The head of New Zealand's defence force says Australia is refocusing its military on a "singular threat from a singular direction" in a thinly veiled reference to China.
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But New Zealand won't be following suit, according to Air Marshal Kevin Short, a lifetime serviceman and now chief of defence force, who appeared before parliament on Thursday for the NZDF's annual review.
Air Marshal Short's appearance comes at a crunch time for the Kiwi military, which faces a mighty attrition challenge, budget cuts and fast-tracked investment plans.
The soon-to-be retiring defence boss made a frank assessment of Australia's military aims under questioning from Kiwi MPs.
"The Australian defence force is reshaping," he said.
"It is reshaping for what I call a singular threat from a singular direction and they're putting a huge amount of effort into that.
"They're making decisions every day about how they will equip their force ... and where they will compromise.
"To put money into longer range more accurate weapons systems, they are making sure that their ships have those systems fitted and other short range or defensive systems, they're saying 'no that's a lower priority, we won't do it'."
New Zealand's assessment of Australia's military aims comes as a new right-leaning coalition government in Wellington cozies up to defence chiefs in Canberra.
New Zealand is pursuing increased operability and shared procurement with Australian forces in an acknowledgement of what Defence Minister Judith Collins calls the most "challenging strategic environment" in decades.
Air Marshal Short was made an Order of Australia in 2022 for fostering the trans-Tasman military relationship, and is due to be replaced in April after six years in the top job.
He said New Zealand would not be as narrowly focused as Australia in its defence aims.
"We are trying to keep what I call a balanced force (on) a range of contingencies without a singular issue or threat driving what we do," he said.
"In discussions with Australia they understand that, but they also want to make sure that on their eastern flank there is a reliable and capable defence force which they can rely on.
"Australia has been very open and frank about what they see and what they would like to see."
Air Marshal Short shared Ms Collins assessment of the strained geopolitical arena, saying there was an "increasing prospect of military confrontation" without naming up who that might be with.
Ms Collins - who has driven the renewal of trans-Tasman defence ties since taking the job in November - has brought forward a major defence capability review which will decide on key purchases for the next decade.
That report will now land in June, not September, to inform procurement in future budgets.
It appears likely that the under-pressure NZDF will face cuts at the May 30 budget, the first under the coalition government.
The NZDF has not been exempted from a government-wide search for savings under Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
It is expected defence will be a winner at future budgets, given a long-term government ambition to lift spending of two per cent of GDP: the standard expected of NATO members.
Air Marshal Short revealed details of the NZDF's recent "hollowing out", including 27 per cent of skilled personnel leaving in the last two years.
He said troops suffered poor morale due to low pay, poor housing and a lack of deployment opportunities.
"Those people say 'I can't see what I will be able to do internationally ... I can't see how I can participate in a peacekeeping operation'," he said.
He also confirmed three of the navy's nine ships were currently grounded due to low staffing.
In her appearance before the same parliamentary committee, Ms Collins gave a hint at future procurement with her enthusiasm for drone aircraft which could help the NZDF surveil its waters.
"Drones are great aren't they in terms of their capability ... but they need somewhere to land," she said.
Australian Associated Press
