Judith Collins: Defence Minister on the Government's plan to purchase new planes and helicopters for the NZDF

The Defence Minister says it's important for New Zealand to have the right equipment as the Government unveils its newest defence spend.

The Government is set to invest $2.7 billion into two new Airbus A321 planes and five new MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the Air Force’s Boeing 757s and the Navy's older Seasprite helicopters.

Judith Collins explained that it was important to get the right equipment at the right price range.

"We're a bit faster than some people getting them because we're doing this less-to-buy program with a very large supplier - or someone who buys an awful lot of brand-new planes - and we're on that sort of system so we can get them a bit earlier."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Afternoon. After years of embarrassing breakdowns, the Prime Minister's planes
are being replaced. The two old seven five sevens will
be replaced by two Airbus A three to two to
one planes. We're also buying five new Seahawk helicopters equipped
with anti submarine torpedo systems, how fire missiles and machine guns.
And the total bill comes to two point seven billion dollars.
Judith Collins is the Defense minist to Hi, Judith, oh, Hi, Heather,

(00:23):
how far can these new Prime ministerial planes go?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, they can go from Auckland to Singapore and one go.
They can also go from christ Church to the Antarctic
and come back without having to land. So that's the
situation if there's a whiteout or a major problem down
when our pilots get down to Antarctica at the moment
there's a point of no return. And this time, once

(00:50):
these are in place, they'll be able to go down
there and come back if they have to without loss
of life.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
So if they can go to Singapore, does that mean
you can get to Europe in just two flows?

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, Well, well I don't know if it's quite Europe
in that time, but certainly all of Asia and the Pacific.
It's a huge amount better. And of course it's not
only for the delegations. A lot of this is around
our movement of troops and bringing people forre spaces.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Why not go Boeing?

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, there are reasons for it, and the reasons that
were put up is that this is the longest range
that we could have for the narrow body of aircraft
and that within our price range. In addition to that,
it's the ability to go to and from Antarctica all
in one go is unbelievably important.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
When are they arriving are we think.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Probably about early twenty twenty eight. And what we're doing
is we're a bit faster than some people getting them
because we're doing this least to buy program with a
very large supplier or someone who buys an awful lot
of brand new planes, and we're on that sort of system,
so we can get them a bit earlier, and it

(02:04):
apparently works out quite a lot cheaper if we do
it that way.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Now, when we finally get around to paying for the
Seahawks and we're buying them modestly from the US, do
you think the US will rethink their tariffs against US?

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Well, I mean, it's up to them obviously, but I
think the pointers with the Seahawks is when we looked
at all of the defense I should say, looked at
all of the options around which helicopters to get maritime
for what we need for interoperability with Australia. But also
these ones don't need us to do very much at

(02:36):
all when it comes to each changes to the ships
or other ships that we might get in the future.
They're very easy for us. And you know, look, I'm
sure the US will make their own decisions. The point
is that we've got to get the right equipment for defense.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Hey how much more were you prepared to pay the teachers?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Well, look, it's not really up to me. They need
to My answer is always get back the bargaining table.
And I'm just the Public Services Minister. But my view
is you cannot. You cannot bargain with people who first
instinct is to get out on strike.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
But it seems to have worked, Judith. I mean they
did one day of strikes and then Brian Wroache said
all right, we'll pay you more.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, I'm not sure that he said that. I think
he said get back to the bargaining table. And I
think that's the message to anybody. Well, he said that
the payoff would go up.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
He said it wasn't good enough and it would go on.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Well, I don't know, but I mean other point is
I'm focused on defense today and national security, and I'd
say to anybody, just get to the bagging table, and please,
please don't organize all your marketing and strikes before you've
even heard an offer.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Okay, Judith is and thanks very much, Judith Collins Defense
Minister and also minister. But does it sound to you
like Judith was surprised by that. I don't know if
Brian had told Judith that he said this yesterday. For
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