New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa

Media Release
10 Sep 2009

NZDF Annual Report: More People Joining, More Choosing To Stay

The New Zealand Defence Force has made real progress solving the people number worries that have dominated its performance in recent years, its latest Annual Report reveals.

The report shows that as at 30 June 2009, NZDF’s Regular Force numbers were at a ten year high, while attrition – the rate at which people were leaving the organisation – was at a 10-year low. At the end of the reporting period there were a total of 14,612 regular force, reservists and civilians in the Defence Force – up by 723 on 2008. Regular Force numbers were at 9,702, up by 424.

The Chief of Defence Force Lt Gen Jerry Mateparae draws special attention to this turnaround in his overview in the Annual Report: “Recruitment and retention have been critical issues for the NZDF as we have sustained overseas deployments and prepared for future operations,” he says. “With the tighter economic conditions in New Zealand, combined with innovative recruitment and retention strategies that the NZDF has implemented, growing the NZDF is looking more promising.

“Fewer people are choosing to leave the NZDF. This assists us in addressing relative inexperience levels, which remain low in certain operational and technical trades, and it is recognised that it will take time before these levels can be fully restored.”

Total personnel numbers have increased in all three Services (Navy, Army and Air Force). Initiatives have included the introduction of the new military remuneration system in 2008 that linked military pay to equivalent professions in the wider community, use of reserves, lateral recruitment and reviewing trade structures.

Lt Gen Mateparae also makes mention of the progress of major equipment upgrades across the three Services. Notable successes during the year have included the delivery of the inshore patrol vessels for the Navy, the completion of the upgrade for the Air Forces two Boeing 757 transport aircraft, and the acquisition of night vision equipment, new weapons sights and communications equipment for the Army. Nonetheless, some delays have been frustrating.

“Overall, the modernisation of the NZDF’s equipment is a huge step forward for the Services,” he says.

Lt Gen Mateparae draws special attention to the level of overseas commitments the NZDF has sustained over the past year, at a higher level than was planned for, and during a period of planned “restoration” for the Defence Force. Major missions continued in the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, the Sinai, and Antarctica.

“The contribution that the NZDF is making to New Zealand’s strategic interests and foreign policy goals is reflected in our high operational tempo.”

ENDS

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