Watch: Government set to make defence announcement ahead of Budget 2025
That long-awaited plan, released on April 7, revealed $9b of the funding was new.
Luxon described it as a 'landmark day' and a significant financial investment that was 'not just about the Defence Force, it's fundamentally about our national security and our economic prosperity'.
Collins said the plan would deliver 'enhanced lethality' and a 'deterrent effect'.
She said it was not 'about choosing sides or beating the drums of war' but supporting an international rules-based order, working alongside our partners and making smart decisions for the future.
'It gets our NZDF [Defence Force] out of the intensive care unit and not just growing, but growing where we need it to go,' she said. 'Our personnel deserve a serious plan that will serve them as they serve us, this is what we have delivered.'
There are several major investments expected by 2028.
This includes replacing the Boeing 757 fleet (expected at $600 million to $1b), enhanced strike capabilities ($100m to $300m), and a new fleet of maritime helicopters to operate from Navy ships ($300m to $600m).
In the near term, the Government has decided not to immediately replace the country's ageing Anzac frigates, HMNZS Te Kaha and Te Mana, but instead provide additional maintenance to extend their lives into the early 2030s.
This will cost between $300m and $600m.
'Extending the life of the frigates will retain Defence's combat capable ships and the skilled workforce required to operate combat vessels until the ships are replaced,' the plan said.
Another vessel that would not be replaced at least in the short term is the recently sunk HMNZS Manawanui – instead dive and hydrographic tasks would be undertaken from other platforms rather than a single dedicated one.
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Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
US-Iran Conflict ‘Extremely Worrying', NZ Backs Diplomacy
Article – RNZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says more military action isn't the answer to deal with Middle East conflict. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says New Zealand wants to see a peaceful stable and secure Middle East, but more military action isn't the answer . The United Nations Security Council was meeting in emergency session on Monday (NZ time) on the US on three key nuclear facilities at the weekend. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the US bombing marked a perilous turn in a region already reeling. Iran called on the 15-member body to condemn what it called a 'blatant and unlawful act of aggression', Reuters reported. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says the government wants to know all the facts before taking a position on the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Luxon told Morning Report the way to get to a stable region was a political solution rather than military action. 'It's actually through dialogue and diplomacy.' As a small country that was thousands of miles away from the conflict all New Zealand could do was to advocate for what it thought should happen, he said. 'What we don't need is more military action, we need a political solution to all of these issues in the Middle East.' Luxon said New Zealand was not given advance notice about the US strikes on Iran which were 'obviously pretty surgical in targeting those nuclear assets'. There was a lot of conjecture about how close Iran's programme had been to breaching 60 percent uranium enrichment, a precursor to nuclear arms, Luxon said. 'But that's all to be revealed in due course. What I'd say for right now is what we can do is we an urge those parties to get into a pattern of dialogue and diplomacy as difficult as that may well be'. Peters told Morning Report he was looking for evidence on the level of Iran's nuclear preparedness. 'I'm looking for the evidence to do with the nuclear enrichment programme that was way outside the negotiated position they've been taking all this time. 'That is, they've been marvellously good at negotiating their way out of things and the question is have they kept to their commitments, have they breached their international obligations. Let's find that out before we rush to judgement.' A Defence Force C-130J Hercules is leaving for the Middle East on Monday to help any New Zealanders stranded in Iran or Israel. Peters reiterated New Zealanders should do everything they can to leave now if they could find a safe route. He said the crisis could get far worse. 'We just don't know, and if we don't know you've got to take the greatest precaution you possibly can.' On Sunday, Peters said ongoing military action in the Middle East was 'extremely worrying'. It was critical escalation was avoided, and New Zealand strongly support efforts towards diplomacy and urged all parties to return to talks, 'Iran's nuclear activities have long worried New Zealand. We want Iran to comply with its international obligations. Our concern is that further military action is not going to deliver a sustainable solution to this problem.' Labour's defence spokesperson Peeni Henare backed Peters' calls for a return to talks, but said the government should acknowledge the US breached international law and be 'perhaps a bit stronger' in the first instance. Henare said Trump's statements had made it 'quite clear' what had happened. 'Countries can't call for peace and de-escalation, only to take the action that's been taken.' Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespie said the airstrikes were 'clearly' illegal in terms of international law. 'There's nowhere in the UN charter that says you can bomb someone who won't negotiate with you. But whether you get to a point where that is actually condemned is going to be very different,' he said. 'There's the theory of international law, with the UN Charter, and then there's the reality of international politics at the moment, which means that America will not be condemned internationally by the Security Council or even through the International Court of Justice.' The prime minister is heading to NATO this week. New Zealand is not a member, but in recent years has been invited as a partner along with fellow Indo-Pacific Four nations Australia, Japan and South Korea. While Christopher Luxon would be 'on the margins,' Gillespie expected he would be watching closely to see what like-minded partners were saying. 