An MP’s Diary
Amy Adams, Member of Parliament for Selwyn (central Canterbury), underwent a week-long immersion into the Navy during May. Hers was the first of various defence experiences for MPs. The following is edited from Amy Adams’ blog www.amyadams.co.nz.
Sunday:
[9 May] I’m staying in the PHILOMEL Wardroom, which gives me the opportunity to mix with a variety of naval personnel. I’m already aware that there is a whole world going on behind base gates that us ordinary civilians never really see.
Monday:
They speak a different dialect in the Navy, thick with acronyms and expressions totally foreign to me. My escort (LT Malcolm Wallace) has to interpret as well as keep me to time and answer all my questions.
- Kitted out in GWD (general working dress)
- Te Taua Moana Marae for a moving powhiri
- Met the Captain Fleet Personnel Training Organisation to talk on the raise, train and sustain aspects for Navy, which led into …
- The wonders of simulation training (bridge, warfare systems and engineering).
I am astounded at how realistic the simulators are; I admit to getting quite queasy when the Bridge simulator controllers threw in some rough weather. They assure me the floor didn’t move!
- Kauri Point, the munitions store and armoury for the Navy. They clearly have excellent safety protocols in place.
Tuesday:
The multi stage fitness test. Everyone has to reach level 7.1 in the dreaded “beep” test and then complete 10 proper press-ups (no girlie ones allowed here). I’m delighted to say I passed!
- The new fuel installation built into the Devonport cliffs.
- A briefing on fleet support operations,
- A tour of TE MANA in dry-dock; she is an impressive sight. It’s clear our Anzac-class frigates have been fundamental to our international operations.
- The Navy Band, the new Museum project and the Volunteer Reserves and Cadet Forces; all were impressive, particularly in what they achieve with the resources available.
Wednesday:
All week people have been asking me if I was doing the damage control training with that look … should I be excited or terrified? There is simply no substitute for doing the real thing when you think about the consequences of fire or flooding. Hundreds of miles at sea you can’t rely on anyone but you and your team to sort it. You start to respect defence personnel in a whole new way; their skills and commitment are incredibly impressive.
Later, I visited the Operational Diving Team and the Mine Counter Measures team. The team has some fantastic capabilities for sea bed mapping and underwater search and rescue.
Thursday:
Tauranga. The plan was a RHIB would take me out to the PUKAKI. However the seas were so rough the ship had been forced to come into port; worse, rough seas were expected to continue!
I was welcomed aboard, given a quick tour and we were away. Within minutes I was asking the medic for sea sickness pills; by the time the pilot vessel had left I was wondering if there was anything stronger to be had! I had taken over the Captain’s chair and wasn’t keen to move; the crew took pity on me and brought me an ice block which, oddly enough, was just the thing.
PUKAKI’s job is fishing vessel inspections and Fisheries Officers are on board; once a commercial fisher is spotted, everything starts to happen. A team climbs into one of the RHIBs and is lowered via hydraulic arm into the sea. The RHIB sped off, the team boarded the fishing vessel, the necessary checks were made and then another hairy ride to get the whole lot back on deck. These guys are slick.
Friday:
This morning I woke to a beautiful sunrise, gentle seas and the sounds of the ship’s company getting into their daily routines. I do have to mention that showering took a bit of skill—a three point bracing system of two feet and a shoulder!
A series of drills, focused on equipment failures. At one point that meant the engines & stabilizers went down and I was stunned at how the ship rolled even in light seas.
Highlight of the drills was the shout of “Man over board!” I saw one of the crew load a semi-automatic rifle and point it towards where the dummy was floating. I asked what the gun was for and got the simple response: “Sharks”.
I have to make special mention here of the training that the senior members of PUKAKI’s crew were giving; all the way through I saw trainees being given opportunities to lead, under the watchful eyes of their superiors. After each event there would be a quick but clear discussion reviewing what was good and what needed to improve. PUKAKI’s officers and senior ratings modelled some of the best on-job-training I have ever seen.
All too soon we were in Gisborne and I was rather reluctantly giving back my uniform and putting back on the realities of my civilian life.
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