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Small States and the Changing Global Order pp 39–53Cite as

The New Zealand Defence Force Role in New Zealand Foreign Policy

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Part of the book series: The World of Small States ((WSS,volume 6))

Abstract

The New Zealand military has a remarkably large involvement in New Zealand’s foreign policy activities. As “the only agency of state that maintains disciplined forces and fleets of vehicles, ships and aircraft available at short notice”, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is a highly visible part of New Zealand’s foreign policy efforts.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Ministry of Defence (2016), p. 19.

  2. 2.

    New Zealand Defence Force (2017), http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/public-docs/2017/nzddp-d-4th-ed.pdf.

  3. 3.

    Ministry of Defence (2016), p. 11.

  4. 4.

    Ministry of Defence (2016), p. 51.

  5. 5.

    Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force (2016), p. 6.

  6. 6.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 38.

  7. 7.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 39.

  8. 8.

    Largely prompted by investigative journalism outlined in Hager and Stephenson (2017).

  9. 9.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 134.

  10. 10.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Articles 67, 78, 127, 80, 79 and 82 respectively.

  11. 11.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Articles 84-6.

  12. 12.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 61.

  13. 13.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 57 and Article 88 respectively.

  14. 14.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), see Article 160 which claims that New Zealand exercises responsibility “from the South pole to the Equator” and Article 154 which discusses the “urgency” of increased “maritime domain awareness”.

  15. 15.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Articles 163 and 196.

  16. 16.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Articles 56 and 57.

  17. 17.

    Ministry of Defence (2018), Article 58.

  18. 18.

    The 1987 Defence White paper, in particular, shifted New Zealand’s defence focus to emphasise the significance of the Pacific, the need for more self-reliance, and the central importance of partnership with Australia to an unprecedented degree after the breakdown of the ANZUS Treaty. Clearly these priorities have always had some presence (the 1972 white paper, for example, mentions these), but the suspension of the alliance with the US increased the intensity of that focus. For analysis on this and other defence policy issues see: Quigley (2006), pp. 41–61; Greener (2018), pp. 323–342.

  19. 19.

    For an analysis of New Zealand’s role in the Pacific which outlines areas of contention and which notes too where New Zealand has failed to support the concerns of Pacific Island states, see Powles (2018), pp. 169–186.

  20. 20.

    Phil Goff, “Asia Pacific Security Challenges” (speech), Scoop, 3 July 2002, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0207/S00078.htm?from-mobile=bottom-link-01.

  21. 21.

    Bill English, “Speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs” (Wellington, 23 June 2017).

  22. 22.

    Peters (speech, 2 March 2018), accessed 28 February 2019, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/winston-peters-new-zealand-pacific.

  23. 23.

    Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Cabinet External Relations and Defence Committee (2013), p. 3, https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/Peace-Rights-and-Security/Peace-support-operations-review.pdf.

  24. 24.

    Greener (2018), p. 336.

  25. 25.

    New Zealand Defence Force (2014), p. 22, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/public-docs/2014/nzdf-annual-report-30june2014.pdf.

  26. 26.

    For an early piece on RAMSI as a success story see: Watson (2005) and Glenn (2007). For a more recent piece on Timor Leste see: Ago Pereira, “Timor Leste Success: Why It Won’t Be the Next Failed State,” Foreign Affairs, 26 August 2014, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/east-timor/2014-08-26/timor-leste-success.

  27. 27.

    See B.K. Greener, “Peacekeeper Contributor Profile: New Zealand,” Providing for Peacekeeping Project, accessed 17 January 2019, http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/2014/04/03/contributor-profile-new-zealand/.

  28. 28.

    New Zealand Defence Force, “NZDF Fine Tunes Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Plans,” media release, 9 June 2017, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2017/20170609-nzdf-fine-tunes-humanitarian-assistance-and-disaster-relief-plans.htm.

  29. 29.

    Ron Mark, “New Zealand to Buy Four P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft,” Government press release, 9 July 2018, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-zealand-buy-four-p-8a-poseidon-maritime-patrol-aircraft. The capabilities of the P-8A have also been expressly connected to the Community, Nation and World framework in an information sheet distributed by government (https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2018-07/P-8_A3.pdf).

  30. 30.

    Sam Sachdeva, “$2.3b NZDF Plane Deal to ‘Strengthen Pacific Reset,’” Newsroom, 10 July 2018, https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/09/146284/govt-signs-off-23b-nzdf-plane-deal.

  31. 31.

    On cross crewing, see, for example, New Zealand Defence Force, “New Zealand and Australian Sailors Work Together in Middle East Bust,” media release, 6 November 2015, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2015/20151106-nzaaswtimedb.htm.

  32. 32.

    New Zealand Defence Force, “NZDF to Host International Military Exercise,” media release, 17 September 2017, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2017/20170918-nzdf-to-host-international-military-exercise.htm.

  33. 33.

    New Zealand Defence Force, “New Zealand’s Largest Tropical Exercise a Success,” media release, 11 May 2018, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2018/new-zealands-largest-tropical-exercise-a-success.htm.

  34. 34.

    “New Zealand Completes Defence Exercise on Epi,” Vanuatu Daily Post, 12 May 2018, http://dailypost.vu/news/new-zealand-completes-defence-exercise-on-epi/article_eac79300-6179-505b-99c6-a64dfe763f26.html.

  35. 35.

    Greener (2018), p. 335.

  36. 36.

    Helen Clark, “PM Acknowledges SAS presence in Afghanistan,” Government press release, 15 March 2002, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pm-acknowledges-sas-presence-afghanistan.

  37. 37.

    Mark Burton, “Military Engineers on Humanitarian Mission,” Government press release, 16 September 2002, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/military-engineers-humanitarian-mission.

