This report contributes to the Defence Review 2009, by presenting the views of young people on New Zealand defence issues.
As part of the public consultation for the Defence Review 2009, the Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) has assisted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in obtaining a youth perspective on New Zealand’s defence and security policy. This report contains the results of the Defence Review youth consultation and helps the youth of New Zealand have their say on the Defence Review.
This report presents:
- background on the consultation
- executive summary of the responses
- main findings of the four questions.
The appendices contain:
- demographic information about the respondents
- full detail of the written responses to questions one, three and four
- the Defence Review youth consultation document
- a background information document distributed at focus group meetings.
Methodology
The youth consultation did not attempt to ask the ten questions from the main Defence Review 2009 public consultation document. The length of the list and the technical nature of some of the questions were thought likely to discourage participation by young people. Instead MYD and MoD developed a specific youth consultation document with four questions tailored for a youth audience. These questions were tested with some young people in Wellington.
The final version of the questions was:
- What should the Defence Force's (Army, Navy and Air Force) role be in ʺkeeping New Zealand secureʺ?
- Rank the most important things the New Zealand Defence Force needs to be successful? (from the following list of options)
- trained people who do combat and peacekeeping
- right equipment for combat and peacekeeping
- up-to-date in technology
- able to send people and equipment to other countries
- have people and equipment overseas and the ability to bring them back and send fresh people and equipment to replace them
- able to work alongside the armed forces of countries who we are friends with
- What other tasks should the New Zealand Defence Force be doing?
- What would attract young people to a career in the New Zealand Defence Force?
After the first consultation meeting in Auckland, the consultation document was revised to make it clear that answers were sought to all four questions and to try and improve the usefulness of the responses to question two. A short “frequently asked questions” document was also developed by MoD and distributed to young people at the remaining focus group meetings.
The four questions were distributed to MYD’s youth networks, made available in an electronic survey on MYD’s website, and put directly to young people in three focus groups in Auckland, Christchurch, and Porirua. A total of 148 responses from young people aged 14-25, plus four responses from older youth group leaders, were received by the time consultation ceased on 24 August 2009. Of these responses:
- 51 were from the three regional focus groups
- 28 were submitted electronically
- 73 were mailed in.