Interesting article in the Dominion Post today confirming the steady closening of military ties with the United States
After decades of cold-shoulder treatment, United States military brass are now saying a US-New Zealand military partnership is vital to meet security challenges in the Pacific region.
Joint military exercises are on offer again, according to US Air Force commander Lieutenant General Loyd S Utterback, who was in Wellington last month for a conference hosted by air force chief Air Vice-Marshal Graham Lintott.
Since 1987 the US has blocked New Zealand forces from taking part in routine joint exercises. The only exceptions were preparations for war-zone deployments and, till recently, presidential waivers were required for anything else.
In a statement published on the US Air Force website, General Utterback said a partnership between the US and New Zealand militaries was vital. Being able to plan, share data and operate together could only make the US and New Zealand militaries better.
General Utterback, commander of air, space and information operations in the Pacific area, said: "We simply cannot afford to meet at a disaster site landing zone for the first time and realise that your aircraft can't get fuel from my pump or that we don'thave a common understanding of airspace control."
His visit comes just two months after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared New Zealand an ally - the first time that word had been used since the mid-1980s, when New Zealand barred the entry of nuclear powered or armed ships.
The thaw was underlined this month when New Zealand sent 172 troops to Germany for combat training with US, British, Canadian and Australian troops.
Showing posts with label Defence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Defence. Show all posts
Oct 11, 2008
Sep 28, 2008
Foreign Warship In Wellington Harbour
Maybe the media is all over this, but if it is, we have missed the reporting. A frigate belonging to a foreign power snuck into Wellington Harbour last night and is currently hiding behind Somes Island.
If we are not mistaken this is it, the Argentine Naval Training Ship Fragata Libertad.
Jul 4, 2008
UNgate: McCully's View
We are sure Murray McCully would not mind us repeating his latest post on this important matter:
04 July 2008 (#336)
Heads on the Block at Defence HQ
The UN Housing Allowances rort exposed this week will have some of New Zealand’s most senior military officers feeling distinctly nervous about their jobs. Prime Ministerial and ministerial anger has been focused on the damage to relationships at the United Nations, at which organization they see their future personal careers. But more serious implications flow from the attempt by Defence HQ to feed one of their own officers to the wolves in order to cover up for a seven-year plan to rip off the United Nations.
In 2001, the United Nations changed the rules for personnel seconded to its ranks. Those who opted to receive a UN housing allowance were required to sign a declaration to the effect that they were not receiving any top-up payments from their own governments. The instruction to New Zealand military personnel seconded to the UN was to take the UN allowance, and to also accept a top-up payment from NZDF. They were then instructed to complete the declaration stating that they were receiving no such top-up payment. In other words, our military chiefs instructed their subordinates to lie to their UN bosses.
At least five very senior New Zealand officers have now, apparently, wrongly accepted the UN housing allowance, and even more wrongly completed the declaration to the effect that no top-up from New Zealand was being received. All of the above came to a head when NZDF brought home one of its colonels to face court-martial charges relating to the receipt of the housing allowance and the wrongful declaration.
In the days leading up to the court-martial, the housing allowance charges were dropped. NZDF, it appears, were forced to eventually face up to the fact that the practice was theirs, and officially sanctioned, rather than an attempt by one individual to enrich himself. Other, minor matters were pursued against that officer, which are not germane to this story, but which look entirely trivial in the wash-up.
In the course of the nine months of investigation and preparation for a court-martial over the UN housing allowance issue, NZDF chiefs became aware, presumably very early in the piece, that this was a problem of their creation. This was their housing allowance rort, not one initiated by the officer concerned. Five of their officers, at least, had, under orders, followed the same practice. Yet they allowed the court-martial process to move forward.
On 28 May NZDF received a wad of questions from Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in relation to the Defence Estimates (following the Budget a few days earlier). They included a series of very specific, very pointed questions about NZDF seconded personnel and the rules around receipt of UN housing allowances. The point could not have been clearer.
