NZ Government approves $1.7b military base revamp

The New Zealand Government has approved a $1.7 billion project to upgrade defence buildings across the country, including a health and wellbeing precinct at Whenuapai and a mounting base at Waiouru. 

Auckland's Devonport Naval Base would get a multi-storey car park and office building, as well as "small boat storage" and wash down areas and ship loading areas.

Plans put on ice a number of years ago to develop a "central defence hub" at Linton, near Palmerston North, were back on the table. 

Gerry Brownlee has announced the Government has approved a $1.7b spend to upgrade the defence estate - a portion of the $20b spend planned for in the recently released Defence White Paper.

At Ohakea Airforce Base, projects included a covered refuelling area, logistics warehouse, and the replacement of a taxiway.

And at Burnham, a health and rehabilitation centre, various upgrades to communications and electrical network and storage facilities were planned.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee gave an assurance no camps or bases would be closing, over the upgrade of the defence estate, but said there could be some reorganisation or "rationalisation" between bases could take place. 

That could mean job losses. 

The approval of the spend comes after the release of the Defence White Paper in June - a $20b plan for defence force capability, which will see the military establish a new cyber support capability, bolster intelligence units and digitise the army on the battlefield, giving it network enabled navigation and communications systems. 

Over the next 15 years, the Government will also continue with programmes to replace New Zealand's aging fleet of Boeing 757s, C-130 Hercules, and Orion surveillance aircraft. 

The upgrade of the defence estate - or the camps, buildings and military bases that house the defence force - was expected to take about five years. 

"Most of the capital investment will go to upgrade operational facilities in Auckland, Manawatu and Canterbury," Brownlee said. 

"Initially, investment will be directed towards health, safety and compliance measures, as well as initial recapitalisation works such as starting to replace old, outdated barracks with modern facilities.

"Work on the 81,000 hectare Defence estate is needed to make it fit for purpose and operating as efficiently and effectively as possible."

Brownlee said many of the 5000 buildings on defence land were old and need to be upgraded. 

"Without investment, the estate faces a risk of rapid deterioration." 

The NZDF has nine main camps and bases, two large training areas and several regional support centres, as well as headquarters in Wellington.

Defence would be going to the market for the major building works in the coming months. 

Investigations into establishing a "strategic business partner arrangement" to deliver the work, were underway.

 

Source:  Stuff