DEFENCE
At speed and scale: NZDF steps up to support the COVID-19 response Where security, wellbeing and logistic stresses change, writes Defence Minister Hon Ron Mark, the NZDF continues to maintain its unique capability to provide appropriate support at speed and on a large scale.
Hon Ron Mark is Minister of Defence. He served as mayor of Carterton from 2010 to 2014, and previously served as an officer in the New Zealand Army and in the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces.
Over the past seven months the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has been providing support to New Zealand’s COVID-19 response through Operation PROTECT. During this period NZDF’s assistance to other government agencies has been varied; they’ve provided advice and assistance with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) supply chain planning, completed P-3K2 aerial surveillance flights of recreational craft for New Zealand Police, manned check points, and our HMNZS Canterbury retrieved Department of Conservation staff from Raoul Island. Defence Estate in Whangaparaoa has been utilised as a quarantine site, and our Defence Technology Agency scientists have sat on working groups with our security partners to further our understanding of COVID-19 and share scientific developments.
All this while maintaining additional personnel at a heightened state of readiness. As I’ve continued to state throughout my term as Minister of Defence, it is the highly skilled women and men of our Defence Force that are our greatest asset. The discipline, rigour and operational expertise the NZDF provides has clearly been needed and they have proved their effectiveness. I have been highly supportive of the military’s strong role as part of the COVID-19 response, as have many of my colleagues. Last month, the Coalition Government announced a significant increase in the number of NZDF personnel supporting the COVID-19 response. In total, there are now approximately 1,260 personnel supporting tasks as part of this operation.
Image courtesy New Zealand Defence Force
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