Yet over a month later, on 29 June to be precise, Defence Minister Phil Goff told TV3 that he knew nothing about the UN housing allowance dispute. Over a month after National Party questions made it clear that the systematic rorting of the allowances was known to the Minister’s political opponents, the Minister says NZDF still hadn’t briefed him. But it gets worse.
On 18th of June, prior to his appearance in front of the Foreign Affairs Committee the next day, Goff’s office approved the NZDF responses to questions and forwarded them to the Committee. Those responses made it clear: there was indeed a problem with the NZDF practice in relation to the housing allowances, lawyers were on the case, and the practice had been suspended as a result.
Because it was still not clear whether the housing allowances would feature at a court-martial the following week, the National Party did not pursue the matter with Goff in the select committee. But it is extraordinary to think that his officials allowed him to walk into the Committee, having signed off on the answers, without Defence chiefs briefing him on the background.
Goff has told Parliament that he was not briefed. We accept him at his word. He has also said that he did not understand what lay behind the answers he approved for the select committee. That is more difficult to accept but let’s again take the Minister at his word. All of which would have made him fully reliant on his NZDF chiefs being full and frank with him about the issue. Which clearly they weren’t. At best this was incompetence. More likely, this was a serious breach of duty. But there is still worse to come.
The investigation into the housing allowance issue started in August 2007. Since that time it has been blindingly obvious to dozens of staff at NZDF that rorting the UN allowances is official Defence policy. Yet preparations have continued to prosecute a senior officer for following that policy. What sort of culture does that create at our Defence HQ?
Last week Major General Rhys Jones, Commander, Joint Forces was ordered to front the TV3 cameras to defend the indefensible. It would be fair to observe that the bumbling interview was not exactly the pinnacle of his military career. But it is strongly rumoured that it was the very same Major General Jones who fronted General Mataparae back in February to tell him that this was Defence’s problem, that they should take responsibility and repay to the UN what was due. Now it appears the guy who had the integrity to deal with the issue is being sent out to cop the bullets for the decision that was actually made by his superiors against his advice. All very untidy.
Now NZDF have established a Board of Enquiry. The initial signs are not encouraging, suggesting another of the cover-ups for which the Clark Government has become notorious. But readers may rest assured, any shortcomings will be exposed in the Select Committee and Parliamentary scrutiny that will follow.
This is a serious matter. Any organisation that sends its staff into situations involving personal danger needs to operate on the basis that, when things get tough, their superiors will back them to the hilt, not stab them in the back.
The whole UN saga has laid bare a seriously troubling state of affairs. First because, if the Minister is to be believed, he has not been briefed on matters on which NZDF had an absolute duty to brief him. And second, because a picture has emerged of a culture within our military that is very far removed from that which we would expect amongst those charged with the defence of the realm. So watch this space as the facts emerge. A few ruffled feathers over at the UN may be the least of the concerns now confronting General Mataparae and his colleagues.
04 July 2008 (#336)
Heads on the Block at Defence HQ
The UN Housing Allowances rort exposed this week will have some of New Zealand’s most senior military officers feeling distinctly nervous about their jobs. Prime Ministerial and ministerial anger has been focused on the damage to relationships at the United Nations, at which organization they see their future personal careers. But more serious implications flow from the attempt by Defence HQ to feed one of their own officers to the wolves in order to cover up for a seven-year plan to rip off the United Nations.
In 2001, the United Nations changed the rules for personnel seconded to its ranks. Those who opted to receive a UN housing allowance were required to sign a declaration to the effect that they were not receiving any top-up payments from their own governments. The instruction to New Zealand military personnel seconded to the UN was to take the UN allowance, and to also accept a top-up payment from NZDF. They were then instructed to complete the declaration stating that they were receiving no such top-up payment. In other words, our military chiefs instructed their subordinates to lie to their UN bosses.
