New Zealand public invited to help shape future of Defence

“Last year the Government commissioned a Defence Policy Review, a process designed to ensure that New Zealand’s Defence policy, strategy, and planned capability investments remain fit for purpose,” Ministry of Defence Deputy Secretary Anton Youngman said.

“We are now asking everyone in New Zealand for their views(external link) to help shape this work.”

Vice Chief of Defence Force Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies said everyone in New Zealand was invited to take part in the online survey and share their views on our country’s future defence policy and strategy.

“The information gathered over the next 10 weeks the survey is open for will be used to inform a Defence Policy and Strategy Statement and a set of Future Force Design Principles,” he said.

The Defence Policy and Strategy Statement will express the Government’s Defence Policy interests, objectives, priorities and high level strategy.

It will reflect the Minister of Defence’s priorities of Pacific, People and Infrastructure and leverage the work of Defence Assessment 2021, which outlined two growing threats to New Zealand’s security – strategic competition and climate change.

Work to develop Future Force Design Principles, which are the Government’s intentions for the future force structure, has also begun. This will build on the long-term trends and issues identified in the Defence Policy and Strategy Statement and guide decisions on future broad capability (people and assets) required.

Once these documents have been considered later in 2023, the Government will then make decisions as to next steps.

More information on how to take part is available at www.defence.govt.nz/engage(external link) and public feedback is welcome until 4 April.