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1. The New Zealand Defence Force

1.1 Establishment of the New Zealand Defence Force

Under the 1990 Defence Act, New Zealand's defence establishment was restructured and separated into two components; the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Defence. The New Zealand Defence Force officially came into being on 1 April 1990. However in practice, a de facto form of the policy/provider split was in operation from October 1989.

1.2 Functions and Responsibilities of the New Zealand Defence Force

The New Zealand Defence Force served to protect the sovereignty and advance the well-being of New Zealand by maintaining a level of armed forces sufficient to deal with small contingencies affecting New Zealand and its region and capable of contributing to collective efforts where wider interests were involved. 

The New Zealand armed forces were raised and maintained for the following purposes:  

• The defence of New Zealand, and of any area for the defence of which New Zealand is responsible under any Act;
• The protection of the interests of New Zealand, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere;
• The contribution of forces under collective security treaties, agreements, or arrangements;
• The contribution of forces to, or for any of the purposes of, the United Nations, or in association with other organisations or States and in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
• The provision of assistance to the civil power either in New Zealand or elsewhere in time of emergency; and,
• The provision of any public service.  

Under the control of the Minister of Defence, the New Zealand Defence Force was comprised of the Royal New Zealand Navy, the New Zealand Army, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force plus supporting civilian staff within New Zealand and overseas. Through the Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) commanded the armed forces and commanded joint force operations through the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand (COMJFNZ). The Chief of Defence Force was the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Defence Force and was the principal military adviser to the Minister. 

2. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force

As part of the 1989 restructuring of the Ministry of Defence, Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force (HQ NZDF) was established as the central component of the Defence Force structure.

 2.1 The Functions of HQ NZDF

HQ NZDF had four principal functions:

• To contribute to the development of defence policy; 
• To prescribe military policy; 
• To command and manage all aspects of Defence Force activity; and 
• To manage all finance and resources allocated to and used by the Defence Force including the procurement, replacement and repair of equipment which did not entail major changes to capability or involve major re-equipment. 

2.2 Headquarters Structure

HQ NZDF was originally structured into five principal branches in addition to the single Service staffs, and had provision for a Joint Force Command. During the 1990s HQ NZDF consisted of the following branches:

• Development Branch.
• Resources Branch.
• Operations Branch.
• Finance Branch.
• Personnel Policy Branch.

From 1999 onwards a major objective of Government armed forces policy focused on the development of a joint defence structure. In terms of operational deployments, in July 2001 the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand (COMJFNZ) assumed operational command of all the deployable units of the Navy, Army and Air Force. Under the Government’s Defence Sustainability Initiative, a major project was implemented to modernise, increase funding and better manage New Zealand’s armed forces. In order to improve the degree of planning with the Ministry of Defence, the position of Deputy Chief of Defence Staff was reconstituted as the Vice Chief of Defence Force (VCDF) in February 2004. The Vice Chief of Defence Force was given specific responsibility to coordinate policy and planning with the Ministry of Defence. By 2005 as a result of an organisational review, HQ NZDF was comprised of the three Service staffs, seven branches and other staff providing strategic policy and planning advice to the Chief of the Defence Force.

The branches of HQ NZDF were as follows:

2.2.1 Strategic Commitments and Intelligence Branch

Strategic Commitments and Intelligence Branch (SCI Br) consisted of two directorates: Strategic Commitments, responsible for strategic operations policy and planning, inter-government department strategic liaison, civil defence liaison, strategic logistic planning and other government agency support policies. The other directorate was Defence Intelligence and Security, responsible for the provision of strategic level military intelligence support, analysis and security policy advice to the CDF, strategic level planning staffs, the Services and operational commanders.

2.2.2 Development Branch

Development Branch (Dev Br) was responsible for the Chief of Defence Force's contribution to defence policy, and for defence assessments. It also prescribed policies relevant to Defence Force goals and objectives, capabilities and force structures, and logistic and purchasing requirements to produce agreed outputs in the appropriate priority. Development Branch also included the Defence Technology Agency (DTA). The DTA provided scientific and technological advice and research and development support.

2.2.3 Resources Branch

Resources Branch (Rscs Br) provided policy direction by developing short, medium and long range resource programmes, and long term financial budgets and estimates, and was responsible for land and facilities management.

2.2.4 Personnel Branch

Personnel Branch (Pers Br) was responsible for advice to CDF on all matters affecting military personnel and civilian staff, including conditions of service, accommodation assistance, superannuation, remuneration, equity issues, industrial relations and medal issues. The Branch also coordinated the Defence Force's youth training initiatives and training assistance provided to the New Zealand Cadet Forces.

2.2.5 Finance Branch

Finance Branch (Fin Br) was responsible for the development and maintenance of effective financial policy, systems, processes and corporate reporting, risk management and treasury functions. It also provided financial advice to management in general.

2.2.6 Communications and Information Systems Branch

The Branch (CIS Br) was responsible for strategic joint command, control, communications and information systems, operations, planning and resourcing.

