By Nick Lee-Frampton
WELLINGTON — Publication of New Zealand’s 2015 defense white paper (DWP) may be pushed to 2016.
The first indication of a delay came from Defence Secretary Helene Quilter, who in an article in the August issue of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's magazine Air Force News mentioned that the 2015 DWP would be published "next year."
When New Zealand's 2010 DWP was published, the government promised further iterations every five years. Accordingly, earlier this year the process began again, including a public consultation document inviting New Zealanders to comment on the country's defense policy.
The 2010 DWP was eight months late and didn’t appear until November that year. That delay was announced and explained by the Defence Ministry in early 2010.
Asked about this year's apparent delay, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee's office told Defense News that it had always been intended that the white paper would be completed by the end of 2015 and published thereafter.
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