18 May 2026
5 months ago
1082 views
Defence Minister Chris Penk announced the early and under-budget completion of 23 new, high-quality homes for military families across New Zealand Defence Force bases as part of the Homes for Families programme. This $7.8 million development addresses decades of underinvestment in outdated military housing, providing safe, modern living spaces that support personnel wellbeing and ease housing affordability pressures. The government plans to invest up to $600 million through the 2025 Defence Capability Plan to continue delivering these homes, boosting regional economic activity and improving conditions for Defence personnel and their families.
23 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1362 views
The largest Defence housing project in decades has begun, providing modern homes for military families and generating job growth in regional communities, as announced by Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk. The initiative aims to replace outdated homes at various NZDF camps and bases with modern two- and three-bedroom houses to support the wellbeing of military families. The Government plans to invest up to $600 million in the Homes for Families program, with construction already underway at several locations and future projects in the pipeline to improve housing for Defence personnel.
14 Aug 2025
1 year ago
1488 views
Minister of Defence Judith Collins inaugurated the new headquarters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 5 Squadron at Ohakea, housing four P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The facility, named Te Whare Toroa - The Home of the Albatross, offers modern infrastructure to support maritime surveillance, resource protection, and disaster response efforts. The project aligns with the Government's commitment to enhance Defence capabilities, with planned investments of $12 billion over the next four years and a focus on generating employment opportunities in regional economies.
04 Jul 2025
1 year ago
3101 views
The Royal New Zealand Air Force has established its first dedicated space unit with the reactivation of the No. 62 Squadron today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. “This reflects our commitment to protecting New Zealand’s interests and security in the rapidly evolving space domain,” Ms Collins says.
27 Jun 2025
1 year ago
2784 views
The government’s secure digital storage capability has been significantly boosted with the opening of the new all-of-government data centre, the Minister Responsible for the GCSB and Minister of Defence Judith Collins says. “This facility will provide a safe, secure storage capability for New Zealand agencies to process and store some of the government’s most sensitive information for the next quarter of a century,” says Ms Collins. “Today we conduct the vast majority of our business digitally, and the amount of government data that requires safe and secure storage is only going to increase.