2.2.7 International Defence Relations

The International Defence Relations Branch provided advice on defence relations and issues and managed New Zealand's bilateral and multilateral defence relationships. It was part of the Defence Policy & Planning Unit (DPPU) that reported to both CDF and the Secretary of Defence. The DPPU had two sections, the other being Strategic Policy, which provided advice on defence policy and the military capabilities needed to meet the Government's defence policy objectives.

2.3 Other staff functions

In addition to the seven branches, staff advice was provided by Legal Services, Executive Project Management, the Inspector General, Military Policy Development, Strategic Communications and the Defence Public Relations Unit. matters.

2.4 Other administrative functions

Headquarters administrative functions were grouped within the Office of CDF (OCDF), in which the Vice Chief Defence Force acted as CDF's principal adviser on matters affecting corporate HQ NZDF activities. OCDF was responsible for the coordination of corporate staff and support services, security, library, registry and word processing services and the administration of Defence liaison staff overseas, the New Zealand Defence and Support Unit (South East Asia) and the New Zealand Defence College.

Some joint units were administered by one of the Services acting as agent for the Defence Force, including the National Codification Bureau. To further joint policy development a planning branch was added to the Office of the Chief of Defence in December 2005.

3. Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand (HQJFNZ)

From 1 July 2001 the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand assumed operational command of all the deployable units of the Navy, Army, and Air Force. Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand was established on the same date to support the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand (COMJFNZ) in his command of assigned forces. HQJFNZ replaced the previous three separate Service operational command headquarters and was established as an integrated headquarters organised on functional rather than Service lines.

 4. Royal New Zealand Navy 

The functions of the Navy were to:  

• Provide for effective maritime control in New Zealand territorial waters, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and, as required, in the most immediate areas of strategic interest in the South Pacific by such activities as surveillance, inspection, search and rescue, and a readiness to deploy to meet political and, in the last resort, military problems. 
• Meet the needs for maritime scientific research and hydrography.  

The Chief of Naval Staff commanded the RNZN, and together with his immediate support staff (Naval Staff) was part of Defence Headquarters. This position was the New Zealand operational control authority. Because most units were located or based in Auckland, day-to-day administration of the Navy was delegated to Maritime Command which was the administrative authority. The Naval Staff, responsible for providing advice and policy, were divided amongst five directorates: 

• Naval Development and Operations. 
• Naval Material. 
• Naval Personnel. 
• Naval Finance. 
• Corporate Support. 

The Hydrographer, located in Takapuna, was also part of the Naval Staff. In November 2000 Maritime Command in Auckland was disestablished. From 1 July 2001 all operational command of naval force elements was transferred to the Maritime Component Commander under the Commander Joint Land Forces New Zealand (see Section 3). 

5. New Zealand Army 

The function of the New Zealand Army was to provide operationally ready, self-reliant land forces to meet low-level contingencies, either independently or as part of a joint or combined force, and a realistic capability to respond with wider force options to threats of greater substance.  

The roles of the New Zealand Army were:  

• Maintain the sovereignty and security of New Zealand and those countries for which it has constitutional responsibilities. 
• Contribute to the security and stability of the South Pacific region.
• Develop further the existing defence co-operation with Australia, including combined planning, operations, logistics and industrial bases  Maintain and develop defence co-operation with ASEAN countries, and to preserve the partnership obligations of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). 
• Contribute forces for peacekeeping or peacemaking duties and other collective security endeavours, where New Zealand's national interests are involved. 
• Maintain general-purpose forces capable of supporting non-military interests, including disaster relief assistance, resource protection, rescue and medical evacuation services to the community in New Zealand and in the South Pacific, and logistic support for activities in the Antarctic.
• Maintain a base and support structure which could provide the Government with accurate, timely, expert advice on land operations, particularly relating to likely or actual New Zealand Force involvement; produce command and specialised skills and the operational base necessary for both timely limited expansion and for general mobilisation.

The New Zealand Army was comprised of four major elements:  

• Army General Staff. 
• Army Training Group. 
• Land Component Commander.
• Static support structure.  

The Chief of General Staff commanded the New Zealand Army on behalf of the Chief of Defence Force and was supported by Army General Staff. Army General Staff was primarily an executive, policy making and planning organisation, and also provided Army input to the various branches of Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force and managed the Army's logistic and support functions. From 1 July 2001 operational command of Army force elements was the responsibility of the Land Component Commander under the Commander Joint Land Forces New Zealand from 1 July 2001 (see Section 3). 

6. Royal New Zealand Air Force 

The function of the Air Force was to provide: 

• A military maritime air patrol capability.
• A military air transport capability. 

The Air Force's air combat capability ceased with the disbandment of Nos. 2, 14 and 75 Squadrons in December 2001.

The following levels of command existed in the RNZAF:  

• Air Staff (under the Chief of Air Staff).
• Air Component at HQ JFNZ.  

The Chief of Air Staff commanded the RNZAF and together with the immediate staff support (Air Staff) was part of Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force. From 1990 to 2000 the operational control of the Air Force was the responsibility of RNZAF Air Command. With the the integration of the three Service operational commands, the role of Air Component Commander, responsible for operational air force elements was established under the Commander Joint Land Forces New Zealand in July 2001 (See Section 3).