Defence Initiative Sustains Future Capacity
May 2, 2005
CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE
AIR MARSHAL BRUCE FERGUSON
“The new funding initiative announced by government today will provide a significant boost to sustaining the New Zealand Defence Force into the future and enhance our capacity to meet government requirements.
We will be able to move forward confident that we have the resources to enhance our existing capabilities including equipment and people over the next decade and beyond.
Our primary mission is to secure New Zealand against external threats and protect our sovereign interests – the new initiatives will ensure we can continue to do that in the foreseeable future.
We will also continue playing an important part in maintaining New Zealand’s place as a good international citizen through support of the United Nations and the rule of international law.
Your Defence Force deals with a wide range of challenges that require us to be combat-capable, joint in effect, rapidly deployable and adaptable and totally professional.
This requires the right people with the right equipment who are trained to do the job.
Our immediate priorities will be the recovery of our personnel levels, recruitment and retention, putting new and upgraded capabilities into service and strengthening the organisational capability of the NZDF headquarters.
This will mean we will be required to maintain our operational tempo while managing organisational development and change.
It is challenge we will accept with enthusiasm as we continue to move toward our goal of being a modernised, well-equipped and sustainable Defence Force.
The defence capability review process has been a whole of government approach involving the Ministry of Defence, Treasury, State Services Commission and ourselves and this cooperation will continue into the future.”
ENDS
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