Protecting New Zealand’s Borders – the Government’s Approach

Keynote address to the NZ Border Security and Civil Defence Forum, Auckland

Thank you for the invitation to speak today on the Government’s approach with respect to the New Zealand Defence Force in protecting New Zealand’s borders.

Some of you will no doubt be wondering why the Minister of Defence was chosen to provide the keynote address to a conference on New Zealand border security and civil defence.

There is a very real connection between the two. The NZDF plays a crucial role, along with other agencies, in protecting our borders from non traditional, non military threats as well as conventional ones.

Indeed, since the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001 on the United States, a much sharpened whole of government approach has been employed to ensure New Zealand’s security.

Today I want to discuss how defence is contributing to that whole of government approach.

Released in June 2000, Government’s Defence Policy Framework outlines, amongst other things, that our primary defence interests are focussed on: protecting our territorial sovereignty, working with Australia, enhancing security in the South Pacific in particular and more generally in the wider Asia-Pacific region, and contributing to global security.

The Framework document goes on to emphasise that security is about more than just defence and also focuses on global challenges.

What does all this have to do with the protection of New Zealand’s borders?

The answer is that today we live in an interdependent global environment.

Our isolation doesn’t afford us the protection it once did from new security challenges.

The best defence is, therefore, a proactive approach.

The promotion of peace, security and stability abroad reduces the likelihood of threats to New Zealand.

Since 1998 successive assessments have identified no country as being of direct military threat to New Zealand.

However, this does not mean we can be complacent about our security or that the international environment is inevitably going to be benign.

9/11 underlined that. The nature of terrorism, and the reason it can cause such public anxiety, is that it can strike anyone, anywhere and at anytime. It is not just an American problem. The bombings in London, Madrid, Istanbul, Bali, and elsewhere demonstrate that.

The threat of terrorist groups using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear devices to carry out an unconventional attack has become more pronounced. The Government has taken an active approach to countering such threats.

We have enacted since 2001 the Terrorism Suppression and Counter-Terrorism Acts to meet new international legal requirements and provide powers to intelligence, security, law enforcement and border control agencies. This has, for example, enabled us to become party to all 13 United Nations anti-terrorism conventions.

Where we find the need to further refine our legislation and laws in this area we will do so. The Aviation Security Legislation Bill, which is before Parliament is an example of a recent initiative.

Introduced in by the Minister for Transport Safety, Harry Duynhoven, the bill implements a number of initiatives to improve New Zealand’s aviation security, strengthen its legislative framework and meet international obligations.

Further afield, we have since 2001 made a significant contribution to countering international terrorism at its source. We have sent three rotations of the SAS to Afghanistan to conduct counter-terrorism activities as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Complementing this has been our 120-strong Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan province, which is now in its 4th year. One of the first, it is in its seventh rotation and is held up as a model for other countries’ peacekeeping and reconstruction efforts.

The Government has also been active in counter-terrorism capacity building in the South Pacific.

The Pacific Security Fund provides up to NZ$3 million per year, in addition to other direct help from New Zealand Government agencies, for counter-terrorism and security related training and technical assistance. It is helping to build the capacity and infrastructure necessary for compliance with international security standards. This includes the areas of port and shipping security, aviation security, banking, immigration documentation, money laundering and bio-security.

At the same time we have continued consciousness-raising activities through the annual meeting of the Forum Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and our network of Pacific counter-terrorism contact points.

Since 2004, we have been an active member of the Proliferation Security Initiative, or PSI. The PSI is a multilateral effort to counter the illegal trafficking of weapons of mass destruction and related materials.

New Zealand is seeking to build support for the PSI throughout the South Pacific. We have joined with Australia to promote regional participation in PSI activities.

However, terrorism is not the only unconventional threat confronting New Zealand and its neighbours. We face:

• unsustainable and illegal exploitation of marine resources in the waters around us.
• We face the problems arising from weak and failing governments in the Pacific, which can create the environments where transnational crime can flourish.
• We face crime the need to control global illegal trades in small arms and drugs, as well as dealing with money laundering and people smuggling.

All require a focused, whole of government effort to address and reduce such threats to our security.

The New Zealand Government takes these threats very seriously. Defence policy sets out as a key objective “to defend New Zealand and to protect its people, land, territorial waters, exclusive economic zone, natural resources and critical infrastructure.”

This is a fundamental responsibility of the Defence Force. It lies behind some of the key decisions the Government has made in the investment of new and upgraded capabilities for the Defence Force.

Reinvesting, rebuilding and realigning Defence capability

Our programme of realignment, reinvestment and rebuilding of Defence Force capabilities has been designed to meet the seven principles which the Government is following in reshaping the New Zealand Defence Force.

These are that the Defence Force should be:

• equipped and trained for combat and peacekeeping;
• able and ready to be deployed;
• able to operate alongside other forces;
• equipped and trained a appropriate levels of readiness;
• able to sustain commitments;
• up to date in technology and doctrine; and
• fiscally sustainable.

Many of the force elements that contribute to the protection of New Zealand’s land, air and maritime borders are currently undergoing significant upgrades in capability.

