Defence Review 2009 Public Consultation Document
Foreword
Keeping New Zealanders safe is the most important role for the New Zealand Government. Maintaining peace at home and abroad, protecting our assets and maintaining constructive relationships with the international community are all vital to New Zealand.
Both the National and ACT Parties undertook during the 2008 election to conduct a review of our Defence Force. This public consultation document forms part of the Government's honouring of that promise.
New Zealanders can rightly feel proud of their New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry of Defence. Every day, the men and women of both agencies, civilian and uniformed, work tirelessly to promote the cause of peace. New Zealand's international reputation for commitment and professionalism belies its small size as a nation.
The Defence Review comprises two main activities. First, the Defence Assessment, of which this document forms a part, will be undertaken by the Secretary of Defence. His report, which is to be completed by early 2010, will form the basis of the second document, the Government's White Paper on Defence. The White Paper will be a statement of our direction and purpose for the New Zealand Defence Force out to 2035. It will address foreseeable risks in our region and further afield, current hardware and management challenges, as well as charting a course toward development of future Defence Force capabilities.
The last White Paper on Defence was produced over a decade ago and the world has changed substantially in that time. This Defence Review is, therefore, timely. We intend to undertake a fundamental assessment of the security environment in which we live, to consider the roles that our Defence Force is expected to fulfil now and in the future, and to examine how well it is currently meeting its obligations.
To support the Review, this public consultation programme will enable interested New Zealanders to have their say. We encourage you to express your views.
Hon Dr Wayne Mapp
Minister of Defence
Hon Heather Roy
Associate Minister of Defence
