Defence Minister Chris Penk has confirmed the New Zealand government has no plans to increase defence spending beyond 2 percent of GDP, despite the Trump administration’s expectation that allies lift military expenditure to at least 3.5 percent of GDP.
Last year, Prime Minister Chris Luxon committed to raising expenditure to “as close to 2 percent as we possibly can,” up from a baseline of 1.2 percent.
At a recent parliamentary review of his department, Penk said a “fundamental point” was that defence spending required a social license and that there was an opportunity cost to every dollar spent, which could otherwise go to health or education….
New Zealand Will Not Raise Defence Expenditure Above 2 Percent of GDP: Minister