At least five very senior New Zealand officers have now, apparently, wrongly accepted the UN housing allowance, and even more wrongly completed the declaration to the effect that no top-up from New Zealand was being received. All of the above came to a head when NZDF brought home one of its colonels to face court-martial charges relating to the receipt of the housing allowance and the wrongful declaration.
In the days leading up to the court-martial, the housing allowance charges were dropped. NZDF, it appears, were forced to eventually face up to the fact that the practice was theirs, and officially sanctioned, rather than an attempt by one individual to enrich himself. Other, minor matters were pursued against that officer, which are not germane to this story, but which look entirely trivial in the wash-up.
In the course of the nine months of investigation and preparation for a court-martial over the UN housing allowance issue, NZDF chiefs became aware, presumably very early in the piece, that this was a problem of their creation. This was their housing allowance rort, not one initiated by the officer concerned. Five of their officers, at least, had, under orders, followed the same practice. Yet they allowed the court-martial process to move forward.
On 28 May NZDF received a wad of questions from Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in relation to the Defence Estimates (following the Budget a few days earlier). They included a series of very specific, very pointed questions about NZDF seconded personnel and the rules around receipt of UN housing allowances. The point could not have been clearer.
Yet over a month later, on 29 June to be precise, Defence Minister Phil Goff told TV3 that he knew nothing about the UN housing allowance dispute. Over a month after National Party questions made it clear that the systematic rorting of the allowances was known to the Minister’s political opponents, the Minister says NZDF still hadn’t briefed him. But it gets worse.
On 18th of June, prior to his appearance in front of the Foreign Affairs Committee the next day, Goff’s office approved the NZDF responses to questions and forwarded them to the Committee. Those responses made it clear: there was indeed a problem with the NZDF practice in relation to the housing allowances, lawyers were on the case, and the practice had been suspended as a result.
Because it was still not clear whether the housing allowances would feature at a court-martial the following week, the National Party did not pursue the matter with Goff in the select committee. But it is extraordinary to think that his officials allowed him to walk into the Committee, having signed off on the answers, without Defence chiefs briefing him on the background.
Goff has told Parliament that he was not briefed. We accept him at his word. He has also said that he did not understand what lay behind the answers he approved for the select committee. That is more difficult to accept but let’s again take the Minister at his word. All of which would have made him fully reliant on his NZDF chiefs being full and frank with him about the issue. Which clearly they weren’t. At best this was incompetence. More likely, this was a serious breach of duty. But there is still worse to come.
The investigation into the housing allowance issue started in August 2007. Since that time it has been blindingly obvious to dozens of staff at NZDF that rorting the UN allowances is official Defence policy. Yet preparations have continued to prosecute a senior officer for following that policy. What sort of culture does that create at our Defence HQ?
Last week Major General Rhys Jones, Commander, Joint Forces was ordered to front the TV3 cameras to defend the indefensible. It would be fair to observe that the bumbling interview was not exactly the pinnacle of his military career. But it is strongly rumoured that it was the very same Major General Jones who fronted General Mataparae back in February to tell him that this was Defence’s problem, that they should take responsibility and repay to the UN what was due. Now it appears the guy who had the integrity to deal with the issue is being sent out to cop the bullets for the decision that was actually made by his superiors against his advice. All very untidy.
Now NZDF have established a Board of Enquiry. The initial signs are not encouraging, suggesting another of the cover-ups for which the Clark Government has become notorious. But readers may rest assured, any shortcomings will be exposed in the Select Committee and Parliamentary scrutiny that will follow.
This is a serious matter. Any organisation that sends its staff into situations involving personal danger needs to operate on the basis that, when things get tough, their superiors will back them to the hilt, not stab them in the back.
The whole UN saga has laid bare a seriously troubling state of affairs. First because, if the Minister is to be believed, he has not been briefed on matters on which NZDF had an absolute duty to brief him. And second, because a picture has emerged of a culture within our military that is very far removed from that which we would expect amongst those charged with the defence of the realm. So watch this space as the facts emerge. A few ruffled feathers over at the UN may be the least of the concerns now confronting General Mataparae and his colleagues.
