Jack Tame: The Manawanui sinking is a complete embarrassment

Just a couple of weeks ago, I went out to Devonport for a picnic with some friends and remember pointing out the Manawanui to our kids as we crossed the harbour on the ferry. 

"Look guys, that's our Navy!"

Obviously, it's a great relief that everyone is okay and was able to disembark in time, and I accept it'll be some time before we learn everything about what happened. But it's hard to look past what is - from the outside - a profoundly embarrassing accident for New Zealand's Defence Force, and our country at large. 

Shit happens, but the time and place really couldn't be much worse. Just 24 hours before the ship hit the reef, Defence Ministers from across the Pacific were meeting in Auckland to establish a new Pacific Response Group, a multilateral force that will respond to future disasters. 

With AUKUS and tensions over China's ambitions in the region, the Australian Defence Minister was plain when I asked him about New Zealand's military assets. 

"A more capable New Zealand is very much in Australia's interests" he told me, at the end of last week. 

Oof.

What's more, in just two weeks, leaders from across the Commonwealth's 56 member nations will be meeting for the bi-ennial CHOGM meeting in - you guessed it - Samoa. You hate to think what sightseeing they'll do with a couple of hours' free time. 

So what now? It's absolutely critical, vitally important, that we do everything humanly possible to reduce the environmental impact of this incident. Everything. Every bit of kit we have available needs to be used. Every resource. And most importantly, there cannot be any quibbling over the cost of this response and recovery. We have to sincerely do the right thing by Samoa, and that's not going to come cheap. 

As much of the World pours resources into defence assets, time and again, ours are proving unfit for purpose. Whether it's the woeful state of defence force housing, the perennially stranded 757s, or the Manawanui... The credibility of our Defence Force has taken an almighty battering in the last few years. 

But as we respond to this crisis, the credibility of our nation is on the line, too. We had better step up. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So a couple of weeks ago, I went out to
Devenport for a little picnic evening with some friends. When
we went over on the ferry, as you do with
the kids, and you know how, you try and turn
the whole fairy trip into a bit of an adventure.
I pointed out to the kids as we sailed across
to Devonport from Walkland, CBD, the naval ships that were
waiting there at base. Look, I said, pointing at the Manawanui. Look,

(00:22):
that's our navy. Look. Obviously, it's a great relief that
everyone's okay and was able to disembark in time. And
I accept it's going to be a bit of time
before we learn everything about what went wrong. But it
is hard to look past what is, at least from
the outside, a profoundly embarrassing accident for New Zealand's defense

(00:44):
force and for New Zealand at large. I get it.
Shit happens, but the time and place really could not
be much worse. Just twenty four hours before the ship
hit the reef, defense ministers from across the Pacific were
meeting in Auckland to establish a new Pacific Response Group,
a multilateral force that will respond to future disasters. This

(01:07):
is supposed to be the height of competence in the Pacific,
with orcus and tensions over China's ambitions in the region.
The Australian Defense Minister was plain when I asked him
last week about New Zealand's military assets. Quote, A more
capable New Zealand is very much in Australia's interests, he
told me. It's probably in Sarmoura's interests now as well.

(01:30):
What's more, in just two weeks, leaders from across the
Commonwealth's fifty six member nations and yeah, King Charles are
going to be meeting for the biennial Choggham meeting in
you guessed it some more. You hate to think what
sight seeing those leaders might do if they have a
couple of hours spare time. So what now? I just

(01:52):
think it's absolutely critical, like vitally important important that we
do everything humanly possible to reduce the environmental impact of
this accident. Everything, every bit of kit we have available
needs to be used, every resource needs to be thrown
at this and most importantly, there cannot be any quibbling

(02:14):
over the cost of the response and recovery. And recovery
we have to sincerely do the right thing by some more,
and obviously that is not going to come cheap. As
much of the world pause resources into defense assets time
and again, New Zealand's are proving unfit for purpose, whether
it is the woeful state of defense force housing, the

(02:35):
perennially stranded seven to five sevens, or now the Manuanui.
The credibility of our defense force has taken an almighty
battering in the last few years, but as we respond
to this crisis, the credibility of our nation is on
the line too, and we had better step up. For
more from Heather Duplessy, Allen Drive listen live to News Talks.

(02:57):
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