My first year as Chief of Defence Force has been a watershed on several fronts. During 2006/07 the projects under the Defence Sustainability Initiative (DSI) devolved to business as usual. This included the launch of the first full NZDF Strategic Plan in early 2007, and significant progress with the DSI and Defence Long-Term Development Plan (LTDP). The Defence Force is modernising its military capabilities and building organisational capacity. This year, the Navy will start taking delivery of the Project Protector vessels – the first being the Multi-Role Vessel (MRV), HMNZS CANTERBURY. The RNZAF has sent the first aircraft (Boeing 757-200, P-3K Orion and C-130 Hercules) overseas for modification and upgrade, and the Government has approved the purchase of the NH-90 medium utility helicopter and called for tenders for a light utility training helicopter.
We continue to maintain a busy schedule of operational commitments both overseas, as shown under our Output Operationally Deployed Forces, and in support of other Government Departments and agencies at home. We expect to maintain this level of contribution, but must continue to be aware that other, more substantial commitments may be required, sometimes at short notice, by the Government. Accordingly, we must be sufficiently agile to be ready for such contingencies. As has been observed by political and senior defence leaders, our people serving on missions overseas, often in demanding and inhospitable environments, continue to bring credit to themselves, their respective Services and to New Zealand
Hand in hand with our operational commitments and activities (and in a sense quite often as equally demanding) are the organisational changes and rationalisation of governance arrangements that have taken place over the last year, and that are being embedded as business as usual. Adjustments will be made to fine tune recent changes to improve the management, efficiency and effectiveness of our business support systems and processes. The move into the new Defence House will provide us with further opportunity for continuous review and improvement of our administrative, support and governance systems, possibly leading to changes in the way we do business in the future.
The launch of the NZDF Strategic Plan in March 2007 followed a great deal of hard work within Defence Headquarters and the Services. The Strategic Plan refers to our Vision and Mission statements and the foundations that underpin our organisation. It is a robust plan that aligns the work and activities of the Defence Force towards our aspiration of “Three Services as One Force, being the best in everything we do”. The plan links and melds the uniqueness of our role with the Government’s Priority Theme of National Identity and cascades, through our three strategic themes, strategic objectives and initiatives, to the business end of delivering the outputs required by the Government, so that we can secure and protect New Zealand now and in the future.The three Strategic Themes of The Agile Force (being operationally effective), Resource Efficiency (being resource canny), and Valued Partner (being the best we can be in the things we do) permeate everything we do. Relevant extracts and linkages from our Strategic Plan have been included within this Statement of Intent.
Concurrent with the development of the Strategic Plan was the development of the Defence Performance Management System (DPMS). Gaps in how we measured our performance and overall health required that an enhanced performance measurement system be established. I have high expectations that the DPMS will enable the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) to draw together all the necessary relevant information to ensure we make sound fact-based decisions. The DPMS includes the current tried and proven Operational Preparedness and Reporting System (OPRES). The DPMS now also includes a Balanced Score Card (BSC) to monitor the execution of the Strategic Plan and intent. At the lower levels of the system, the BSC approach links financial and nonfinancial data and information to inform the various levels of command and management.
The NZDF Strategic Initiatives for 2007/08 and beyond are a result of the current work on our Strategic Plan. These initiatives are consistent with the ongoing work under the DSI and the LTDP. They continue to set the direction of the NZDF. The NZDF Output Expenses continue to be adjusted to take account of the new and enhanced capabilities coming on line during the 2007/2008 period.
Defence is a serious business. There is no greater or more solemn responsibility in this nation than that relating to the application of military force. The NZDF will continue to play an important part in maintaining New Zealand’s place as a good international citizen through its support of the United Nations and the rule of international law. I intend doing all in my authority to ensure that the personnel within the NZDF, military and civilian, are as well prepared and led for their tasks, whether in New Zealand or overseas, as allocated resources will allow.
The NZDF must be many things and is required to meet a wide range of challenges. It must be combat-capable, joint in effect, rapidly deployable, highly adaptable, open to change and totally professional. It must be able to meet military and non-military challenges in New Zealand, in the Pacific, and across the globe where this is in New Zealand’s best interests. My primary concern has been on the ability of the NZDF to deploy effective forces on operations as required by the Government, and, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, to advance the many projects under the DSI and LTDP. These, combined with the Minister’s imperatives of organisational efficiency and robust processes for the allocation of resources within the NZDF, will continue to be my focus for the period of this Statement of Intent.
This Statement of Intent builds on those produced since 2004. The Defence Outcomes and the NZDF Mission Statement have not changed. Overall, the Defence Outcomes and NZDF Outputs, continue to reflect the Government’s defence policy and future intentions. I have every confidence that, given the dedication of the people who make up the NZDF, we will continue to move closer to our vision of being Three Services as One Force, being the best in everything we do.
J Mateparae
Lieutenant General
Chief of Defence Force
New Zealand Defence Force
18 April 2007
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