That all said there will have to be a major change in the regional security situation along with a change in government and civilian views within NZ for them to acquire fixed wing air assets even if they are just given away to them. When we first acquired the Super Hercs we also acquired a purchase option to 27 other birds (transports, EW and refueling variants) including a few set aside for NZ should they want them and they didnt even jump then and that is a nothing purchase in the grand scheme of things between costs.
There is already a major strategic security change underway and yet the idiots in charge of New Zealand still are not with the program.
About time you guys tried the tough love approach. Frankly Australia you have been too polite. John Howard was too much of a gentleman in the late 1990's - early 2000's when NZ killed off a four Anzac fleet, cancelled the 2 Squadrons of F-16's, killed off the A-4's, tore up the Nowra agreement, culled the Sirius P-3K upgrades, and passed up the C-130J options. I am sure that a real bastard like Keating would have dealt with Helen Clark differently.
Cancelling something important like an All Blacks tour to Australia to play the Wallabies would do it. That would at least get the NZ publics attention. Renegotiating the CER free trade agreement and the CDR (Closer Defence Relationship) which you are entitled to do so it extends to increasing mutual defence spending with pre-determined minimums and capability sets would certainly get Wellingtons attention and threaten to withdraw from both arrangements if they still don't budge (rhymes with bludge) - kind of like a Brexit, an Ausexit you could called it.
A defence "disinterested" New Zealand is an Australian national security risk and therefore an economic sovereignty risk for it as a nation. The mantra of the NZ-OZ defence relationship used to be self reliance in partnership - New Zealand has played lip service to that in recent years.
I don't pay my neighbours house insurance premiums leaving him to only pay for his contents. But that is exactly how things over the last generation have been with respect to Australia - New Zealand in defence capability have become. The total BS about affordability does not wash either.
