Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Concerns from the Defense Force about three Chinese navy vessels
with enormous strike power sailing off the coast of Australia.
The Defense Force is monitoring the Naval Task Group in
the Tasman Sea. This is about two hundred and eighty
kilometers offshore. China's government hasn't informed our government or Australia's
of its intentions. The Defense Ministers due to Collins High
Minister Oh Hi Ryan, good to have you on the show.
(00:23):
Have we had any word from the Chinese yet?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
No. My advice is that we were not informed or
have not been formed by the Chinese government why this
task group has been deployed into our region and we've
not been informed what its future plans are.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Is there anything we need to worry about.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Well, it's an unusual move it certainly. I've been told
that it's the first time that we've had this sort
of capability from the PLA in our waters. It's when
off the coast of Australia. Incredible capability some of these
two of these ships in particular, and you know once
(01:05):
an anti submarine could engage in anti submarine warfare. Stealth
guided missile destroyer able to carry and launch surface to
air missiles. Really quite stunning pieces of equipment and we've
never seen them in this area before.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
We don't think they're going to use them though, do we.
I mean, this is more posturing, isn't it than actual
real threat.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I don't think anyone's suggesting that they're about to be
used against us, in all the Australians. It's just that
they are here, first time we've seen them, and just
a change in operation operating area.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Really, so what do we do about it? Just watch them?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Well, we watch them, we monitor. That's what we do
along with the Australians, and we work together. We've got
the pah a poseidons, we've got our frigate, we've got
various other things out there, and we're working, as I said,
along with the Australians, just to keep an eye on
things and make sure that everyone knows that we're watching.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
The ICBM that they launched last year into the Pacific,
they gave us twenty four hours note were warning for that.
Has there been any consequence for them for doing that?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Well? I think the consequence that I saw was that
a lot of Pacific nations that had only seen the
really great side of China, which is economic growth and
areas like that. Suddenly felt very disrespected because we were
pretty much the only people that I'm aware of who
got told and certainly a lot of the Pacific nations
that ICBM, which could be nuclear capable. What those countries
(02:45):
got told was nothing until after it happened.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
The Cooks obviously didn't get the message.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I think the Cooks are going through a phase at
the moment. But we very much loved the cook Iren
people and they are New Zealand citizen and we're here
for them.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You just come back from Munich. Must have been a
fascinating conference to be at, you know, with JD Vance
and everything that was going on there. But you talked
about security obviously a lot. What was it like being there?
What was it like being in the room, Well.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
It was certainly interesting being in the room. When Vice
President vask gave a speech there was I al agreed
with quite a lot of what he said about democracy
and freedom of speech and free elections. Those are really
good things. I think though that the audience was expecting
a bit more about defense and Ukraine and support for Ukraine,
(03:37):
so there was a little bit of disappointment in the room.
But look, it's just understandable that the Europeans are looking
to their own defense budgets and saying we have to
increase our spending. The US is looking to see what
they can do too. Factors, it's a very challenging time.
And what concerns me and what concerns many people in
(03:58):
New Zealand and also Australia is what messages do does
anyone take from a deal with Ukraine? Unless Ukraine actually
has the sovereignty.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
And also if it's not backed up by at least
air cover and other capabilities from the US.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Well, I think other countries are looking to step up
in certainly the UK is and you've heard our primes
to say that if we were asked to and if
it's worked for US, we would also provide peacekeeping capability
and we have already contributed around one hundred and thirty
million dollars in training and also equipment and money for
(04:39):
drones another warfare equipment to Ukraine. We believe in democracy
and we think it's worth fighting for.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Do you know how many troops would we put on
would we be able to do in a peacekeeping mission?
Do you know have you had any advance on that.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, I haven't had any advice on that, but I
know that our people are always keen to be deployed.
We've got you know, look, we don't keep it defense
force unless they're willing to be able to be deployed.
And the last thing we ever do is ever to
deploy them to something like an MiQ facility and watch
the guts actually be ripped out of the Defense Force.
So we're rebuilding and they these boys and girls, Boy
(05:16):
do they love getting an uniform and getting off and
doing some stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Are you getting more money for this budget for defense?
Are you all?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Well? Do you just have to wait and see. I'm
a happy little pixie actually defense at the moment. All right,
you know very clear we have to spend more on defense.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, well we hit two percent.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
You have to wait and see. But you know, Brian,
I'll come on your show and talk about it. What's
our THEESTP goes through?
Speaker 1 (05:41):
All right? You keep watching those Chinese vessels in the meantime.
I appreciate it. Judith Collins, thanks so much for your time,
the Defense Minister, ju Collins. For more from Heather Duplessy
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