Wayne Mapp: former Defence Minister commends Navy Chief's crackdown on irresponsible drinking

A former Defence Minister is commending the Navy Chief's stance on irresponsible drinking.

A directive from Rear Admiral Garin Golding points to multiple alcohol-related incidents in the past month at various levels, domestically and internationally.

It says alcohol undermines health, wellbeing and decision-making across the Navy.

Current Defence Minister Judith Collins says no Chief should have to deal with it.

Wayne Mapp says this order will tackle the issue at its core.

"Changing expectations, giving briefings, giving counselling - getting the things done that actually reduces these problems."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Diggins, What Woollo and the drunkin sailor? What Woolly
and the drunken sailor? What woman in an oakin sailor
lay in them? Born and not alive? In question obviously,
but the Chief of Navy has ordered his sailors to
stop drinking so much after a numerous number of incidents
that were very embarrassing both here in New Zealand and overseas,

(00:20):
and violence and sexual abuse and all sorts of things
or because of the evil drink. Defense Minister Judith Collins
has been briefed on a number of these incidents. So
Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Garren Golding has put out
a directive saying that alcohol consumption must be at levels
allowing the Navy to maintain its effectiveness, readiness and reputation.
He did this directive, it has been obtained by the Herald.

(00:42):
We have reported on this. We asked Garon, the Rear Admiral,
to come on and to talk about this, but he
was not prepared to talk about this, nor was many
people prepared to talk about this, and we don't know why,
but one person prepared to talk about it, as former
Defense Minister Wayne Mapp who joins he now Hallowayan Andrew.
When you end out with a rear admiral basically ordering
a stop to drinking, you've got to say that things

(01:03):
have gotten pretty dysfunctional and they haven't been able to
handle the problem.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Well, it's a changing times. I mean just salis and drinking.
Who have ever guessed? But the environment today is different
on all sorts of issues, and I think that's probably
lead to it. You know, for young people, drinking has
been reduced, but they're still extremes. And then we'll send
it with the Navy.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
So where the directive like this rein it in. Will
there be harsher consequences for people actually involved who get drunk?
I mean, what is he saying, He's just ordering don't
get drunk? Is that really effective?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Oh, there will be harsher consequences. I think that kind
of sets up the platform for precisely that I mean
said expectations to change things that were okay two decades
ago Kucketic when I was minister, I used to complain
to the Chief of Defense Pry that cracky deck. What

(02:02):
are these all these people getting into trouble for? He said, well,
there's twelve thousand people in a Defense Force a bit
of a microcosm of New Zealand, and there's some truth
in that. But you know, the environment in New Zealanders changing,
expectations are changing, and Admiral is the Admiral is very
much aware of it.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
So we've got this directive which says, you know, ty
hoe on the drinking. That's all well and good, but
of course the Defense Force are currently restructuring staff as
part of the government's war on public spending, and there
have been concerns that many of their services might get cut.
There have been concerns in the media about SAPRAA, which
is the Sexual Assault Prevention Response Advisor within the Defense Force,
having a cut and funding. The question is, rather than

(02:41):
doing an order, shouldn't we in fact be increasing basically
response agencies within the Defense Force to deal with the
problem and a basic level right at where it starts, well, the.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
First step, and that is in fact the order. I
think they will be doing a lot more of that.
I mean changing expectations, giving briefings, giving counseling, getting the
things done that actually reduces these problems. I imagine the
issue is really about people in uniform, which really embarrasses
an AVA thing. Oh, the Defense Force generally, the things

(03:16):
go awry, and he's doing the right thing. He's setting
up expectations, and I would anticipate there will be some
changes just there as there is in general society.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Wayne. I thank you for your time today, Former Defense
Minister way Map on News

Speaker 2 (03:29):
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