Defence Portfolio
Briefing to the Incoming Government 2005
Roles and Organisation of the Ministry of Defence and the NZDF (continued)
Jointness
The senior defence leadership of the NZDF are strongly committed to the ethos of 'jointness'. Jointness refers to the three services, Navy, Army and Air Force, together undertaking and planning the conduct of, and the training for, exercises and operations.
The Chief of Defence Force, Service Chiefs and COMJFNZ jointly signed a Statement of Commitment in June 2002 entitled Three Services - One Force to emphasise this.
The Statement is viewed by the senior defence leadership as a public contract between themselves and the service and civilian personnel of the NZDF.
Three Services - One Force demonstrates the commitment to building an NZDF that is united, professionally trained, competent, appropriately equipped and capable of serving the interests of New Zealand, confronting the security challenges of the future, and meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Government.
NZDF Support for non-Military Tasks
The conduct of training activities for military tasks generates within the NZDF the capacity to provide a range of services to other government departments and the community, or to support foreign policy and defence objectives.
This range of non-military services is a by-product of capabilities developed and maintained for military purposes. A forecast of the range of services most likely to be provided and the availability of selected elements of the NZDF to provide such services, are detailed in the NZDF Output Plan. Such services include:
- Support of national and international events of significance - as directed by the Government;
- Ceremonial support for the Government and the community;
- Support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Environmental Risk Management Authority, the New Zealand Police, the Department of Conservation and other government departments and agencies, as required;
- Assistance with fire fighting - especially in rural areas;
- Assistance with land, sea and air search and rescue;
- Assistance with land, sea and air emergency medical evacuation;
- Emergency medical assistance when required, and medical surveys;
- Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) [as distinct from improvised explosive device disposal (IEDD)]; and
- Support to the New Zealand Antarctic Programme.
NZDF Property
The NZDF owns and manages 72,000ha of land with a gross value of $1.2 billion. This includes the Naval Base at Devonport, Army camps at Papakura, Waiouru, Linton, Trentham and Burnham, and airbases at Whenuapai, Ohakea and Woodbourne. In addition, the NZDF owns a variety of other training areas (the most extensive are at Tekapo and Waiouru), weapons ranges, housing estates and depots. Land and facilities are actively managed by property groups within each Service, while HQ NZDF Directorate of Land and Facilities Management develops overall policy guidelines and is developing an integrated land and facilities management system. As part of the Defence Sustainability Initiative, the Directorate of Land and Facilities Management is developing a Defence Estates Strategic Plan to cover the period 2006 - 2016.
The Property Rationalisation Group in HQ NZDF works across the NZDF to ensure that strategic long-term development requirements are matched with the appropriate property to deliver operational outputs efficiently and effectively. This process involves the establishment of strategic projects incorporating the development of user requirements, assessment of delivery options, and the subsequent implementation of property related strategies for acquisition, lease and disposal of real estate. As part of the Defence Sustainability Initiative, the Directorate of Property Rationalisation is developing a Defence Estate Optimisation Strategy, and the Housing and Accommodation Assistance Plan.
Key projects include:
- Wellington CBD Office Accommodation - Development of a consolidated Defence precinct around the new Defence Headquarters.
- Housing and Accommodation Assistance Project - developing a programme of work to meet the housing needs of service personnel and their families.
- Trentham Review - to establish the purpose and future use of Trentham Army Camp and to consider the prospect of establishing an NZDF support centre.
- Territorial Force Regionalisation Programme - Disposal of outdated facilities and replacement with purpose built facilities and ongoing assessment of TF requirements and implementation of delivery plans.
Location of Principal NZDF Bases and Training Areas
The New Zealand Defence Force Bases and Training Areas are situated in: Auckland, Papakura, Waiouru, Ohakea, Linton, Wellington (includes HQ JFNZ and Trentham), Woodbourne, Burnham and Tekapo.
Summary of NZDF Bases and Facilities
The New Zealand Defence Forces Bases and Facilities are separated into five groups. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force, Joint Forces New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force, is further separated into Wellington, Trentham and Overseas Units.
Wellington is made up of: HQ NZDF (Strategic HQ), Chief of Defence Force, Vice Chief of Defence Force, Chief of Navy, Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force.
Trentham consists of NZDF Command and Staff College.
Overseas Units consist of NZ Defence Support Unit / South – East Asia (Singapore).
Joint Forces New Zealand is based in Trentham and is made up of Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, and Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand.
Royal New Zealand Navy’s primary base is in Auckland where the Naval Combat Force, Logistics, Hydrographic, Diving Support, Sea Training and Inshore Patrol Craft are home ported.
Auckland consists of: Naval Support Command, RNZN Naval College, Joint Geospatial Support Facility and HMNZS Dockyard.
The Naval Combat Force consists of HMNZS TE KAHA, and HMNZS TE MANA.
Logistics consists of HMNZS ENDEAVOUR (Fleet Replenishment).
