New Zealand - National Security Policy

New Zealand has three defense policy objectives -- defend New Zealand against low-level threats, contribute to regional security, and play a part in global security efforts. It is evident that New Zealand's geographic isolation within a benign region of the world, its geopolitical security and robust and democratic political system has led to its government disengaging from security alliances with the US and Australia. This disengagement led to accusations of it attempting to "militarily freeload," which basically means leaving other countries to take on most if not all of the regional conflicts that may require military intervention.

The primary legislation concerning the raising and maintaining of New Zealand's armed forces is the Defence Act 1990. That Act confirms the purposes of the armed forces, constitutes the NZDF, affirms that the armed forces are under Ministerial authority, defines the roles and relationships of senior officials, and makes provisions, generally, in respect of the establishment, control and activities of the NZDF, and related matters.

Employment Contexts are descriptions of representative and illustrative security events for which there is a likelihood that a New Zealand Government would expect to make a military response should they occur. They also provide a template against which to develop our military response options and military capabilities required and to assess and measure our preparedness for such events. Employment Contexts are selected through assessment of New Zealand's geo-strategic situation and international security trends. The Employment Contexts are also chosen on the basis of their likelihood of occurrence in the near and longer terms and the consequences for New Zealand's Defence Outcomes if the NZDF was unable to provide an appropriate response.

New Zealand's defence policy has been undergoing a major evolution since the end of the Cold War. We are now clearly in a new era with new and demanding challenges. Over the last decade there has been a substantial evolution in defence. While there may be some changes in focus announced as a result of the current White Paper on Defence, generally, New Zealand's security interests / Defence Policy Objectives are to:

• defend New Zealand and to protect its people, land, territorial waters, EEZ, natural resources and critical infrastructure;
• meet our alliance commitments to Australia by maintaining a close defence partnership in pursuit of common security interests;
• assist in the maintenance of security in the South Pacific and to provide assistance to our Pacific neighbours;
• play an appropriate role in the maintenance of security in the Asia-Pacific region, including meeting our obligations as a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements; and
• contribute to global security and peacekeeping through participation in the full range of UN and other appropriate multilateral peace support and humanitarian operations.

International and regional peacekeeping operations are an important part of the modern security landscape. Conflict, post-conflict and fragile states that require international assistance are increasing. Peace support operations (PSOs) led or endorsed by the United Nations have expanded in response. New Zealand's contributions to PSOs are one of New Zealand's most tangible commitments to collective security and the rule of law. New Zealand is a strong supporter of United Nations' and regional peacekeeping and peace support efforts, playing a key role in the Pacific and elsewhere in the world. New Zealand also contributes to integrated state-building operations in Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Afghanistan.

The New Zealand Defence Force comprises 9,537 Regular Force, 2,378 Reserve Force, and 2,619 civilian staff members across the armed services of Navy, Army and Air Force. On a daily basis, there can be between 1,500 to 1,800 personnel preparing to deploy, deployed on operations, or on standby for an emergency. As of early 2011 roughly 750 New Zealand Defence Force personnel were deployed on 17 operations, UN missions and defence exercises in 10 countries around the world. Over the course of a year, about 45% of the total NZDF Regular Force personnel strength (about 4,400 out of around 9,800) are related, in some way or other, to deployed operations overseas and in the New Zealand environment.

New Zealand is an active participant in multilateral peacekeeping. It has taken a leading role in trying to bring peace, reconciliation, and reconstruction to the Solomon Islands and the neighboring island of Bougainville. New Zealand maintains a contingent in the Sinai Multinational Force and Observers and has contributed to UN peacekeeping operations in Angola, Cambodia, Somalia, and the former Yugoslavia. It also participated in the Multilateral Interception Force in the Persian Gulf. New Zealand's most recent peacekeeping operations experience has been in Timor-Leste, where it initially dispatched almost 10% of its entire defense force and continues to sustain a modest force. New Zealand participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and has fielded a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan's Bamyan province. It continues to sustain that PRT, as well as having deployed a frigate to the Gulf of Oman on three rotations, with the most recent having been in spring 2008. New Zealand has also returned its Special Air Service (SAS) to Afghanistan for a three-rotation deployment (6 months each), due to conclude in April 2012

New Zealand participates in sharing training facilities, personnel exchanges, and joint exercises with the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Tonga, and South Pacific states. It also participates in exercises with its Five-Power Defense Arrangement partners--Australia, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Singapore. Due to New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy, defense cooperation with the U.S., including training exercises, has been significantly restricted since 1986, but in recent years engagement between the two militaries has grown.

The national government commissioned a defense review upon entering office in November 2008. The review was due to be completed in December 2009, with a white paper to follow in March 2010. The review has been completed; however, the government noted expenditures it wanted to ensure it could cover. Therefore, the government delayed the white paper in order to conduct a "value for money" exercise. This effort was designed to help it identify ways to cover the costs that will be presented in the white paper, since the government has clearly stated there will be no increase in the defense budget. The review and white paper are designed to look forward through 2035, and was released in November 2010.