COVID-19 response and National’s continued commitment to NZDF

As election time draws near, Opposition defence spokesperson Hon Mark Mitchell reiterates his party’s commitment to continuing Defence Capability Plan investment and developing relationships with strategic partners.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is multifaceted and a critical part of the crisis management network in New Zealand. When New Zealand faces a domestic crisis, we must be confident that our Defence Force will not shy away from its responsibilities.

As the former Minister of Defence, current Opposition spokesperson for Defence and a concerned Kiwi, I am proud of the work the NZDF has done, and the support it continues to provide by way of stepping in to fill the gaps of this leaky Government’s Covid-19 pandemic response.

Just as communities were getting their feet back under them, and businesses were assessing their ability to survive, we shouldered another strong blow as a result of the pandemic; when New Zealand moved to Alert Level 2, and Auckland to Alert Level 3. With high-risk zones and

Hon Mark Mitchell

Kiwis continuing to return home from overseas, we have also seen significant pressures on our border and managed isolation and quarantine facilities. It is reassuring to know our Defence Force are well trained and prepared to provide immediate support where required.

With Auckland now in Alert Level ‘2.5’, I have been able move throughout my electorate and the wider Auckland region, speaking to members of the community about their experiences during the second lockdown and reintegration into their ‘normal lives’. The feeling out there is that the NZDF is well trusted and confidence in them and their efforts are at an all-time high.

Since Covid-19 reached our shores in March, New Zealand has committed considerable resources to ‘Operation Protect’, with more than 1,000 Defence Force personnel enlisted to aid the Covid-19 response efforts. Stationed at Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities, providing personnel to support Regional Isolation and Quarantine Coordination Centers across the country, and providing direct support to the central command and management centre in Wellington, our Defence Force has certainly been busy.

The hundreds of returning Kiwis, who are placed in managed isolation and quarantine facilities throughout the country, are being met by friendly, highly trained Defence Force personnel. It is not common that members of the public are in contact with Defence Force personnel on active duty so often, so it is wonderful to hear from those who have had interactions with staff that they are being treated with absolute compassion and care during this time of heightened anxiety.

Over the past few weeks these facilities have been receiving more support from the NZDF with increased numbers, which will in turn bolster security presence and show that security measures are being taken seriously. The Defence Force do an outstanding job at keeping us safe and while we know they are highly trained and prepared for the unexpected, these recent events certainly reinforce that.

Being frontline staff doesn’t come without risk, and I want to thank all of the service men and women who are spending time away from their families and communities for serving and protecting our country and ensuring that our regional and domestic security is managed safely and with confidence.

We, as a nation, have a deep respect for our service personnel and must remember that while COVID-19 response efforts have seen large numbers of service men and women assigned to Operation Protect, the NZDF have continued training to be ready to respond to domestic and international aid, protect our national interests and promote regional security.

The Defence Force do an outstanding job and have a very good reputation both domestically and internationally. Recruits are always high quality and enlisted service personnel’s dedication to keeping our shores safe and providing support to our allies exceeds itself. I am not surprised to learn enrollment numbers are increasing significantly, with the training, education and job security that our NZDF offers. This is great to see.

This is my final contribution to Line of Defence Magazine before this year’s general election and I want to make sure our NZDF knows National will continue to support them by advancing necessary commitments that were outlined in our 2016 Defence White Paper.

Throughout the 52nd Parliament, we have continued to put pressure on the Government and hold them to account to ensure National’s 15-year modernisation plan, worth nearly $20 billion, was not scrapped. Because of this pressure we have seen some much-needed investment in defence capabilities.

National is committed to continuing investment towards the Defence Capability Plan, continuing to develop our mutual defence and security relationships with key strategic partners, investing in the capability to respond to regional issues and to assist humanitarian efforts, and committed to supporting and assisting partners, where required, to uphold a rules-based international order.

Importantly, and as committed to during National’s last term in Government, we will start work immediately upon taking office to begin implementing the real work on upgrading defence estate, because we know that this is a much-needed investment to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the NZDF and so they are ready and able to respond to events.

We face an increasingly complex environment and we owe it to our Defence Force to ensure they have the right investment to continue doing their job and doing it well. Our commitments reflect our intentions and the value we place on our service men and women.