Defence Force
Māori Battalion veteran Epineha Ratapu dies aged 98
One of the last few remaining members of the Māori Battalion who saw action in Italy, the Middle East and Japan has died.
Covid-19: Pacific health leaders warn against using police to help with contact tracing
Pacific health leaders are warning that bringing police in to help with Covid-19 contact tracing is a bad look and there are better ways to bolster expertise.
The police are providing advice to the… Audio
Māori Battalion descendants unaware family missed out on medals
Descendants of soldiers who fought in the Māori Battalion say they were blown away to learn their family members never received their war medals.
A list of 134 soldiers from the battalion's C company… Audio
Whanau of Maori Battalion soldiers to receive war medals
The son of a soldier in the Maori Battalion says he was blown away to learn his father never received his war medals. A list of 134 soldiers from the Battalion's C company has been published online… Audio
Returning medals to whānau not straight-forward – Minister
The Minister for Veteran Affairs, Ron Mark, says he supports – with trepidation – unclaimed war medals being returned to whānau -- but he says the process needs to be incredibly robust.
Seventy-five… Audio
National Party unveils plans to keep Covid-19 out
The National Party wants a Border Protection Agency, Te Korowai Whakamaru, to oversee and manage Covid-19 and other public health threats at the border. It also wants compulsory contact tracing for… Audio
Webb answers questions over Rydges Covid-19 mystery
Air Commodore Darryn Webb says the guest at Rydges who had Covid-19 may have passed it on to a nurse who then passed it on to a maintenance man at the facility. Video, Audio
Extra defence force at isolation facilities: 'Our intention is to stop using private security'
The government is bolstering the number of defence force staff at managed isolation facilities, in efforts to reduce the reliance on private security firms. Video
Bloomfield on testing of border staff: 'I don't think there's been a failure'
The Director-General of Health insists there has been no testing failure at the border regarding Covid-19.
NZDF apologises, compensates injured soldier after 31 years
A former soldier left a tetraplegic due to a Defence Force failure has been given a formal apology and compensation 31 years after the incident.
George Nepata received a formal apology this morning… Audio
Apology and compensation for ex-soldier badly injured in army
A former soldier who received life-changing injuries while serving in the army 31 years ago, has been given a formal apology and compensation. Audio
Operation Burnham: Former Minister 'forgot' about civilian casualties
The former Minister of Defence has admitted he "completely forgot" about a report which stated civilian casualties were possible during Operation Burnham. Video
Call for Defence Force to apologise to villages where civilians were killed
The New Zealand Defence Force is being urged to apologise to the villages in Afghanistan where it killed civilians in 2010.
Operation Burnham: 'I failed' to correct record - Wayne Mapp
The inquiry also criticised the Defence Minister at the time, Dr Wayne Mapp - saying he failed to correct the public record, even after he was told civilian casualties were possible.
It said that was… Video, Audio
Damning Operation Burnham report finds child likely killed
A damning report into Operation Burnham has found that a child was likely killed during the 2010 raid of an Afghan village, and that the Defence Force misled the public and Ministers.
The… Audio
Operation Burnham report: NZDF 'deeply sorry' for misleading ministers and public
The chief of the Defence Force has apologised after inaccurate information was given to the public, saying the mistake continued "for a number of years". Video
Fmr Defence Minister responds to Op Burnham criticisms
The Attorney General David Parker says Wayne Mapp - the Minister of Defence at the time - was misled between Operation Burnham in August 2010 and September 2011 as to the possibility of civilian… Audio
'Hit and Run' author on Operation Burnham inquiry findings
The Defence Force knew it may have injured or killed civilians, including a child, in Afghanistan but continued to tell the public and its Minister otherwise.
The government has just released the… Audio
RSA to get one-off grant of $2.53m
The Returned and Services Association has been thrown an economic lifeline from the government.
Influx of army recruits amid Covid-19 pandemic
Hundreds more New Zealanders are rushing to sign up to the Army amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