Hydrographic consists of HMNZS RESOLUTION.
Diving Support consists of HMNZS MANAWANUI.
Sea Training consists of HMNZS KAHU.
Inshore Patrol Craft consists of HMNZS MOA, KIWI, WAKAKURA, and HINAU.
The New Zealand Army has five bases or camps, Papakura, Waiouru, Linton, Trentham and Burnham.
Papakura consists of 1 NZ SAS Group.
Waiouru consists of the Army Training Group which includes the Officer Cadet School, the Land Operations Training Centre, and The Army Depot. The Queen Alexandra’s Squadron (Armoured Personnel Carriers) is also based at Waiouru.
Linton consists of HQ 2 Land Force Group, 1st Battalion RNZIR (Infantry), 16 Field Regiment (Artillery and Air Defence), 2 Engineer Regiment, 2 Signals Squadron, 2 Logistics Battalion, 2 Health Services Battalion, and Operational Welfare Unit.
Trentham consists of the Trentham Regional Support Centre, Force Intelligence Group, and the Force Military Police Company.
Burnham consists of HQ 3 Land Force Group, 2nd/1st Battalion RNZIR (Infantry), 3 Logistics Battalion, Tekapo, and the Military Training Area.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force has three bases in Auckland, Ohakea, and Woodbourne.
Auckland consists of; the No. 5 Squadron, which has six P-3K Orions, the No. 40 Squadron, which has two Boeing 757s and five C-130 Hercules, the No. 3 Squadron, Naval Support Flight which has five SH-2G Seasprites, and the Operational Support Squadron.
Ohakea consists of; the No. 3 Squadron which has fourteen UH-1H Iroquois, and the Flying Training Wing which has fourteen Air trainers and five Beech King Airs.
Woodbourne consists of the Ground Training Wing.
NZDF Personnel
The recruitment and retention of personnel is a key priority for the NZDF. The Defence Capability and Resourcing Review identified that, as at 30 June 2004, there was a considerable shortfall of military personnel required to deliver the currently directed level of capability. This shortfall, along with the need for additional personnel over the next ten years, was identified as a major barrier to the achievement of the Government's defence policy objectives.
The reason for the shortage continues to be a very strong external labour market, which has led to a constraint on the NZDF's ability to compete for and attract suitable numbers of quality recruits. The labour market has also placed pressure on the ability to retain skilled and experienced staff. This has led to an internal constraint in the ability to train a sustainable work force structure in the short-to-medium term.
The recovery of personnel numbers is a high priority over the next three years, although it is recognised that growing the NZDF personnel numbers to the desired strength, with the required skills and experience, is likely to take up to ten years. The three Services have personnel recovery plans that are in the process of being implemented as part of the Defence Sustainability Initiative. Work continues on enhancing both remuneration and non-remuneration packages to support recruiting and retention efforts. Beyond the immediate need to increase personnel numbers, the task to strengthen the capability of the Defence Team requires meeting and maintaining the four goals of the HR strategic plan:
- to have people who are competent and ready
- to be the organisation of choice
- to have an integrated work force
- to have a knowledge edge force.
Personnel Numbers (as at July 2005)
Headquarters have 237 regular force personnel, one non-regular, and 546 civilian personnel, giving HQ NZDF a total of 784 personnel.
Joint Forces have 156 regular force personnel, and 35 civilian personnel, giving HQ JFNZ a total of 191 personnel.
Navy have 1,910 regular force personnel, 327 non-regular personnel, and 409 civilians, giving RNZN a total of 2,646 personnel. The regular force gender ratio for Navy is 79% male and 21% female.
Army have 4,438 regular force personnel, 1,888 non-regular personnel, and 706 civilians, giving Army a total of 7,032 personnel. The regular force gender ratio for Army is 86% male and 14% female.
Air Force have 2,266 regular force personnel, 28 non-regular personnel, and 376 civilian personnel, giving RNZAF a total of 2,670 personnel. The regular force gender ratio for Air Force is 83% male and 17% female.
The Defence Force has 8,614 regular force personnel, 2,243 non-regular personnel, and 2,036 civilian personnel, giving the Defence Force a total of 12,893 personnel. The regular force gender ratio for the Defence Force is 84% male and 16% percent female.
New Defence Accommodation
Cabinet gave approval on 9 August 2004 for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), the Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Security and Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to lease a new building, as the lease on their present accommodation expires in March 2006. The new building is being developed by Capital Properties and constructed by Mainzeal in front of the Freyberg building on the corner of Aitken and Mulgrave Streets. This new building has been designed to specific Defence / NZSIS requirements. The NZSIS will occupy the top two floors; the Ministry of Defence will occupy 1500 m2 on level 4, and the NZDF the rest of the building, with an expected occupancy date of early 2007.
The new building Project Office, located within the NZDF, is managing the building fit out. Consultants are assisting with functional specification and value management of departmental requirements.
The new building design supports the Government's direction to the Chief of Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence to cooperate and consult closely.
