Whinging Somalian refugees insult our charity. GO HOME THEN!

[Robert Taylor]

oh shit... I hope the other politicians don't catch on to that sort of thinking

Their spelling might at least be better than it was in my post. But nonetheless we are certainly paying the price for nine long years of that vile bitch.

[mashman]

Their spelling might at least be better than it was in my post. But nonetheless we are certainly paying the price for nine long years of that vile bitch.

heh, I though you were missing keys on your keyboard, or were perhaps slightly inebriated... I think 9 long years did naff all in the grand scheme of things and highly doubt had the blues been in power that things would have been so different... although there may have been no assets left to sell We're paying for centuries of self serving leadership, but hey, that's just my view

[Robert Taylor]

heh, I though you were missing keys on your keyboard, or were perhaps slightly inebriated... I think 9 long years did naff all in the grand scheme of things and highly doubt had the blues been in power that things would have been so different... although there may have been no assets left to sell We're paying for centuries of self serving leadership, but hey, that's just my view

One thing is for certain, we would have had a credible Air Force left

[Tigadee]

One thing is for certain, we would have had a credible Air Force left

Who'd we bomb anyway?

Where do you think they got the cash to buy/open the dairy?
My guess is some sort of government handout for the 'disadvantaged immigrant' via you and me and all of the other tax payers.

Most borrow from family or friends, as Gov't or banks don't/won't lend to them. Some of the successful ones even go to the extent of setting up a trust fund for new immigrants so they can start up such businesses, 'cos nobody else is going to help them. Once they find their feet and make money, they give back to the fund to help other new immigrants.

Right attitude, I reckon, self-reliant pioneer spirit...

[SS90]

One thing is for certain, we would have had a credible Air Force left

Given that every modern generation of my Family owes it's long careers to the RNZAF, it may seem a little odd for me to say this, but a "credible Air Force" and New Zealand is somewhat of an oxymoron.

When has NZ had anything resembling a credible Airforce?

Worn out over houred A4's and BAC Mk88s have not been credible since, um, rem, the Korean war, no matter how modern the cockpit hardware is.

The nostalgic kid in me still looks up when I hear the distinctive roar of a jet aircraft, wanting it to be a Strikemaster, but even 30 years ago when I was a little kid playing out the back of our Airforce accommodation (which backed on to the crash paddock) these aircraft where obsolete.

To make NZ have a credible Airforce, is a financially impossible task, even if it was achievable, what would it then do? In my lifetime the only operations I can remember where yearly Submarine hunts in the Cook Islands (the same dates every year......?????) and multi force trainings like "Wise Owl", pffft.

The concept of Kiwiland going into any sort of Air combat fills me with dread.

We couldn't afford the fuel, let alone the cannon rounds. Or the hours on the airframes.

Now, a Coastguard, that's what NZ needs, a highly trained group of elite trained SAR specialists, with modern SAR equipment, long range photography, Radar, quick response ground crew and air to air refuelling.

As an Island nation, thats what Kiwiland needs, and this was highlighted last year when all the seismic activity in the South Island showed how exposed NZ is to disaster, compounded by it's geographical isolation.

A political party needs to address this situation before it's too late.

Just lime when Helen Clarke was stranded in OZ due to an Air New Zealand strike..... Not even our Air Force could save her... She sold all the aircraft, and what was left didn't have the fuel budget to come get her.

We hear about ACC rubbish, Maori squabbling, assets sales, but one thing NZ gets wrong rime and time again is that we don't know how to look after our own people.

A National shame. And a Labour one.

[oneofsix]

When has NZ had anything resembling a credible Airforce?

Worn out over houred A4's and BAC Mk88s have not been credible since, um, rem, the Korean war, no matter how modern the cockpit hardware is.

....

A National shame. And a Labour one.

Thought the A4s were Vietnam era, picky

Yeah funny how pollys are al noise in opposition but shout up quick when in power. At least Helen had a vision, rose tinted and deluded, but a vision none the less.

[Zedder]

Given that every modern generation of my Family owes it's long careers to the RNZAF, it may seem a little odd for me to say this, but a "credible Air Force" and New Zealand is somewhat of an oxymoron.

When has NZ had anything resembling a credible Airforce?

