Tizard comments concern Defence

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 2

Tizard comments concern Defence

BRENDON BURNS,

in Wellington

Concerned Defence officials were yesterday assessing statements from the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, that the cap on spending may mean fewer ships, aircraft and troops.

A statement is expected from the Secretary of Defence, Dr Basil Walker, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General John Mace. Privately, Defence officials expressed concern at Mr Tizard’s comments indicating preference for three Anzac frigates instead of four, reducing the Skyhawk fighter fleet from 22 to 12 aircraft, and cutting the number of infantry troops. Mr Tizard said the three-year $1.4 billion cap on Defence spending meant some “bloody hard” choices had to be faced.

One Defence official said Mr Tizard appeared to want to spread the impact of the cap on expenditure across all three services. But each service would have to assess whether it could fulfill its function with such cuts imposed. The Opposition’s Defence spokesman, Mr Don McKinnon, said Mr Tizard had clearly shown he had buckled to the wishes of the Minister of Finance, Mr Caygill. Mr Tizard was prepared

to see New Zealand’s Defence and security interests sold off and run down, he said. Mr McKinnon predicted the immediate effect of the comments would be another flood of resignations from the forces.

“Experience levels are already critical and further losses at this time would be disastrous for the services,” he said. The proposed cuts would make New Zealand appear to have welched on closer defence cooperation with Australia. The “No Frigates Campaign” said Mr Tizard had provided clear evidence that the Government was realising the frigates were too costly for New Zealand.

A spokesman, Mr Nicky Hager, said the new “three-ship option” followed on from a “two plus two option” and a “leave the weapons off until later option.” It was now widely accepted, he said, that there was no real need for frigates and the project was competing with more worthy uses of taxpayers’ money.