Welcome to The Ministry of Defence

Naumai ki te Manatū Kaupapa Waonga

We are the Government’s lead civilian advisor on defence. We also purchase major equipment which becomes a capability when it is used by service men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force.

Ko mātou ngā kaitohutohu matua ki te kāwanatanga mo ngā kaupapa waonga. Nā mātou hoki, ngā taputapu nunui i hoko, hei āheitanga i roto i ngā ringa o ngā tāne me ngā wahine o Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa.

Who we are

A civilian agency giving advice to Government on Defence matters

What we do

We deliver capability and provide strategic advice

Industry working with Defence

We work together with industry to deliver Defence capability

Work for us

Our staff profiles and current vacancies

Featured & recent publications

Ngā whakaaturanga hou

Defence Assessment 2021: he moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka

Defence Assessment 2021: he moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka / a rough sea can still be navigated was released on 8 December 2021 by the Secretary of Defence alongside the Minister of Defence. The document provides a comprehensive review of the challenges to New Zealand’s strategic defence interests, as well as defence officials’ advice to Government on changing New Zealand’s defence policy settings.

Defence Policy Review Terms of Reference - Cabinet Documents

Kia Toipoto – Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Agency Report and Action Plan 2022

Cabinet documents: Inspector-General of Defence Bill: Approval for Introduction

Terms of Reference: Ministerial Advisory Panel for Defence Policy Review

TE PŪRONGO-Ā-TAU ANNUAL REPORT 2022

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The latest from The Ministry

Ngā pānuitanga hou o te wā

Establishing an independent Inspector-General of Defence

The Government has introduced the Inspector-General of Defence (IGD) Bill to Parliament. The Bill would establish an independent Inspector-General of Defence (IGD) to oversee the activities of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The IGD would be an independent statutory officer with investigatory and assurance functions to complement and strengthen the existing system of oversight over the NZDF.

Publication

Freyberg scholar: Niamh O’Donnell

Niamh O’Donnell was the recipient of a 2021 Defence Freyberg scholarship worth $23,000 toward her Master of International Studies at the University of Otago.

News

P-8A Poseidon: Air Surveillance Maritime Patrol for Aotearoa

The countdown is on for the arrival of the first of four P-8A Poseidon’s in December. Track the progress the team at the Ministry of Defence is making on this significant investment in strengthening Aotearoa’s maritime surveillance capability.

News

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