the government is purchasing Rheinmetall- MAN military vehicles to replace the old NZDF Unimog and heavier Mercedes trucks.

“The new NZDF medium and heavy trucks will carry more people and equipment, and will be fitted with armour and weapons to protect the crew, allowing them to function effectively in modern military environments,” said Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman, says the New Zealand Defence Force will conduct a series of deployments to assist the international anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.

“Later this year the Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana will join the Combined Maritime Force (CMF), which is the multinational task group designed to combat piracy in the region,” said Dr Coleman.