Covid-19 duties trigger exodus of Defence Force personnel

Friday, 13 August 2021

New Zealand Army personnel guard the front of the Rydges Hotel in Auckland's CBD.

Unhappiness with doing Covid duties is driving personnel to leave the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

“There are indications that some departing personnel are being affected by dissatisfaction with repeated Operation Protect tours, a role unrelated to their core trades and professions,” Chief of Staff Air Commodore Andy Woods said in a statement.

He said regular force staff leaving voluntarily were asked to fill in an exit survey which, from April this year, included participation in Operation Protect as one of the reasons for leaving.

Of the 136 staff who completed the survey between April 1 and June 30, 23 (16.9 per cent) identified Operation Protect as “somewhat important” or “very important” when deciding to leave.

A soldier on duty outside the Crowne Plaza isolation facility in central Christchurch.

* Coronavirus: Man's enforced break from cannabis at Covid-19 isolation hotel 'a blessing'

* Man in managed isolation is Wellington's first case of Covid-19 in months

Returnees in managed isolation must wear a disposable mask every time they leave their room. This is just one of the rules attached to MIQ stays. (First published April 2021)

A military source said the fact Covid duties led to departures was unsurprising given the extra pressure personnel were under and frequent rotations away from home.

They said many staff were unhappy doing work that did not use their training.

“Morale is low and stress levels are high,” the source said.

However, the overall attrition rate for the Defence Force appears to be tracking downwards.

For the year ending June 30, 2020, the army lost 9.6 per cent of its staff, the air force, 5.6 per cent and the navy 9.3 per cent.

New Zealand police and army personnel guard the Holiday Inn Hotel, Auckland Airport.

But for the latest financial year, to June 30, 2021, the highest attrition rate was 7.4 per cent (across the three services) in July 2020. In June this year it was 7.1 per cent across the services. Figures for July are not available yet.

The army has about 4600 regular force staff, the air force 2540, and the navy 2200.

Woods said attrition had to be seen in the light of a growing economy.

“Although data is still emerging, the NZDF is seeing concerning attrition in particular trades, for example electrical fitters, plumbers and drain layers.

“The concurrent skilled labour shortage associated with border restrictions has heightened this external pull.”

He said the Defence Force’s commitment to Operation Protect meant reduced capacity to respond to major events such as a major earthquake or a Pacific security crisis.

The Defence Force was planning on the assumption it would be needed to support the Government’s Covid-19 response well into 2022.

By September 2020, up to 1220 Defence Force personnel were on Covid-19 duties, with 870 personnel on tasks at any one time.

The Defence Force provided support to MIQ facilities in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Rotorua and Christchurch.

Fifty NZDF staff have contracted Covid-19, although all have recovered.