PM Chris Hipkins has just announced at his post-cabinet press conference that Peeni Henare was a useless Minister of Defence who did nothing for the NZDF and they now have to play catch-up to address the morale and retention crisis which Andrew Little has inherited.

Well, he didn’t say those words exactly, but he has announced nearly $750 million to be spent over the next few years on fixing pay and beginning the long, long road towards fixing the estate and infrastructure:

Defence Minister Andrew Little said as part of this year’s Budget nearly $420 million would be spent over the next four years on increasing pay of defence personnel – the biggest increase in over a decade.

“High rates of staff turnover, as well as increasing calls on the NZDF such as responding to Cyclone Gabrielle, training Ukrainian troops in the UK, and surveillance and patrolling in our region means our forces are stretched,” Little said.

“The pay of many NZDF personnel, including new recruits, and skilled lower ranked service people will increase between $4,000 and $15,000 from July 1.

“This increase is four times greater than any previous defence remuneration boost over the past decade. It will go a long way to address attrition issues and make defence a career of choice.”

…

This includes $90m upgrading aviation fuelling facilities at Ohakea, $93m on communications for frigates and new Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles, and $85m to improve defence housing, with up to 50 new buildings at Waiouru, and a renovation pilot for 13 properties at Burnham, Linton and Ohakea.

PM Chris Hipkins speaks at post-Cabinet press conference after UK trip, King’s coronation – NZ Herald

This is on top of the retention bonus announced a few weeks ago, with each NZDF member receiving just over $3K, and most army personnel receiving between $4K and $10K on top of that (the most undermanned trades and ranks getting the most, especially anyone posted to Waiouru)

That retention bonus was NOT extra $$ from the government, it must be noted. It was simply a re-allocation of the budget which is being underspent because so many people are getting out (30% of the entire NZDF has left over the last three years).

It pales in comparison to the Australian Defence Force retention payment of over $50,000 per member, but beggers can’t be choosers.

I posted on the lack of pay parity between NZDF and the ever-increasing wages in equivalent jobs in the public sector a couple of months ago, which had also been discussed by North and South magazine:

Of note is the promise of some money for barracks and housing, starting with Waiouru. This is DECADES overdue, and both National and Labour should hang their heads in shame over the dilapidated state of barracks and infrastructure. Andrew Little was shown how bad they were first hand when he toured camps and bases only a couple of months ago – the comment being who would let their son or daughter join an organisation with literally rotten barracks and houses?

Don’t be fooled though, this is very much papering over the cracks. Of the $85 million for housing, most of that is going to Ngati Rangi to build 50 houses in Waiouru (a drop in the bucket), and a home improvement pilot for 6 houses in Burnham and 7 properties in the Manawatu is all that there is enough cash for. A lot more money than that is needed, especially for barracks which haven’t gotten a mention here.