Jul 3, 2008
UNgate - Goff May Call In The SSC
Phil Goff is clearly worried that the same people who are implicated in UN allowance scandal (senior Defence Force staff) are also those doing the internal investigation into the matter. Goff has sensibly stated that if he is not satisfied with the findings of the NZDF Court of Enquiry he will ask the SSC to investigate.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4605411a11.html
This scandal is the last thing Goff needs, and it is a bad look for the Government in general. No wonder the PM tried to to divert things in Parliament yesterday. A pity she screwed up on the facts.....
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4605411a11.html
This scandal is the last thing Goff needs, and it is a bad look for the Government in general. No wonder the PM tried to to divert things in Parliament yesterday. A pity she screwed up on the facts.....
Jul 2, 2008
UNgate: New Zealand Rips The UN Off
We told them not to rub this scab off. Amazing what one finds. Now it seems that the New Zealand Defence Force was at fault not individuals. Goff is angry and heads will roll. But where will this lead? And why was Heaton targeted in this way? He was a silly bugger who broke the rules, but he was far from alone in doing this type of thing.
This coverage on Morning Report is worth a listen...
This coverage on Morning Report is worth a listen...
Jul 1, 2008
PM Quick To Crack Down On Double Dipping By Defence Personnel
With a view to her future career no doubt, the PM has been quick to intervene in the growing scandal over Defence staff claiming a UN housing allowance at the same time as receiving one from the New Zealand Government.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says it is intolerable for Defence Force personnel on United Nations postings to double-dip on their housing allowances.
Helen Clark says the Defence Force must now look into claims the colonel and other personnel have received housing allowances from the UN and the Defence Force at the same time.
"It will be got to the bottom of, and those responsible will be dealt with. If there's been wrong done there must be action taken.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says it is intolerable for Defence Force personnel on United Nations postings to double-dip on their housing allowances.
Helen Clark says the Defence Force must now look into claims the colonel and other personnel have received housing allowances from the UN and the Defence Force at the same time.
"It will be got to the bottom of, and those responsible will be dealt with. If there's been wrong done there must be action taken.
May 3, 2008
May 1, 2008
Let Them Pay
We don't tink the New Zealand tax payer should be fully responsible for the $1million plus repair bill for the sabotage that occured at Waihopai earlier in the week. We hope the courts throw the book at the three concerned and make them pay. Confiscate all assets and family assets if they can't pay. And maybe the Catholic Church would like to make a donation...And at the same the people responsible for security at Waihopai should be fired. Ultimately the Minister is responsible. Who is the Minister responsible for the GCSB? Should they resign?
Mar 11, 2008
Resource Scarcity And Security
A report carried in Monday's Guardian is alarming a few people around the world. The article reveals that European governments have been told to plan for an era of conflict over energy resources, with global warming likely to trigger a dangerous contest between Russia and the west for the vast mineral riches of the Arctic.
A seminar on energy security held in Wellington last year traversed similar ground (though with an Asia/Pacific focus) but no one really wanted to state the obvious - New Zealand is looking extremely vulnerable with current defence settings.
Why are we vulnerable? We are sitting on 1,000 years of coal reserves, we have abundant renewable energy resources, it looks as though we have some pretty good oil and gas reserves becoming economic to exploit, and (unless we destroy the agriculture sector through the silly design to our proposed emissions trading regime) we have abundant food. We also have plenty of water (in contrast to Australia). All these are scarce resources. And we sit smack in the middle of a region that is becoming increasing desperate to secure these resources. We are, in summary, going to be the country envied most in the region.