Worn out over houred A4's and BAC Mk88s have not been credible since, um, rem, the Korean war, no matter how modern the cockpit hardware is.

The nostalgic kid in me still looks up when I hear the distinctive roar of a jet aircraft, wanting it to be a Strikemaster, but even 30 years ago when I was a little kid playing out the back of our Airforce accommodation (which backed on to the crash paddock) these aircraft where obsolete.

To make NZ have a credible Airforce, is a financially impossible task, even if it was achievable, what would it then do? In my lifetime the only operations I can remember where yearly Submarine hunts in the Cook Islands (the same dates every year......?????) and multi force trainings like "Wise Owl", pffft.

The concept of Kiwiland going into any sort of Air combat fills me with dread.

We couldn't afford the fuel, let alone the cannon rounds. Or the hours on the airframes.

Now, a Coastguard, that's what NZ needs, a highly trained group of elite trained SAR specialists, with modern SAR equipment, long range photography, Radar, quick response ground crew and air to air refuelling.

As an Island nation, thats what Kiwiland needs, and this was highlighted last year when all the seismic activity in the South Island showed how exposed NZ is to disaster, compounded by it's geographical isolation.

A political party needs to address this situation before it's too late.

Just lime when Helen Clarke was stranded in OZ due to an Air New Zealand strike..... Not even our Air Force could save her... She sold all the aircraft, and what was left didn't have the fuel budget to come get her.

We hear about ACC rubbish, Maori squabbling, assets sales, but one thing NZ gets wrong rime and time again is that we don't know how to look after our own people.

A National shame. And a Labour one.

A real Coastguard would be a great asset, not just for SAR but also more fisheries and customs work.

[SS90]

A real Coastguard would be a great asset, not just for SAR but also more fisheries and customs work.

True, which, coincidentally, is what the old "AirFarce" used to do as a primary operation.

Best investment on NZs future in my opinion.

[Zedder]

True, which, coincidentally, is what the old "AirFarce" used to do as a primary operation.

Best investment on NZs future in my opinion.

Maybe remodelling the entire NZ Defence Force into a Coastguard would be the way to go.

[oneofsix]

Maybe remodelling the entire NZ Defence Force into a Coastguard would be the way to go.

Not all but most would be agreeable. You still need some, like the SAS, that operate at an international level. Actually can't see much use for the fighting arm of an army domestically so perhaps keeping them in the so called peace keeping roll keeps their required skills at the level required should they ever be required to defend NZ.

[Zedder]

Not all but most would be agreeable. You still need some, like the SAS, that operate at an international level. Actually can't see much use for the fighting arm of an army domestically so perhaps keeping them in the so called peace keeping roll keeps their required skills at the level required should they ever be required to defend NZ.

The SAS could still be used in the Coastguard, they do have a maritime section 006.

[oneofsix]

The SAS could still be used in the Coastguard, they do have a maritime section 006.

maybe so but it would be a waste of talent and a reduction in usefulness. Also SAS as Coastguard? really? I strongly suspect there maritime section is far better than that, stealth boarding of fishing boats

[Zedder]

maybe so but it would be a waste of talent and a reduction in usefulness. Also SAS as Coastguard? really? I strongly suspect there maritime section is far better than that, stealth boarding of fishing boats

So drug courier boats wouldn't be a target for the SAS then?

[mashman]

One thing is for certain, we would have had a credible Air Force left

heh, as others have said that'd be a might tad expensive and short sighted given planes can be shot down without the pilot even seeing the "enemy"... however they do put on nice displays. Defence is an expensive business and we need to be smarter with our choice of weaponry. There's some very very good companies in NZ that specialise in the tech required, all we need is a manufacturing plant . Unless we develop completely invisible and undetectable aircraft (do they exist already? heh) then it's pointless. I don't see fighting a non existant enemy a good use of very limited resources.

[oneofsix]

So drug courier boats wouldn't be a target for the SAS then?

You been watching too much US TV. In NZ they are mainly container ships etc and it isn't the SAS type of action that is required, more better boarder control via customs etc. Once you get the existing boarder control up to a level where they can inspect more than 50% of the containers and ships carrying them then you might create a drug boat issue and then to get a boat to NZ it would still be of a size a petrol boat and the navy could handle.