Defence Force Wellington Head Quarters

The mission for the New Zealand Defence Force is:

"To secure New Zealand against external threat, to protect our sovereign interests, including the Exclusive Economic Zone, and to take action to meet likely contingencies in New Zealand¿s area of strategic interest.¿

The White Paper provides Defence with the direction it needs to be able to effectively prioritise the roles and tasks it undertakes, both at home and overseas, and guide the modernisation of many of the Defence Force¿s military capabilities. The Defence White Paper 2016 provides an opportunity to take stock of changes to New Zealand¿s strategic circumstances since 2010.