I have just received a response to my OIA request regarding NZDF personnel outflows. The numbers are grim and rebuilding the force post-Op Protect will take innovation and boldness. Here's my first of a 2 part article on it. I would welcome your ideas as to how to accelerate recruitment and training.
High Price for NZDF Op Protect
A well researched and written article, thank you for spending time to investigate these crucial issues and bringing it to the public's attention (have you considered writing a similar guest article for Stuff or NZ Herald etc, so that it receives greater public and media exposure)?
Presumably pay increases would attract more recruits (the excuse against pay rises seem to be, if NZDF personnel receive a payrise then what about the rest of the public service, as wouldn't they deserve them too? But that ignores teachers and nurses receiving higher than normal pay rises under this government ... and nevermind that NZDF personnel doesn't get to "work from home" unlike other public servants that did, saving on commuting and parking costs, all whilst on full pay)!
Quick related question - didn't the NZDF receive a pay freeze either pre-covid or during covid? Has this been lifted now (or not) and how does that compare with the rest of the public service, did they all receive pay freezes or 1-3% pay increases?
Anecdotally the increasing cost of living is impacting NZDF personnel particularly those with young families (i.e. skilled personnel that have been in the service for a few years or more, presumably the types that NZDF shouldn't be losing due to resigning for better private sector jobs etc).
So does NZDF still charge market rents eg when living on bases? How practical would it be to go back to pre (late) 1980's reform times and build more accommodation on bases and charge nominal rents? As that would assist personnel (and families) cope with "lower" wages and higher costs of living etc. If we look at the cost of houses nowadays (over $1M), surely recruiting would become more attractive if prospective personnel knew their wages would stretch further due to lower accommodation costs etc?
On a way-out-there tangent, because of the changing world situation and challenges being faced by NZ in the wider Pacific by the CCP etc, I'm still of the view that NZDF should base some of their personnel and resources overseas (like how postings to Singapore were quite attractive, again pre (late) 1980's reforms and consolidations). Today I would suggest Australia, possibly Queensland or NT, for (for example, as that is where we forward-deploy from into Asia) a ready reaction company, or two to sustain the first (a battalion would be the icing on the cake but probably unrealistic, politically, until/if the Army expands beyond the 6000 planned for 2035 under DCP19). That detachment would be supported by some NZLAV (1-2 dozen? Apparently we have up to 35 "spare" at the moment, awaiting a possible (or improbable) sale, so that's where they would come from) as well as logistics and support (transport, comms, isr etc) personnel and equipment. And ideally 2-4 NH90's (or new Blackhawks if in the future, for full interoperability with the Australian Army). The reason for this? To ensure rapid deployment into the Indo-Pacific using allied heavy-lift assets on hand (until RNZAF can acquire A400M or C-2 in the future), as opposed to the status quoin which NZ will either have to ship LAV's overseas (rather slow) and tie-up the RNZAF C-130 fleet simply flying back and forth from NZ to OZ taking over personnel and their equipment. It also cements NZ's commitment to the defence of Australia (always mentioned in NZ public DCP's etc, but never given any proper resourcing) and be welcomed by our Aussie mates (as well as 2 Sqn RNZAF were when based at Norwa until 2001). This would be also be a tremendous recruiting attraction and with a little bit of political will it (or something similar) could actually be done, I feel!
