Election year:
2023
Political party:
New Zealand First
Policy:
Defence
- Progressively increase real Defence spending by the equivalent of at least 0.1% of GDP each fiscal year over ten years, so it reaches 2% of GDP by 2030
- Establish a permanent, ring-fenced Defence Capital Fund as part of the Budget process to fund defence capability and estate procurement, which would have the ability to forward purchase foreign currency.
- Fully implement the Coalition Government’s Defence Capability Plan 2019 and Defence Estate Regeneration Plan 2019, as minimum.
- Double the size of the Reserve Forces, and put the Defence Force on a growth path to reach an overall strength of 20,000 personnel.
- Accelerate the introduction into service of the Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles capability that was included in the Defence Capability Plan 2019.
- Enhance the combat effectiveness of the Defence Force by re-establishing an air combat capability, and introducing precision strike and heavy lift helicopter capabilities.
- Read more here