Last Friday, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp and I launched the public consultation phase of Defence Review 2009 at Te Papa Marae. Te Papa was the perfect venue as it is 'our place' and it signifies the future - forward looking and reflects the multi-cultural nature of the New Zealand Defence Force and New Zealand as a whole.

We are seeking the views of Kiwis on the direction of the NZDF into the future. The public consultation document released at Friday's launch features a submission form and the document is available at public libraries, RSA Clubrooms and electronically (as a PDF) on the Ministry of Defence website (www.defence.govt.nz). The document poses ten questions ranging from what the role of the NZDF should be at home, in the South Pacific region and beyond, through to how the NZDF can best manage recruitment and retention, training and the role of Reserves. This is the chance for New Zealanders to have their say.

Defence Review 2009 will form the basis for the Government's White paper on Defence, and will look out as far as 2035.

Even if you don't want to have your say do take a look at the public consultation document. It has been very well put together by the team at NZDF and the Ministry of Defence and gives a great insight in to the work of our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women serving today.

As part of the launch, Minister Mapp and I were pleased to present the first two copies (hot off the press) of the public consultation document to Royal New Zealand RSA National President Air Vice Marshal (retired) Robin Klitscher and to Victoria University student Gina Manning – representing the past, present and future links that New Zealand society has with its armed forces.