About this episode

The episode discusses the need for New Zealand to consider upgrading its ageing warships and the implications of such decisions on national security and trade.

I would like to get your feedback on whether or not we should be upgrading our warships. New Zealand's two main warships will reach the end of their working lives within about a decade, and Cabinet must decide by 2027 what should replace them.  The way we're going it'd be a fleet of jet skis. The choice will shape the country's ability to help keep its trade routes open for a generation, according to retired Major General John Howard, who's a Senior Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative. He argues the decision about what to buy, if to buy, deserves far more scrutiny than it's ever done before. He says almost everything New Zealand sells and buys travels by ship. About 99% of its trade, measured by volume, moves by sea: dairy, meat, fuel, machinery. We're also responsible for one of the world's largest stretches of ocean, about 4.1 million square kilometres.  He says if the decision on the frigates is delayed or the wrong capability is chosen, New Zealand could spend years without a warship able to operate in contested waters alongside its allies, and the skills, the systems, and the experience behind that capability would take a generation to rebuild. If we don't have a…

People in this episode

Host: Kerre Woodham

Guest: John Howard

Topics covered

• warships
• military strategy
• New Zealand defense
• trade routes
• naval capability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Zealand Initiative

Places: New Zealand

More episodes of Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

• Kerre Woodham: A one-off payment is not going to fix the problem · July 20, 2026 · 7 min
• Kerre Woodham: Will we see the return from NZ First's proposal? · July 19, 2026 · 7 min
• Tania Tapsell: Rotorua Mayor discusses the dismantling of iconic the Prince's Gate Archway · July 16, 2026 · 12 min
• Jordan Williams: Taxpayers Union Director chats council rush to sign iwi agreements before RMA reform · July 16, 2026 · 9 min
• Jason Miles: NZ Principals Federation President on David Seymour's idea to ban under-16s from having smartphones · July 15, 2026 · 8 min
• Kerre Woodham: Is it better to ban smartphones or police social media? · July 15, 2026 · 6 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast podcast page.