2 minute read
Defence Policy Review: Defence seeks the public’s input to shape New Zealand’s future defence strategy
The NZDF and the Ministry of Defence are asking New Zealanders to help shape the country’s future defence strategy by taking part in the Defence Policy Review.
“Last year the Government commissioned a Defence Policy Review, a process designed to ensure that New Zealand’s Defence policy, strategy, and planned capability investments remain fit for purpose,” Ministry of Defence Deputy Secretary Anton Youngman said.
“We are now asking everyone in New Zealand for their views to help shape this work.”
The Defence Policy and Strategy Statement will express the Government’s Defence Policy interests, objectives, priorities and high level strategy.
It will reflect the Minister of Defence’s priorities of Pacific, People and Infrastructure and leverage the work of Defence Assessment 2021, which outlined two growing threats to New Zealand’s security – strategic competition and climate change.
“The information gathered over the next 10 weeks the survey is open for, will be used to inform a Defence Policy and Strategy Statement and a set of Future Force Design Principles,” said Vice Chief of Defence Force Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies.
Work to develop Future Force Design Principles, which articulate the Government’s intentions for the future force structure, has also begun. This will build on the longterm trends and issues identified in the Defence Policy and Strategy Statement and guide decisions on future broad capability (people and assets) required.
Once these documents have been considered later in 2023, the Government will then make decisions as to the next steps.
Feedback is invited from all New Zealanders via an online survey before 4 April 2023. Kantar has been commissioned to develop the online survey, which should take less than 10 minutes to complete.
Participants in the survey will not be required to provide their contact details to complete it, although the feedback may be published in full. A summary of all feedback will be published on online by Defence later in 2023.
Once a respondent has completed the survey, they also have the option of providing additional feedback via email at engage@defence.govt.nz. All feedback is subject to the Official Information Act.
Online webinars on 8 March and 9 March provided members of the public the opportunity to hear from those leading the defence policy and strategy work, ask any questions and provide feedback directly.
More details around registering for the online webinars will be provided over coming weeks.
