Cautious optimism over prioritisation of Defence Estate in National Infrastructure Plan
After decades of decay and delay, Sailors, Soldiers and Aviators across Aotearoa are hoping today’s infrastructure announcement will kick the Government into action to finally invest in the places they live, work, and train.
The NZ Infrastructure Commission’s first National Infrastructure Plan released today, recommends the prioritisation of five New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Estate projects.
Mission Homefront Director and Co-Founder, Erin Speedy said it’s heartening news for personnel and their whanau, who have quite literally been left out in the cold for decades.
“It’s almost a sigh of relief that the Infrastructure Commission has recognised not just the importance of the Defence Estate, but the desperate and dire need that something needs to be done urgently to improve the quality of life of those who sacrifice so much for our country.”
Successive Governments have neglected the Defence Estate to the tune of more than $1billion in maintenance and regeneration alone.
A majority of the buildings were built in WWII and there is minimal to no remaining useful life left in most assets, (70% of estate has less than 20 years remaining useful life, 10% already beyond its design life) so it was about time someone finally listened, she said.
“The impact on personnel is severe. Being forced to live in and work from crumbling buildings that are cold, damp, mouldy, asbestos riddled and not fit for purpose takes a toll on physical and mental health, has huge health and safety risks and decreases morale and retention.”
The Government’s own papers also detail how the lack of funding into the Estate and substandard and unsafe conditions have impacted personnel readiness and availability which means the NZDF is not optimised to respond to current day requirements.
Mission Homefront’s research found the NZDF’s substandard housing and accommodation made 62% of adults and children sick. Meanwhile 73% also reported black mould, dampness and draughts in their housing.
Speedy said the devil would be in the details for the projects to be funded and ground broken, sooner rather than later. However she was cautiously optimistic that this would be a push in the right direction to finally provide safe and healthy working, living and training facilities that will protect New Zealand’s sailors, soldiers and aviators.
ENDS
Additional information:
NZDF estate is a critical enabler of military effect, providing the working, training and living environments required for generating and maintaining defence outputs.
The dilapidated condition of the NZDF estate is evident everywhere but mainly in the living and training environments and with utilities such as power, water supply and sanitation.
There have been ongoing funding constraints for estate investment. Funding has impacted personnel readiness and availability. As a result, the NZDF is not optimised to respond to current day requirements.
Barracks and messes having the greatest negative impact on wellbeing.
Existing barracks and messes are in a deteriorated condition, are not functionally fit for purpose and present health and safety risks to personnel, to whom the NZDF owes a duty of care.
Personal safety issues associated with existing barracks are affecting women disproportionately.
Most barracks were designed and built decades ago for a male only force and most have shared toilets and showers that create safety and privacy issues. To resolve these issues new ifnratstrictre is required.
Most of the estate dates from the 1980’s or earlier, much built during WWII.
There is minimal to no remaining useful life left in most assets. Many NZDF personnel are living and working in aged buildings that are not fit for purpose, with accelerated states of deterioration resulting in substandard and unsafe conditions.
Maintaining safe living and working conditions is a constant challenge.
70% of estate has less than 20 years remaining useful life. 10% already beyond its design life. The proportion of total estate assets that are beyond usable life is increasing.
At current levels of funding, it will take 120 years to regenerate the current estate at 2024 prices. This is unsustainable and will result in increase asset failures given critical infrastructure is unable to be maintained to required service levels.
The longer investment is delayed, the worse the situation will become, and the NZDF will need to shut down buildings. Depending on the criticality of the asset(s) to the function and operation of the camp or base, wholesale shut-down of operations at that location may be needed.
The estate is more than $1billion behind in maintenance and regeneration
To date, the investment required by the Defence Estate Regeneration Plan (DERP) has not been matched by annual Budget allocations. Funding and investment in the NZDF has not kept up with requirements and the NZDF estate continues to fail to effectively support military outputs.
The DERP always envisaged capital injection to support its implementation but investment has not been forthcoming to the levels identified.
Further, costs have escalated. Implementation of the DERP is currently over $500million behind the 2019 agreed plan.
As at March 2024, there was a $480milion maintenance backlog as the NZDF estate cannot be maintained or regenerated in a fit for purpose state given the rate it continues to degrade and funding constraints. This results in increasing asset failures, costs, disaffection, reputational damage and an inability to delivery on military effect.
*Additional information extracted from: The New Zealand Defence Force Estate and Future Investment via Public Private Partnerships [CBC-24-MIN-0068]
