Chief Of Defence Force Talks Regional Security In Singapore

New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, attended the 9th Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Chief’s Conference in Singapore today, meeting with Defence Chiefs from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

At the conference, Defence Chiefs exchanged views on regional security, and issued guiding principles on how to incorporate greater cooperation to tackle non-conventional security threats, such as maritime terrorism, into FPDA exercises and activities.

Air Marshal Ferguson said the New Zealand Defence Force is proud to be involved in the longest standing defence agreement in the region. “The New Zealand Defence Force, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, will continue its commitment to the FPDA, and we will continue to play our part in the security of the region,” he said.

Air Marshal Ferguson is also visiting some of the 278 Defence personnel currently in Singapore for a major FPDA military exercise, before he returns to New Zealand.

HMNZS TE KAHA, HMNZS ENDEAVOUR, two Orion maritime patrol aircraft and a C-130 Hercules are contributing to the exercise, which is intended to enhance combined joint training activities, build technical knowledge and expertise and further develop mutual understanding between the five FPDA members. In total 30 ships, 50 aircraft and two submarines from the FPDA Defence Forces are taking part in the exercise.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>