Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6557] 
9.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Defence 
: Did it concern him to be told by his advisers that the current attrition and personnel levels within the New Zealand Defence Force are such that it “may be put in the situation where it can either deploy on operations or train the next generation rather than do both as it currently does”? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON (Acting Minister of Defence) 
: 
 Since taking office in 1999 this Government has been concerned about recruitment and retention in the Defence Force. That is why it has embarked upon a programme of improvements in pay and conditions including three funded pay rises in the last three Budgets. We have also instigated modernisation and upgrades of defence capabilities across the entire Defence Force. 
Ron Mark 
: How can the good people of the New Zealand Defence Force possibly be expected to achieve their primary mission—that being “to secure New Zealand against external threat to protect our sovereign interests including the exclusive economic zone take action to meet likely contingencies in our strategic area of interest”—or their duties and responsibilities as defined in the Defence Act given the appalling staffing deficiencies that were brought to this Government’s attention by its very own officials? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: This Government values those members of the defence forces. That is precisely why in the last three Budgets we have funded pay rises and have been addressing issues relating to recruitment and retention. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: Has the Minister seen any other reports relating to recruitment and retention in the New Zealand Defence Force? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: Yes numerous reports have been published on the subject. Previous Governments have been aware that issues of recruitment and retention have been present within the New Zealand Defence Force for many years. The point is that this Government has consistently been addressing those concerns through improvements in pay conditions of service and the re-equipping of our defence forces after what has been quoted by a member of the Opposition Mr Worth as 9 years of neglect. 
Simon Power 
: Can the Minister confirm that the real reason for staff attrition levels in the New Zealand Defence Force is that this Government does not value its defence forces and has severely reduced capability in the New Zealand Defence Force by scrapping the strike wing of the Air Force reducing the Navy to vessels of civilian specification criticising our traditional allies and continuing to refer to the current environment as a benign strategic environment; if not why not? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: No we do not agree with that assessment. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: In view of the concern she expressed in her first answer about current recruitment levels does the Government consider that the Territorial Force has a role to play here; if so what steps are being taken to boost recruitment for the Territorial Force? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: Yes this Government does believe that the Territorial Force does have a role to play. Unfortunately I am not in a position to give the member specific answers as to how we are addressing any questions there. I am not aware of any recruitment questions as such. However I am happy to provide further information as it becomes available. 
Ron Mark 
: If the Government does value those highly experienced Defence Force personnel—whom we now do not have—as highly as it says it does why did it take 4 years to find the $46 million necessary to redress the pay deficiencies whilst in contrast it took about 6 minutes to find $50 million for a yacht race? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: What the member said is not correct. We have been addressing the pay issues in particular over the past three Budget rounds. They are not being funded out of baseline but out of increases. I am a little surprised at the member’s concerns since New Zealand First when it was in Government had no published defence policy. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Why on earth would you allow the Minister to say that? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister was out of order in doing so.