  38. 38.

    Mark Burton, “NZ Extends Peacekeeping Commitment in Afghanistan,” Government press release, 23 May 2002, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-extends-peacekeeping-commitment-afghanistan.

  39. 39.

    For academic commentary on this as a legal or illegal act see the Special issue of the American Journal of International Law (2003). On the legality of the war see McGoldrick (2004).

  40. 40.

    O’Brien (2007).

  41. 41.

    “Iraq: 2003-2013,” New Zealand Army, accessed 17 January 2019, http://www.army.mil.nz/about-us/what-we-do/deployments/previous-deployments/iraq/default.htm.

  42. 42.

    Murray McCully, “Iraqi Foreign Minister to visit NZ,” Government press release, 11 February 2015, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/iraqi-foreign-minister-visit-nz.

  43. 43.

    John Key, “PM announces contribution to coalition against ISIL,” Government press release, 25 February 2015, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pm-announces-contribution-coalition-against-isil.

  44. 44.

    Wineera (2017). The number of 34,000 was sourced from NZDF press release: “NZDF Proud of Returning Troops’ Work in the Middle East,” media release, 17 May 2018, https://medium.com/@nzdefenceforce/nzdf-proud-of-returning-troops-work-in-the-middle-east-fb3efaa8d344.

  45. 45.

    Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force, New Zealand Defence Capability Plan 2016, 6.

  46. 46.

    United Nations, “Security Council ‘Unequivocally’ Condemns ISIL Terrorist Attacks, Unanimously Adopting Text that Determines Extremist Group Poses ‘Unprecedented’ Threat,” meetings coverage, 20 November 2015, http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12132.doc.htm; and Reuters, “Security Council Unanimously Calls on UN Members to Fight Isis,” The Guardian, 21 November 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/21/un-calls-for-all-able-member-states-to-join-fight-against-isis.

  47. 47.

    “About Combined Maritimes Forces,” Combined Maritime Forces, accessed 17 January 2019, https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/about/notes that this force has constituent three parts, a Combined Task Force (CTF) 150: Maritime Security; CTF 151: Counter-piracy; CTF 152: Gulf Maritime Security. The CMF is a voluntary 32-national naval partnership which “exists to promote security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.”

  48. 48.

    “NZDF – Combined Maritime Forces,” New Zealand Defence Force, accessed 19 March 2018, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/operations/combined-maritime-force/default.htm.

  49. 49.

    O’Brien (2007), p. 68.

  50. 50.

    Hoadley (2011).

  51. 51.

    Winston Peters cited in “North Korea ‘Not Utterly Hopeless’ – Winston Peters,” Radio New Zealand, 25 October 2017, http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/342332/north-korea-not-utterly-hopeless-winston-peters; see Hager (2011), for a more critical view of these deployments.

  52. 52.

    Greener, “Peacekeeper Contributor Profile: New Zealand.”

  53. 53.

    “NZ advised to contribute more to UN missions,” Radio New Zealand, 22 May 2013, http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/135789/nz-advised-to-contribute-more-to-un-missions.

  54. 54.

    Murray McCully cited in Audrey Young, “New Zealand has Avoided United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Because of Safety Concerns: McCully,” New Zealand Herald, 5 April 2017, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11832306.

  55. 55.

    New Zealand Labour Party, Foreign Policy Manifesto 2017 (Labour Party, 2017), https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/nzlabour/pages/8555/attachments/original/1504500594/Foreign_Affairs_Manifesto.pdf?1504500594.

  56. 56.

    On the Green Party’s view of the NZDF see “Defence and Peacekeeping Policy,” New Zealand Green Party, accessed 2018, https://www.greens.org.nz/page/defence-and-peacekeeping-policy; and on foreign policy see “Global Affairs Policy,” New Zealand Green Party, accessed 2018, https://www.greens.org.nz/page/global-affairs-policy.

  57. 57.

    New Zealand Defence Force, “New Zealander Appointed to Head International Peacekeeping Organisation,” media release, 10 October 2018, http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2018/20181010-new-zealander-appointed-to-head-international-peacekeeping-organisation.htm.

  58. 58.

    For details on this vessel see: “HMNZS Aotearoa Logistics Support Vessel,” Naval Technology, accessed 17 January 2019, https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/hmnzs-aotearoa-logistics-support-vessel.

  59. 59.

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2017), p. 7, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2017-12/Foreign%20Affairs.pdf.

  60. 60.

    New Zealand Defence Force, “NZDF Works with China, US and Australia to Solve Humanitarian Aid Issues,” media release, 2 August 2016, http://nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/2016/20160802-nzdfwwcusaatshai.htm.

  61. 61.

    Winston Peters cited in Audrey Young, “China Ambassador Registers Concern Over NZ’s Strategic Defence Policy Statement,” New Zealand Herald, 10 July 2018, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12085906.

  62. 62.

    Morris (2017).

  63. 63.

    New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2013), p. 4, https://fyi.org.nz/request/3507/response/11180/attach/5/AFG%20Communications%20Package%20Development%20achievements%20through%20NZPRT%20September%202013.pdf.

  64. 64.

    “$5.2 Million Shakeup of Emergency Management System,” Line of Defence, Spring 2018, https://defsec.net.nz/2018/11/01/five-million-emergency-management.

  65. 65.

    At home the NZDF also contributes to bomb squad work, Youth Development, Cadets, and support to Fire Service, ANZAC commemoration and other events.

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  1. Politics Programme, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    B. K. Greener

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    Anne-Marie Brady

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Greener, B.K. (2019). The New Zealand Defence Force Role in New Zealand Foreign Policy. In: Brady, AM. (eds) Small States and the Changing Global Order. The World of Small States, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18803-0_3

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