Government’s Priorities
The Government’s key priorities are the Economy and Social Sector Reforms.
The priorities that impact on Vote Veterans’ Affairs – Defence Force are:
- the provision of ‘Better Public Services’ by driving better performance across the public sector.
- ‘Better Social Services’ - improving those social services provided directly by the Government.
The Government’s stated intent underpinning policy related to veterans is ‘Respecting Veterans, Honouring Service’. This is substantiated by the broader principles of:
- Respecting Veterans
- Strengthening Communities
- Dignity for Older New Zealanders
The services provided to veterans support these principles and are focused on respecting the contribution made by veterans and honouring the service that they have given to the community.
The Ministers of Veterans’ Affairs Key Priorities
The successful management of commemorations of the Gallipoli Landings and the Korea War
The 2010 commemorations at Gallipoli mark the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. The successful management of the commemorations is one of the key priorities in the 2009/10 year. The evaluation of the 2010 commemoration will form the basis of the strategic planning for the centennial commemoration at Gallipoli in 2015. This planning will be a priority in the 2011/12 to 2012/13 financial years.
Another significant commemoration in 2010 is the 60th anniversary of the commencement of the Korean War. Commemorations are being planned by the Government of the Republic of Korea to honour the veterans of the Korean War. Participation in these events will be co-ordinated by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand. In 2013, the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice will be marked. Planning for a New Zealand based commemoration of this will be a priority in the 2010/11 financial year.
Review of the War Pensions Act 1954
The Law Commission is expected to present its report into the rewrite of the War Pensions Act 1954 during 2010. Once this report is completed, the Government will consider its response.
Improved Service Delivery
Improved service delivery to veterans is a priority. An important part of this is ensuring that Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand has a profile in the community by strengthening the case management in the community initiative.
Outcomes
In order to ensure the government expectations for the delivery of services to veterans is met and to support the achievement of the key government priorities, Veterans' Affairs New Zealand has identified the following outcomes:
- Veterans are acknowledged and recognised for their service and sacrifice and the community is aware of the role veterans have played and continue to play in developing New Zealand as a nation.
- Working in partnership with the NZDF, the impacts of service on eligible veterans and their dependants are monitored to ensure they have information about, and access to, services and support that promotes wellbeing.
- The veterans’ perspective is considered as part of government decision-making on issues that impact on their lives.
The Strategic Environment
The identification of veterans as a specific group within New Zealand society is an acknowledgement of the role veterans have played, and continue to play, in developing New Zealand as a nation.
Services have been provided to the veteran community by a variety of other agencies for a number of years. The delivery of those services has often not been well co-ordinated. In 2008 the decision was made to transfer all War Disablement Pension activity from the Ministry of Social Development to Veterans' Affairs New Zealand and to place Veterans' Affairs New Zealand within the New Zealand Defence Force. This strengthens Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand’s relationship with serving personnel and creates a continuum from serving personnel to veteran. This is consistent with the fact that, in the long term, the care of veterans will be a recruitment and retention issue as the onus shifts from that of societal debt generated in a time of war, to government as an employer, taking responsibility for the impact of its decisions on personnel.
The Global Environment
New Zealand exists within a global environment that shapes the experience of veterans and challenges the way the New Zealand Government and New Zealand society responds to the experiences of veterans.
The role of New Zealand as an international citizen has evolved, and as a consequence, the role the military plays in support of the government’s foreign policy direction has evolved and ranges from warrior to peacemaker and peacekeeper.
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand has working relationships with veterans’ administrations in other countries and is able to share information and learn from their experiences.
The New Zealand Environment
There is no parallel social service framework for the provision of health and social assistance for veterans in New Zealand. The services and entitlements provided to veterans are, in the main, provided through the publicly funded health and disability systems and social assistance framework. It is important that the interface with these services is managed in a way that is responsive to veterans’ needs.
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