# NZ First's Defence Plan: Warrior Mentality

> NZ First proposes a six-year defence reform to 2032 with 2.5% GDP spending, ending diversity hires and prioritising combat readiness.
- Title: NZ First's Defence Plan: Warrior Mentality · NZ Herald
- Summary: NZ First proposes a six-year defence reform to 2032 with 2.5% GDP spending, ending diversity hires and prioritising combat readiness. NZ First's defence plan…
- Keywords: nz first, defence, nzdf, warrior mentality, 2.5 percent gdp, diversity hires, combat readiness, military reform, politics, news, First's, Plan
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nz-firsts-defence-plan-enforce-warrior-mentality-no-diversity-hires-and-spending-3-of-gdp/7GTWFAHFIVAEJLQAW6FNGCZBPY
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nz first, defence, nzdf, warrior mentality, 2.5 percent gdp, diversity hires, combat readiness, military reform, politics, news
## Defence Plan Overview
NZ First's plan titled 'Defence, Security and Protection of the Realm (2027, 2032)' declares New Zealand's strategic warning time has collapsed.

> new zealand's strategic warning time has collapsed
## Geopolitical Threats
The party states international rules-based order is fractured with open conflict, greyzone coercion, and supply-chain blockades active across europe, the middle east, and the indo-pacific.

> the international rules-based order is fractured, and open conflict, greyzone coercion, and supply-chain blockades are active realities across europe, the middle east, and the indo-pacific
## Reform Timeline
NZ First rejects a ten-year defence timeline, proposing a six-year reform to 2032 as the absolute maximum acceptable timeframe for combat-ready force.

> firmly rejects a languid ten-year defence reconstruction timeline
## Core Objectives
The plan aims to withstand simultaneous global and regional shocks including indo-pacific maritime contingencies, russian hybrid operations, pacific instability, southern ocean resource coercion, undersea cable disruption, and total supply chain paralysis.

> withstand simultaneous global and regional shocks-including indo-pacific maritime contingencies, russian hybrid operations against partner infrastructure, pacific instability, southern ocean resource coercion, undersea cable disruption, and total supply-chain paralysis
## Accelerated Response
An acceleration clause would instantly compress the three-phase plan via emergency ministerial directive following major strategic shocks like taiwan strait hostilities.

> instantly compressed and forcibly brought forward via emergency ministerial directive
## Military Structure
NZ First proposes merging army, navy, and air force headquarters into a joint defence command to reduce bureaucratic bloat and redirect 800 to 1200 administrative positions to frontline roles.

> merge the army navy and air force headquarters to reduce bureaucratic bloat and unify the arms under a new zealand joint defence command
## Recruitment Changes
The plan ends automatic disqualifications for dietary preferences like veganism and minor allergies while maintaining absolute merit-based appointments.

> ending automatic disqualifications for dietary preferences like veganism and minor allergies
## Executive Pay Cap
NZ First wants to cap senior executive pay at 3.5x the base pay of a command warrant officer first class.

> cap senior executive pay at a fixed multiple not to exceed 3.5x the base pay of a command warrant officer first class
## Funding and Spending
NZ First aims to increase defence spending to 2.5% of gdp in the next two years, up from 2% the coalition government had agreed to reach by 2033.

> increase defence spending to 2.5 percent of gdp in the next two years, up from the 2 percent the coalition government had agreed to reach by 2033
## Key takeaway

NZ First's defence plan aims to increase military readiness by 2032 through 2.5% GDP spending, ending diversity hires, and prioritising combat readiness.