Who we are

Ko wai mātou

The Ministry of Defence is a civilian agency that gives advice to the Government on defence matters. We contribute to making New Zealand safe and enhancing the security of other nations.

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How we work with the New Zealand Defence Force

We work in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force. Defence is made up of two agencies: The Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force. We work very closely together; drawing on our strong, separate civilian and military perspectives. The separation between the two agencies is part of New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements. Under the Defence Act 1990, the Secretary of Defence is the lead civilian advisor on Defence matters and the Chief of Defence Force is the lead military advisor and senior military officer.

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