Judith Collins: Defence Minister on the future of the Defence Force planes following yesterday's breakdown

Defence Minister Judith Collins says the Government is considering options with the Defence Force planes.

The Prime Minister and his 52-person delegation en route to Japan were stranded in Papua New Guinea after the Defence Force plane blew two fuses.

Chris Luxon's flown commercially to Japan - while Air New Zealand had to divert a flight to pick up the rest of the group in Brisbane.

Collins says the Defence Capability plan will go to Cabinet in the next two months, looking at the point of the planes and who they're for.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So once again we wonder aloud what to do about
military air movement, especially when it comes to the seven
five seven. The PM's delegation of course stranded and P
and G. He got to Japan last night commercially the
rest of the delegation get there tomorrow. Defense Minister Judith
Collins with us good morning, good make So my understanding
is it goes if it can from P and G
the plane, this is from P and G down to Brisbane,
and then what happens to it there? Do we know?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, then we'll no doubt it will have to either
fly over to New Zealand or more likely be repaired
in Brisbane. But it needs a new part. And the
point is that can fly at slower speed and lower altitude,
but can't do the long hause.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
I mean, this is this isn't your fault, but I
mean this is this is this is Keystone cop stuff,
isn't it. This is just embarrassing.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Now, well it is embarrassing, and you know the primis
is right you said that. But I would say, though,
is that our defense staff have been working on this
to try and get it right, and I am really
impressed in the dedication they've got very old kits, and
we're expecting to perform like brand you out of the box,

(01:10):
and that's simply not going to happen.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
At some point, the cost of spare parts and the
energy put into it must outweigh the cost of doing
something about another vehicle, mustn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, well, it must get to that stage. But I
would say too, there are two of these lines. One
of them is in long term repair and maintenance at
the moment. With the new Zealand that comes out, I'm
told we'll get it back at the end of July,
and so then we've got to back again. It is

(01:41):
really difficult though, because we're very tight financial circumstances, and
you can imagine how hundreds of million spellars being spent
on what is essentially executive flight plus troop carrying capability
would go down well with everyone in cost liver difficulties
that we haven't learned.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
It isn't that the problem, though, because it's always politically
edgy and has been for decades. That's why the decision,
the correct decision, was never made even in good times
when bad, no government wants to go, hey we need
some new planes.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, Well, it was obviously the decision at the time
when they were bought was to buy ten year old
planes and that had been had a very hard commercial life.
What our people do keeping these planes going most of
the time the vast majority of the time is astonishing.
But you know, even commercial flights sometimes you get decented

(02:36):
off a plane and told sorry, it's not going today.
But you know, evident of God, and we're much rather
that with these planes. The point is is that the
Prime Minister can then take delegation of business people, pers
also media. That's the point of having them really.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
So so what are we going to do. I mean,
we can't continue. You can't leave Greg Furan and Dame
Teresa Walsh stuck in p and G. I mean, it's
just a joke. So either you get some new planes
or we need to fly the Prime Minister and as
delegation commercially from here on. And that's just the way
it is.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Well, these are some of the options that we're looking at.
We've got the defense capability. It has been worked on
at the moment. We'll have it go to Camp Cuts
the next two months. That will be one of the
things that we have to look at. What is the
point of it and The point might be is that
are these plains mons to use for troops? Are they
used for the Prime minister and others? But it's not

(03:28):
just the Prime minister's plane. It's not just that, and
people should understand that. So that's one I guess one
of the problems we have is nobody Prime minister wants
to spend an awful of money on something that's seen
as nice to have by some people, even though at
this time when we've got a situation we have to
build the economy, it is really important the PM and

(03:51):
business people can get out.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yes, exactly all right. Go wel Defense Minister Judith Collins.
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