'This is an act which is not self-defence, and even if you argued it was pre-emptive self-defence, it wasn't necessary because there were other options of diplomacy still open. It will create difficulties if we speak out and say that, I don't think we're in a position to do that right now, for fear of the reaction that you get from America.' Australia's government has already issued a statement on the airstrikes. 'We have been clear that Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program has been a threat to international peace and security,' the statement said. 'We note the US president's statement that now is the time for peace. The security situation in the region is highly volatile. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy.' Defence Force plane leaves today The government is sending a C-130J Hercules plane to the Middle East, along with Defence Force and Foreign Affairs personnel, to assist New Zealanders stranded in Iran and Israel. Defence minister Judith Collins said the plane was a contingency, and would not be able to aid in evacuation flights until airspace restrictions in the region eased. In the meantime, those who were able to leave via a safe route were urged to do so. Peters said the flights would get people to a safe place. 'We're not bringing them home. We're getting them to where they can make arrangements to get home.' The government has been warning New Zealanders in the region to leave for a long time, Peters said. The number of New Zealanders registered as being in Iran or Israel had increased in recent days. The decision to send the Hercules was made even before knowledge of the airstrikes had come through. 'Our anxiety was enunciated and formulated into policy, warnings, and collections of views months ago. We've been saying it, and it's a sad circumstance here, but we said 'look this is very dangerous, get out,'' Peters said. Citing security reasons, Collins would not say where the plane and personnel would be based. Both Henare and Gillespie supported the move. 'I think if we're ready and on standby, at the very least, to make sure we can respond to our citizens and their needs, and also those of our diplomatic staff, I think that's a really smart move,' Henare said. Gillespie said sending a plane was prudent in case the situation worsened quickly, and the damage became more indiscriminate.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
US-Iran Conflict 'Extremely Worrying', NZ Backs Diplomacy
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says New Zealand wants to see a peaceful stable and secure Middle East, but more military action isn't the answer . The United Nations Security Council was meeting in emergency session on Monday (NZ time) on the US on three key nuclear facilities at the weekend. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the US bombing marked a perilous turn in a region already reeling. Iran called on the 15-member body to condemn what it called a "blatant and unlawful act of aggression", Reuters reported. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says the government wants to know all the facts before taking a position on the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Luxon told Morning Report the way to get to a stable region was a political solution rather than military action. "It's actually through dialogue and diplomacy." As a small country that was thousands of miles away from the conflict all New Zealand could do was to advocate for what it thought should happen, he said. "What we don't need is more military action, we need a political solution to all of these issues in the Middle East." Luxon said New Zealand was not given advance notice about the US strikes on Iran which were "obviously pretty surgical in targeting those nuclear assets". There was a lot of conjecture about how close Iran's programme had been to breaching 60 percent uranium enrichment, a precursor to nuclear arms, Luxon said. "But that's all to be revealed in due course. What I'd say for right now is what we can do is we an urge those parties to get into a pattern of dialogue and diplomacy as difficult as that may well be". Peters told Morning Report he was looking for evidence on the level of Iran's nuclear preparedness. "I'm looking for the evidence to do with the nuclear enrichment programme that was way outside the negotiated position they've been taking all this time. "That is, they've been marvellously good at negotiating their way out of things and the question is have they kept to their commitments, have they breached their international obligations. Let's find that out before we rush to judgement." A Defence Force C-130J Hercules is leaving for the Middle East on Monday to help any New Zealanders stranded in Iran or Israel. Peters reiterated New Zealanders should do everything they can to leave now if they could find a safe route. He said the crisis could get far worse. "We just don't know, and if we don't know you've got to take the greatest precaution you possibly can." On Sunday, Peters said ongoing military action in the Middle East was "extremely worrying". It was critical escalation was avoided, and New Zealand strongly support efforts towards diplomacy and urged all parties to return to talks, "Iran's nuclear activities have long worried New Zealand. We want Iran to comply with its international obligations. Our concern is that further military action is not going to deliver a sustainable solution to this problem." Labour's defence spokesperson Peeni Henare backed Peters' calls for a return to talks, but said the government should acknowledge the US breached international law and be "perhaps a bit stronger" in the first instance. Henare said Trump's statements had made it "quite clear" what had happened. "Countries can't call for peace and de-escalation, only to take the action that's been taken." Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespie said the airstrikes were "clearly" illegal in terms of international law. "There's nowhere in the UN charter that says you can bomb someone who won't negotiate with you. But whether you get to a point where that is actually condemned is going to be very different," he said. "There's the theory of international law, with the UN Charter, and then there's the reality of international politics at the moment, which means that America will not be condemned internationally by the Security Council or even through the International Court of Justice." The prime minister is heading to NATO this week. New Zealand is not a member, but in recent years has been invited as a partner along with fellow Indo-Pacific Four nations Australia, Japan and South Korea. While Christopher Luxon would be "on the margins," Gillespie expected he would be watching closely to see what like-minded partners were saying. "This is an act which is not self-defence, and even if you argued it was pre-emptive self-defence, it wasn't necessary because there were other options of diplomacy still open. It will create difficulties if we speak out and say that, I don't think we're in a position to do that right now, for fear of the reaction that you get from America." Australia's government has already issued a statement on the airstrikes. "We have been clear that Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program has been a threat to international peace and security," the statement said. "We note the US president's statement that now is the time for peace. The security situation in the region is highly volatile. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy." Defence Force plane leaves today The government is sending a C-130J Hercules plane to the Middle East, along with Defence Force and Foreign Affairs personnel, to assist New Zealanders stranded in Iran and Israel. Defence minister Judith Collins said the plane was a contingency, and would not be able to aid in evacuation flights until airspace restrictions in the region eased. In the meantime, those who were able to leave via a safe route were urged to do so. Peters said the flights would get people to a safe place. "We're not bringing them home. We're getting them to where they can make arrangements to get home." The government has been warning New Zealanders in the region to leave for a long time, Peters said. The number of New Zealanders registered as being in Iran or Israel had increased in recent days. The decision to send the Hercules was made even before knowledge of the airstrikes had come through. "Our anxiety was enunciated and formulated into policy, warnings, and collections of views months ago. We've been saying it, and it's a sad circumstance here, but we said 'look this is very dangerous, get out,'" Peters said. Citing security reasons, Collins would not say where the plane and personnel would be based. Both Henare and Gillespie supported the move. "I think if we're ready and on standby, at the very least, to make sure we can respond to our citizens and their needs, and also those of our diplomatic staff, I think that's a really smart move," Henare said. Gillespie said sending a plane was prudent in case the situation worsened quickly, and the damage became more indiscriminate.
1News
9 hours ago
- 1News
Govt announces $16m in new Ukraine support ahead of NATO Summit
The New Zealand Government has announced $16 million in additional support for Ukraine, revealed just before Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes part in a NATO Summit in the Netherlands. The Prime Minister said the country "stands in solidarity with Ukraine". "Its war of self-defence is well into its fourth year and our condemnation of Russia's illegal full-scale invasion remains undiminished," Luxon said. The support will go towards two $4 million contributions to funds for lethal and non-lethal military support, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine fund, and the UK and Latvia-led Drone Coalition for Ukraine. New Zealand will also provide $7 million in further humanitarian aid for conflict-affected communities in Ukraine, and $1 million for Ukrainians displaced in neighbouring countries. ADVERTISEMENT Ahead of attending a NATO Summit in The Hague this week, Luxon said he expected Ukraine to be on the agenda alongside the ongoing US and Israeli conflict with Iran. "There'll be a lot of conversation, obviously, about the Middle East, but there'll also be a lot of conversation about Ukraine as well," he told media in Brussels. "We may be a long way from these conflicts, but it's important, if you've got values, that you stand up for them, you articulate them, and, where you can, put support to them." Foreign Minister Winston Peters said it's "vital" countries keep pressure on Russia and work to "achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine." Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins. (Source: 1News) "The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of the Euro-Atlantic, but also for the Indo-Pacific," Peters said in a media release. "We must continue to work with others in the international community to uphold a rules-based order that serves all our interests." ADVERTISEMENT New Zealand's total support since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 totals over $168 million and includes a deployment of up to 100 Defence Force personnel who are providing military training. Luxon's European visit continues On the second day of Luxon's five-day trip in Europe, he visited war memorials in Belgium's Ypres, an area where several key battles took place in World War I. This included the Battle of Passchendaele, where more New Zealanders were killed than on any other day since the start of the war, with around 960 soldiers killed according to Parliament. The event is known as the darkest days in New Zealand's history. Luxon also visited the only Māori war memorial in Europe, Pou Maumahara, as well as Passchendaele Museum, Tyne Cot Cemetery and the New Zealand Battlefield Memorial at Messines Ridge. The PM said the day had been 'quite sobering.' Around 18,000 New Zealanders died during World War I or because of it, and 41,000 instances of wounding or illness were recorded. More than one in ten New Zealanders served in the Expeditionary Forces, with the country's population approximately 1.1 million at the time.
