Search

Labour MP, Phil Goff, has breached a Coroner's suppression order relating to the non-combat death of a soldier in Afghanistan says Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman.

"Mr Goff has tonight publicly released pages from a Court of Inquiry report into the death of a soldier in Afghanistan that is subject to a Coroner’s Court suppression order. He needs to explain why he's attached these pages to a press release in defiance of the Coroner's explicit instruction,” said Dr Coleman.

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano, and Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman, have signed a treaty-level agreement that will build the relationship between the Tonga Defence Service (TDS) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman is meeting his Trans-Tasman counterpart, Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith in Auckland this evening.

The two Ministers are holding a bilateral discussions before they both depart tomorrow to attend the inaugural South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting being held in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.

Today, Anzac Day, marks the anniversary of the first New Zealand and Australian landings on the Gallipoli peninsula on the 25th of April 1915. We remember those New Zealanders who fought and died here 98 years ago. We also pay our respects to the Turks who were fighting to defend their homeland, and our allies who fought beside us. We also commemorate the dead and those who have served in all conflicts in which New Zealand has taken part.

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga karanga maha e huihui nei

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

There is no more poignant and evocative place for any New Zealander to be present than at dawn on Anzac day, on the Gallipoli peninsula.

It’s a place you’ve never been to before, but at the same time you’ve grown up with. It’s a place of sadness, but a place that makes you very proud. It’s a place which for New Zealanders distils and lays clear all the qualities which we hold dear in our national character.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the latest Defence Force attitude survey shows morale is continuing to improve.

“The Labour opposition is referring to outdated survey data in an attempt to cast the Defence Force in a negative light. In fact the latest indicator results collated by the Defence Force are trending the right way,” said Dr Coleman.

“In the January to March quarter the survey shows morale, engagement, and intent to leave measures have all improved, reflecting an ongoing positive trend.”

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the government has approved the purchase of an upgraded and expanded Seasprite helicopter fleet for the New Zealand Defence Force.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says he welcomes the Labour Party’s acknowledgement today the Seasprite helicopter replaces a vital capability to the Defence Force.

The government has announced eight Seasprites (plus two spare airframes) will be purchased from the United States company Kaman Aerospace in a $242 million dollar deal, which includes a training simulator, missiles, and additional components.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the Provincial Reconstruction Team has now completely departed from Kiwi Base in Bamyan, marking of the end of 10 years of service in the Afghanistan province.

“I’ve been advised by the Defence Force that the final contingent of CRIB 21 soldiers has departed Bamyan on a RNZAF C-130 plane for the Bagram Air Field. They will spend a further few days there packing and cleaning equipment before returning to New Zealand next week,” said Dr Coleman.

As the multi-agency search and salvage operation off the Kawhia coast draws to a close the Minister of Defence Dr Jonathan Coleman has commended the efforts of the NZ Defence Force, in particular the Royal New Zealand Navy.

“The recovery operation was a particularly complex task that required a high degree of interoperability between government agencies, and the NZ Defence Force for the search and subsequent recovery of the aircraft”, said Dr Coleman.

E ngā Mana, E Ngā Iwi, E Ngā Reo Tēnā Koutou Tēnā Koutou, Tēnā Koutou Katoa

Your Excellency, the Governor General of New Zealand Sir Jerry Mateparae, and Lady Janine; Dr Habiba Sarabi, Governor of Bamyan; Lt General Rhys Jones, Chief of Defence Force; Helene Quilter, Secretary of Defence; Peter Marshall, Commissioner of Police, Friends of New Zealand and Afghanistan.

I want to acknowledge the service men and women of the NZDF who are here today as well as the thousands who have served here before you.

Your Excellency the Governor General of New Zealand and Lady Janine Mataparae, Governor Sarabi, Lt General Rhys Jones, Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Helene Quilter, and Police Commissioner Peter Marshall.

To all those friends of New Zealand and Bamyan Province who gather here, today we pay tribute to the eight New Zealanders and 23 Afghans who have given their lives in the service of Bamyan Province, and whose names are commemorated on this joint memorial.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman has held a bilateral meeting in Auckland today with Viet Nam’s Minister of National Defence.

The visit by General Phung Quang Thanh is the first to New Zealand by a Viet Nam Minister of National Defence.

“This was a welcome opportunity for a bilateral meeting and we discussed a broad range of defence-related issues in Asia Pacific, as well as opportunities for future co-operation in the region,” said Dr Coleman.

It’s a pleasure to be addressing the New Zealand Defence Industry Association again.

I want to focus my remarks today on a subject close to your interests: how to deliver results while managing the rising costs of doing business.

It is a topic close to the heart of our Defence Force as it juggles significant reform, making savings efficiencies, maintaining capability, while also dealing with the rising cost of defence.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the death of Private Michael Ross is a tragedy that must never be allowed to occur again.

The Court of Inquiry into the death of the soldier who drowned at Lake Moawhango during small boat training is examining all aspects of the incident.

“The Court of Inquiry isn’t completed. I’ll receive a copy of the report only after it has been before the Court’s Assembly Authority for comment and recommended actions,” said Dr Coleman.

Good evening,

Thank you to the co-hosts of this event: Dr Geoff Perry, Dean of the Business and Law Faculty School and David McGregor of the Auckland and Northland Territorial Forces Employer Council.

Also welcome to Brigadier Sean Trengrove the director of the NZDF Reserve Forces and other present and past members of the NZDF.

And I also especially wish to welcome to the employers who have Defence Force reservists on their staff, and also all of those from AUT.

Thank you for the opportunity to be here this evening.

Introduction

I wish to talk about how New Zealand is managing the effect on its defence force of the most challenging economic conditions seen in generations.

This is a challenge which politicians and policy makers, militaries, and industry are grappling with worldwide and of particular relevance to those of us here today.

The global financial crisis and subsequent fiscal and sovereign debt crises are having a profound and lasting effect on economies in the developed world.

Mr Secretary General, Colleagues

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the new Chief of Army will be Major General Dave Gawn.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman is attending the NATO-ISAF summit in Brussels this week to outline New Zealand’s on going commitments in Afghanistan.

“It is a useful opportunity to set out New Zealand’s small but valuable contribution to the international operation in Afghanistan after the departure of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in April,” said Dr Coleman.

Cabinet today agreed on New Zealand’s contribution to Afghanistan beyond the April withdrawal of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) from Bamyan province, in line with the joint ISAF/Afghan transition plan.  

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman say New Zealand will continue to make a small but proportionate military commitment to the international mission in Afghanistan from May 2013, and that we remain committed to international efforts to improve the security and prosperity of Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman is rejecting claims the NZDF Crib 20 rotation to Bamyan in Afghanistan, which suffered the loss of five lives, was inadequately trained.

The NZ Herald reported today on a critical evaluation report written during CRIB 20’s pre-deployment training.

“The NZDF prides itself on its professional standards. This rotation was assessed by the NZDF as trained to assume full operational duties in Bamyan,” said Dr Coleman.