AUSTRALIAN+NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE DIRECTORY 2026 www.defence.directory 29 NEW ZEALAND MINISTERIAL FOREWORD HON. JUDITH COLLINS, KC New Zealand Minister of Defence The Australia - New Zealand relationship is strong and enduring. We may be rivals on the sporting field but our shared history, values and connections come to the fore in other areas, not least in how we work together to defend our nations’ interests. With global tensions increasing rapidly we must all be clear-eyed in recognising the risk of conflict in our wider region has increased. This requires us to work with others who share our values and interests to reduce this possibility, because conflict is not inevitable. All countries have a stake in, and a responsibility to invest in, dialogue and diplomacy. We also have a collective responsibility to invest in our national security to ensure our economic prosperity. That is why this year the New Zealand Government released the 2025 Defence Capability Plan which will equip our Defence Force to be increasingly combat capable, interoperable with our partners, able to act as a force multiplier with Australia, and make the most of innovations which allow us to be more effective. It includes investments in: • A focused and combat capable Navy with a mixture of combat, patrol and multirole ships. • An Army that can operate independently, integrate with Australia, has improved strike capabilities, and is fully networked. • An Air Force that can operate globally, with select combat capability, and which provides situational awareness and intelligence. • Strengthened cyber and information capabilities to protect the NZDF’s networks and systems, and provide defensive cyber, electronic and information warfare effects. • A workforce with the physical and digital infrastructure that is fit-for-purpose for a modern defence force. To deliver, the Government has committed to increasing our defence spending to 2 percent of GDP by 2032. This is the floor, not the ceiling, of our investment and we will do more as our fiscal situation allows. This plan is a call to action for Defence and industry to work together more effectively and efficiently, to become more resilient, agile and innovative, while continuing to deliver value for taxpayer money. To support this, we are working hard to remove barriers and support innovation and true partnership. From now, major defence capability business cases submitted for Government approval in New Zealand will need to address several key questions, including what is the Australian approach, is there any reason for us to take a different one, and can we partner with industry to deliver the capability differently? Last year our Prime Ministers agreed to prioritise combined defence procurement to better enable interoperability. We know that mutual recognition of our defence industrial bases will support this. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and I also reaffirmed our commitment to modernising our alliance and further strengthening our bilateral defence relationship. This included a commitment to effective defence industry collaboration. These commitments and our new approach are vital as we work together to build a more integrated Anzac force. The challenge, and opportunity, for you all is to be bold, be innovative and partner with Defence to ensure our collective future security and prosperity. N Z l dMi i f D f
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