It's well known that New Zealand's defence force is less than intimidating on a world scale.
Less well known is that our woefully inadequate defence spending, and sometimes isolationist foreign policy, could be jeopardising our trade links with key partners such as the US and Australia.
New Zealand defence spending has always been low by international standards, both in actual terms and as a percentage of GDP. A 2005 parliament briefing report shows New Zealand consistently spends less than the US, UK, Australia and Canada, spending less than one per cent of GDP between 2003-2004. Yet Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said in May this year that our defence budget is about right.
So what? New Zealand's physical isolation and happy-go-lucky nature will protect us from harm, you say? If not, our disarming sense of humour and all-round likeability... then surely our friends will come to our aid?
While the threat of military aggression from another state is unlikely, New Zealand's lack of military prowess may be costing us in terms of trade negotiations and privilege if we are perceived to be unwilling or unable to pull our weight in maintaining global peace and security.
Recent criticisms from visiting geopolitical commentator, George Friedman, echo concerns made by policy analysts here and overseas.
Friedman says New Zealand's perception that it can pick and choose whether to engage in military operations, such as the Iraq war, and still expect to be listened to in trade talks with the US is naive.
By contrast, he says that Australia has obtained its privileged position of strategic ally with the US through a long-term commitment to military assistance and cooperation.
A 2005 working paper by Rober Patman of Victoria University's Centre for Strategic Studies points out the Clark Government's 2001 defence restructuring, which included the scrapping of the out-dated and costly skyhawk fleet, angered the Australian Howard Government which warned there would be 'domestic and international consequences'.
The subsequent exclusion of New Zealand from the 2004 US-Australian free trade agreement is possibly one such consequence. Patman says the move "seemed to be based on the curious assumption that New Zealand's security policy could be somehow compartmentalised from other aspects of its interaction with a key-trading partner such as Australia".
So New Zealand's joke of a defence force might not be so funny after all, especially from the point of view of some of our closest friends and allies.
Is it time for some serious spending and muscle flexing on the part of our military? How much can a country the size of New Zealand really be expected to spend? Is it time that we gave up our independent foreign policy aspirations and toed the line for our trading partners?
Comments
AS if a free trade agreement with the USA is worth anything to New Zealand. Aussie kowtowing got them a deal hugely in favour of America. I'd rather have defense policy formulated in Wellington to reflect New Zealands ideals rather than Washington. Kiwi troops in Iraq would have supported American imperialism. Is that what we expect of our defense forces? Iraq doesn't seem to have benefited by American democratication. American oil companies seem to have though
Jun 23 12:19 pmIt seems that you are alluding to the real cost of the protectionist quasi capitalist western society we live in - aggression. New Zealand has no need for an aggressive force the one we have now is doing a fantastic job for New Zealand and I agree with shepgg We need the Armed services to reflect New Zealand's goals and aspirations even if it means our "Friends" don't like it. I'm not sure following the rest of the world down the current path of development is the best idea
Jun 23 12:28 pmInteresting how conveniently we forget the world's still as dangerous as it was a century ago. The current status of our armed forces is far from adequate for the conflicts they may be asked to be involved in. Perfect example is East Timor. The Government that was so bent on running the military down expected the 2 battalion military to operate as a 3 plus battalion military. Plus the fact that it was Aussie F18 fighters apparently saved an RNZN vessel from being sunk by Indonesian fighte
Jun 23 02:58 pmOne of the members of parliament put it in a phrase that has always stuck in my mind. Our Army is a international police force, Our Navy is a coastguard and our Airforce is a freedom air cargo. We ain't even a blip on the radar.
Jun 23 06:15 pmchina could take over in a day if they wanted to (not that they would, but...)
Jun 23 06:41 pmMy very simple suggestion. All the men on the dole under 30 without a family to support, who have not had a job for a certain amount of time, get put into military service. It means that we get a more productive, disciplined society, the dole money goes to people with families to feed, and a better army to boot.