The Government has revealed it will pump billions into the Defence Force as it releases its long-awaited defence capability plan this afternoon.
Around $12 billion has been committed over the next four years – including $9 billion of new spending. The announcement means the country’s spending on defence will increase from just over 1% of GDP to more than 2% in the next eight years.
Today’s announcement comes as a 1News Verian poll reveals 39% of Kiwis support greater levels of military spending, with 23% opposed and 38% unsure.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the additional spending was essential.
“Global tensions are increasing rapidly and New Zealand has stepped up on the world stage, but our current defence spending is simply too low.”
Two ageing Air Force Boeing 757 planes are set to be replaced with an indicative cost between $600 million to $1 billion.
But there will be no replacement for the HMNZS Manawanui that sunk in Samoan waters, instead, there will be a $300 to $600 million investment for additional maintenance and upgrades to the ANZAC frigates HMNZS Te Kaha and Te Mana.
There’s also additional money for helicopters, with $2 billion being appraised as an indicative cost to procure a fleet of them to operate from Navy ships.
In the newly-released defence capability plan, the helicopters are justified as helping “extend the frigates’ surveillance range, overall weapon capability and ability to support non-combat tasks like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.”
But while Defence Minister Judith Collins said that the NZDF had endured “35 years of cuts and underfunding,” there wasn’t any funding allocated in this plan for personnel salaries.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that $50-100 million dollars is being put aside for recruitment, training and retention of NZDF personnel.
Three areas for indicative investments
The Government has outlined three areas for investment. This would for the force to be “combat capable with enhanced lethality and deterrent effect”. It would work with Australia and other partners.
The Government will review the plan every two years, with the Prime Minister saying this would be “the floor, not the ceiling for our Defence Force”.
Regarding lethality, the NZDF would also be upping its striking abilities with $100-300 million dollars going towards upgrading missiles.
Floated ideas in the plan include arming existing air and maritime equipment, such as the P-8A Poseidon fleet and the ANZAC frigates, with missiles. It would also explore other options including land-based capability.
The reason for this is outlined in the plan: “Strike capabilities provide a deterrent against vessels threatening New Zealand’s territory or NZDF units deployed on operations.”
Defence Minister Judith Collins said: “Our personnel are expected to be called upon more often, in more places and for longer. For this, they must be equipped and trained for a range of operations, to be more combat capable and able to deter actions adverse to our interests while also being ready to provide essential humanitarian and disaster relief.”
Other programmes getting funding include: surface surveillance, Javelin anti-tank missile upgrade, additional NZDF vehicles, a long-range remotely piloted aircraft, extra space capability funding, enhanced cyber security capabilities, defence house funding, a future Devonport naval base design as well as additional technology funding.
Poll shows some support for more defence spending
Today’s announcement comes as a new 1News Verian poll shows there is some public support for increasing defence spending.
The poll of 1000 voters, carried out between March 29 and April 2, found 39% approved of increasing defence spending to 2% of GDP – to about $10 billion a year. Of those asked, 23% disapproved and 38% didn’t know or preferred not to say.
The highest approval came from ACT Party supporters (63%) and the highest disapproval from Green Party supporters (38%).
See the Defence poll results here
The full 1News Verian poll results will be revealed on 1News at 6pm, with extensive coverage on 1News.co.nz.