Already we see China's foreign and trade policies designed around the need to secure these resources. Japan has agreed to enter into FTA negotiations with Australia because it wants security of supply for Australia's minerals. This is all fine, but what happens in 20 years time when the Chinese economy is much bigger and resource hungry than today? What are the implications for our region. What was the trigger for conflict in the 1930s?
We wish the mainstream media would start looking at this issue. We are particularly interested in analysis of current threat assessments and questions around the appropriateness of the current Treasury conceived model for our armed forces - a good army, supported by naval and air transport assets. Our strategy is in marked contrast to Australia's which is built around forward defence (ie forward of Australia).
A seminar on energy security held in Wellington last year traversed similar ground (though with an Asia/Pacific focus) but no one really wanted to state the obvious - New Zealand is looking extremely vulnerable with current defence settings.
Why are we vulnerable? We are sitting on 1,000 years of coal reserves, we have abundant renewable energy resources, it looks as though we have some pretty good oil and gas reserves becoming economic to exploit, and (unless we destroy the agriculture sector through the silly design to our proposed emissions trading regime) we have abundant food. We also have plenty of water (in contrast to Australia). All these are scarce resources. And we sit smack in the middle of a region that is becoming increasing desperate to secure these resources. We are, in summary, going to be the country envied most in the region.
Already we see China's foreign and trade policies designed around the need to secure these resources. Japan has agreed to enter into FTA negotiations with Australia because it wants security of supply for Australia's minerals. This is all fine, but what happens in 20 years time when the Chinese economy is much bigger and resource hungry than today? What are the implications for our region. What was the trigger for conflict in the 1930s?
We wish the mainstream media would start looking at this issue. We are particularly interested in analysis of current threat assessments and questions around the appropriateness of the current Treasury conceived model for our armed forces - a good army, supported by naval and air transport assets. Our strategy is in marked contrast to Australia's which is built around forward defence (ie forward of Australia).
Dec 22, 2007
Design Fault Known Before Canterbury Delivered
We warned you a few weeks ago that Defence Minister Phil Goff was in the hot seat. Today the Government - as usual, just before Christmas, has fessed up to one of a number of scandals that it has been trying to control. The design fault that saw a rescue boat lost overboard in a storm was known before the Canterbury was delivered.
So why was nothing done about it???
A second inquiry, into the death of Able Seaman Byron Solomon on October 5 when an inflatable boat capsized alongside the Canterbury, is due to report early next year.
Watch this space.....
So why was nothing done about it???
A second inquiry, into the death of Able Seaman Byron Solomon on October 5 when an inflatable boat capsized alongside the Canterbury, is due to report early next year.
Watch this space.....
Dec 18, 2007
North Asia Strategic Balance Gets More Interesting
Japan's successful destruction of a mid-range ballistic missile in space adds to the complexity of the strategic equation in North Asia. While the headlines suggest that this is designed to both protect against and send messages to Winston Peters' new best friends (most are shorter than he is) in North Korea, the real message being sent to Beijing. It is also the natural extension of the US decision ssome years ago to sell Aegis (sea based anti- ballistic missile technology) to Japan.
Why should we be interested in this??
Most obviously it might cause Winston's mates to do something silly.
More generally the US, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong are immediately involved, and Australia (up until Rudd anyway) was indirectly a participant. Australia is our biggest economic partner followed by the US, China, and Japan. Jump the UK, then you get to the ROK. Skip Germany, then comes Taiwan. Hong Kong is not far behind.
We have critical interests at stake. Peace and stability is best for our interests. Anything that disrupts the balance should be analysed closely.
Why should we be interested in this??
Most obviously it might cause Winston's mates to do something silly.
More generally the US, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong are immediately involved, and Australia (up until Rudd anyway) was indirectly a participant. Australia is our biggest economic partner followed by the US, China, and Japan. Jump the UK, then you get to the ROK. Skip Germany, then comes Taiwan. Hong Kong is not far behind.
We have critical interests at stake. Peace and stability is best for our interests. Anything that disrupts the balance should be analysed closely.
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