I want to talk today about a few of these developments.

Under Project Protector the Navy will by June 2008, commission seven new ships into service.

These vessels are designed to meet New Zealand's needs in the 21st century including our guardianship obligations over the world's fourth largest Exclusive Economic Zone.

They represent the greatest increase in capabilities at one time in the Royal New Zealand Navy's history.

The flagship of the Protector fleet, the multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury, began service last month.

Canterbury represents an impressive new capability for the Navy.

Her 53 core crew can be joined by up to 250 soldiers, 10 Air Force flight crew, light armoured vehicles, containers, up to four of the new NH90 helicopters and a Seasprite helicopter. Canterbury will embody the Defence Force’s joint approach to operations.

The contribution made by Canterbury to the Navy will be further strengthened by the arrival of the rest of the Project Protector fleet over the next 12 months: two new 85-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels and four new 54-metre Inshore Patrol Vessels.

These vessels are particularly relevant to New Zealand’s border security in being able to support maritime counter-terrorism and other multi-agency operations in support of national security tasks. They will be able to conduct a broad range of patrol and response tasks, including surveillance and reconnaissance, and the interception, boarding or apprehension of suspect vessels.

They will undertake maritime surface surveillance in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and the South Pacific. The patrol vessels will work in conjunction with our maritime patrol aircraft to assist government agencies in protecting our natural resources and borders.

Together, the Protector Fleet will ensure for the first time a capable whole of government approach to New Zealand’s security, including not only our military security, but also the security of our borders, fisheries and biodiversity.

Another key contributor to protecting our borders is the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

As well as patrolling our waters, they are also a key link with our South Pacific neighbours.

The P-3’s are currently undergoing an upgrade that will enhance their sensors and mission management systems. The first upgraded aircraft will be completed in the next few months and the final aircraft is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

A major structural upgrade of the P-3, including the installation of new wings on the aircraft, was also completed in 2003.

The upgraded aircraft will deliver a significant advance in New Zealand’s capabilities in maritime and overland surveillance – capabilities which are also in high demand internationally.

I talked earlier about the importance of providing a robust counter-terrorism response in today’s uncertain security environment. Defence is in the process of significantly upgrading its counter-terrorism capabilities.

A dedicated Special Forces counter-terrorism unit has been established, known as the Counter Terrorist Tactical Assault Group. It will work in close cooperation with New Zealand Police to respond to potential terrorist incidents.

We have the new Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Squadron set up to deal with Radiological and Explosive devices.

It is tasked with safely disposing of such threats.

The squadron utilises some high-tech equipment, such as a remote controlled device disposal robot. This can be used in situations where there is a high risk to human life.

A major enhancement of Air Force capability will result from the Government’s decision to purchase eight state of the art NH90 medium utility helicopters.

Aside from a considerably greater carrying capacity, these new European helicopters will provide enhanced support for Special Forces in the event of a terrorist incident in New Zealand. But they have a key role also in providing assistance to civil agencies during other national and international emergencies.

These significant enhancements will provide the Defence Force with the ability and the agility to respond to a broad range of security events on New Zealand territory and abroad.

A whole of government approach

The capabilities I have just described will often be used in cooperation with other government agencies. Meeting the challenges of our security environment requires our armed forces to work with other government departments in a whole-of-government approach.

It requires government agencies working together in New Zealand and internationally. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Fisheries, Immigration, Customs, the SIS, Police, Maritime New Zealand, and the Aviation Security Service need to be able to cooperate effectively in the face of shared challenges.

Project Protector and the P-3 Orion upgrade are excellent examples of a whole of government approach to the use of new capabilities.

Agencies involved in these projects include Customs, the National Maritime Coordination Centre, the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime New Zealand, and New Zealand Police.

Most of these agencies work closely with Defence on a day to day basis to ensure our shared security outcomes are achieved.

This is particularly underlined by the successful introduction of the National Maritime Co-ordination Centre. This has given us the ability to more effectively target priority requirements of civil agencies with available Defence Force assets.

Before I conclude today, I want to offer a few final thoughts.

In international terms, we have a small but highly trained and capable Defence Force.

Our strength is that we have a well earned reputation to do tasks set for us in a disciplined, professional and effective manner. New Zealand has tailored its defence policy to what it can practically achieve given its place in the world, geographically and economically.

We are a small maritime nation with a disproportionately large land border relative to our landmass.

We have the fourth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. In putting in $3.4 billion for capital expenditure in the Defence Long-Term Development Plan and $4.6 billion into the Defence Sustainability Initiative for infrastructure and personnel needs, the Government has placed a priority on the development of the Defence Force’s new and upgraded capability, including the objective of ensuring it will contribute to our ability to protect New Zealand’s borders.

Effective protection of New Zealand’s borders – air, land and sea – is an integral part of securing New Zealand’s physical, economic, social and cultural well being.

Events since 2001 have reinforced the need to be constantly vigilant, monitoring the strategic environment for emerging threats to our security.

My best wished for an informative and enjoyable conference over the next two days. Thank you.