Defence:

The National Party believes that while the New Zealand Defence Force should focus on the protection and patrol of our maritime border and Exclusive Economic Zone, we must still maintain the international obligations we have to our allies. We live in an insecure world, and National believes New Zealand should play our part in keeping it safe. We have a direct interest in ensuring our partners enjoy the same peace and prosperity we do, both for global stability and the safety of New Zealanders at home and abroad. Our Defence Force also helps at home – they’re vital in responding to natural disasters, and helping secure our borders. New Zealand has the world’s fourth largest exclusive economic zone, covering almost 10 per cent of the planet’s surface. As a nation of traders, it’s critical we police our borders. That's why National is committed to upgrading our fleet of maritime reconnaissance aircraft to P8 Poseidons, and investing in a new simulator for the our NH90 helicopters. We'll also scrap the RNZAF's planned F-35 fleet following the Green government's decision to reduce the amount of aircraft below operational capacity. With these funds, National will look to acquire IAI Heron UAVs to help patrol our exclusive economic zone and our sizeable search and rescue area. We'll also look to promote Pacific military co-operation by pursuing an integrated military command with Australia, for the purposes of ensuring stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The National Party will:

  • Ensure that New Zealand continues to have an active military presence internationally. We believe that it is a moral imperative that New Zealand uses our Defence Force to aid the defenceless overseas and we will work with our international partners to achieve this.
  • Invest in a simulator for the Defence Force’s NH90 helicopters. We’ll purchase a $42m flight simulator to help train our RNZAF pilots for service in our recently acquired NH90s.
  • Continue the upgrade of our P3 Orion fleet to P8 Poseidons. We’ll continue to pay off the cost of updating our marine reconnaissance aircraft and ensure that our Exclusive Economic Zone is patrolled effectively.
  • Reverse cuts by the current government to the New Zealand Army Reserve. The number of reservists will increase from 2,300 to 3000 and undo the Green Government’s decision to lay off nearly a third of our Army reserve.
  • Investigate the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles to operate internationally, and to supplement our marine reconnaissance aircraft in patrolling New Zealand’s EEZ and search & rescue zone. We will retire the Lockheed Martin F-35 fleet and halt all future acquisitions following the Green Government’s decision to reduce the fleet below operational capacity.
  • Pursue an integrated command structure with Australia in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. We will work to coordinate military organisation and present a united front to regional threats, in addition to maintaining stability in the Pacific region.

Foreign Affairs:

New Zealand is, and always will be, a trading nation. Free movement of goods and services between nations is integral to global economic prosperity, and this is true no less for New Zealand. Our wealth depends on purchasing goods that we cannot produce cheaply, and exporting ones that we can for higher prices on the international market. Therefore, New Zealand must promote a trade policy which allows for the free movement of goods, and must promote a diplomatic policy which allows for a stable global community, in order to further free trade and the economic prosperity of our nation. Part of this involves having a capable executive which can conduct international diplomacy - an ability severely weakened by the passage of the International Transparent Treaties Act. If elected, National would repeal this legislation to restore the executive and its power to conduct diplomacy.

The National Party is a strong supporter of free trade agreements and the abolition of barriers to free trade, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In a third term in government, the National Party would seek to rejoin the CPTPP and attempt to undo the damage done by this left’s policy of protectionism. The National Party believes that New Zealand should maintain and strengthen her traditional alliances, as well as seek to maintain good relationships with neighbours in the Asia-Pacific region, in order to ensure the national security of New Zealand. New Zealand’s role as a leading nation in the South Pacific should also be maintained, but not at unnecessary expense to the taxpayer. We should send aid to neighbouring states in time of disaster, attempt to prevent conflict as a regional diplomatic leader, and stand up for liberal democratic values in Pacific governments.

The National Party will:

  • Rejoin the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. National will sign New Zealand up to a trade deal which comprises 13.5% of the world’s GDP and which includes some of our largest trading partners.
  • Investigate removing tariffs on goods not produced in New Zealand. This will reduce the cost of goods for every New Zealander, while not reducing our bargaining power in free trade negotiations or unfairly disadvantaging local producers.
  • Repeal the International Transparent Treaties Act to allow an elected government to conduct international diplomacy, without a meaningless vote in Parliament. Any implementation of treaties into New Zealand law already requires a bill to pass through Parliament and the changes made by the Greens Government only serves to harm the government’s ability to conduct diplomacy.
  • Remain open to immigration and oppose any further reductions. National will also re-open the Parent Resident Visa to ensure that immigrants can care for their families, and so that more money stays in New Zealand rather than being spent overseas.