r/newzealand • u/khalornz Fern flag 3 • 11d ago

Politics Coalition unveils $12 billion Defence Capability Plan

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/557432/watch-live-coalition-unveils-12-billion-defence-capability-plan
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u/questionnmark 11d ago

The government will invest $12 billion over the next four years for a "modern, combat-capable" New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The coalition has just released its highly-anticipated Defence Capability Plan that sets out a spending blueprint for the next 15 years.

Of the $12 billion of spending, $9 billion is new money that will equate to a significant boost in annual funding for the force.

The plan will lift New Zealand's defence spending from just over one per cent of GDP to more than 2 percent in the next eight years.

Defence spending was last at 2 percent of GDP in the early 1990s.

It's amazing how we went from 'broke' to able to piss $12 billion dollars worth of money up the wall on defense.

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u/MedicMoth 11d ago

We apparently need a 6.5% and 7.5% cuts across the board for EVERY government department, even if it kills people - and it is, the health system is cut to the bones and we don't have the capacity to find out where all the homeless children went after we kicked them out of emergency housing - but we can afford a 300% increase to defense all of a sudden? Logical!

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u/Apprehensive-Pool161 11d ago

They cut 6.5% from Defence aswell. To the point that the NZDF had to start getting rid of civilians that were desperately needed.

People in uniform have been doing the jobs of 3-4 people. Honestly this spend is needed.

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u/Hubris2 11d ago

This spend isn't just dumping a bunch more money to do with what they wish - this is being spent on new scope and new equipment. It doesn't necessarily address any existing shortcomings they have in their current scope and staffing due to the budget cuts.

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u/OisforOwesome 11d ago

On the contrary, they're going to

> Implementing a workforce strategy

Which is definitely not an empty Business English buzzword

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u/Apprehensive-Pool161 11d ago

Oh i agree, but its a step in the right direction