Our NZ Defence Force rebuild goes beyond replacing ageing equipment – Editorial

NZDF officer cadets test their leadership skills during a training exercise.

Editorial

THE FACTS

• The Defence Force faces thousands of vacancies, with 3066 regular force and 728 civilian roles unfilled.
• Attrition rates have improved, dropping to 6.8% from a peak of 15.8% in December 2022.
• The Government plans to spend $12 billion on Defence over four years.

As the world enters an increasingly fragile environment with global powers jockeying for position our Defence Force is searching for someone to stand a post with those who remain.

As reported in yesterday’s Weekend Herald, after record levels of attrition there are now thousands of vacancies across all ranks.

The numbers are concerning and as countries edge towards an arms race, including Nato nations agreeing to 5% GDP defence target, we have a military that isn’t combat-ready.

Data released under the Official Information Act to our friends at Newstalk ZB showed there were 3066 regular force positions and 728 civilian roles vacant to the end of March.

Within the regular force (fulltime service personnel) about half of the unfilled roles were in the Army, while there were more than 600 empty uniforms in both the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Air Force.

More than 1000 of those had been vacant for more than a year, and almost 400 had never been filled.

Earlier this year, senior reporter David Fisher revealed how we were so short of people with critical skills that we were at times unable to put to sea our naval ships or fly our aircraft.

Former Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Andrew Little have previously expressed their concerns about the state of our defence force. Little admitted the NZDF was challenged to meet its changing demands in an increasingly competitive Pacific environment.

The positive news is news the attrition rate for the regular force is improving, dropping to 6.8% at the end of last month from a peak of 15.8% in December 2022.

The Government is not blind to the situation and plans to spend $12 billion on Defence over four years, including for equipment like maritime helicopters and improving strike capability.

The NZDF has also recently launched a new recruitment campaign.

University of Waikato Global Security senior lecturer Dr Reuben Steff said New Zealand’s geographic remoteness offered no guarantee of security anymore.

This new reality along with increasingly severe weather events means we need the machines and people to defend and help us in times of crisis.

To fill the ranks, though, the military needs to be an appealing career.

So, while the Government had detailed its plan to modernise our equipment it must not ignore the need for increased wages, skills and training, and better living facilities for our men and woman in the NZDF.

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