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Release of the Defence Assessment 2021, Ministerial Priorities for Defence and Principles for Defence

On 8 December 2021 the Minister of Defence, alongside the Secretary of Defence, released the below documents.

09 December, 2021

Defence Assessment 2021 : he moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka

Defence Assessment 2021: he moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka / a rough sea can still be navigated was released on 8 December 2021 by the Secretary of Defence alongside the Minister of Defence.

The document provides a comprehensive review of the challenges to New Zealand’s strategic defence interests, as well as defence officials’ advice to Government on changing New Zealand’s defence policy settings.

View more information: Defence Assessment 2021: he moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka

Ministerial Priorities for Defence 2021 

The Ministerial Priorities are People, Infrastructure, and The Pacific.

  • People are Defence’s greatest asset. Defence needs to ensure that personnel are ready and supported to face the challenges ahead, including those identified in Defence Assessment 2021.

  • The focus on infrastructure will ensure members of the Defence Force can live and work in buildings that are healthy, safe and fit-for-purpose both now and in the future.

  • The Pacific priority reflects the importance that this Government places on Pacific resilience and the important role Defence has in supporting this.

View more information here: Ministerial Priorities for Defence 2021

Principles of Defence 2021

The Principles are:

  • Angitu – success, effort and striving

  • Kotahitanga – unity, togetherness and collective action

  • Mana/Pono – influence, trust and integrity in Defence and

  • Kaitiakitanga – Defence’s work as guardians and stewards.

View more information here: Principles for Defence 2021.