Tue, Oct 22, 2024

Mission Homefront, a campaign launched to raise awareness around conditions of service for New Zealand Defence Force personnel has officially been established as an organisation and is proud to announce its founding Directors.

Co founder and director recently retired Lieutenant Colonel Hayden Ricketts will lead the strategic direction and sponsorship of the organisation, meanwhile co founder and director Erin Speedy will work with NZDF personnel and their whanau to help them access and navigate support and systems.

As an organisation, Mission Homefront aims to be the voice for those who serve, ensuring and advocating for their pay, conditions of service, housing and welfare, and representing personnel at the highest levels of Government. It will also support soldiers, sailors and aviators with tangible advice, assistance and morale boosting initiatives.

Ricketts brings 26 years of NZ Army infantry experience and a deep knowledge and understanding of Defence culture and systems, with operational tours in the Middle East, Asia, Timor Leste, Egypt, Lebanon, and Indonesia and ten years service in Defence Headquarters.

“I am looking forward to supporting, advocating for and representing our sailors, soldiers and aviators who serve Aotearoa New Zealand and who make significant sacrifices to serve this country,” Ricketts said.

“There are no other people in society who are expected to give up their civilian rights and responsibilities, who are constantly relocated to different locations, separated from their families for extended periods of time, and undertake operations with risk of injury or death,” he said.

“Currently our soldiers, sailors and aviators are not being fully recognised for their service, they are disadvantaged, they are suffering the consequences of decades of underinvestment in the system designed to support them, and that needs to change.”

Despite being a senior officer, Ricketts' decision to retire was influenced by the low salary of the NZDF which has made him even more determined to secure improved conditions of service.

The systemic issues have led to 30% of uniformed staff leaving the force in recent years, with those remaining overworked, and underpaid. Often their buildings and work areas were designed and built during World War 2. Barracks and housing conditions are in a similar state. These buildings are substandard, mouldy, and damp, leaving people with poor pay, high heating bills, and struggling to pay their bills.

Mission Homefront has already received testimonies from 100 uniformed staff and their whanau. 73% report living in homes with black mould and dampness, and 62% say this has led to illnesses among both adults and children which includes short term and chronic sickness. Almost 60% mention low wages are causing financial problems, leaving them unable to pay their bills and confining them to substandard, poorly maintained and over-priced military housing. 55% mention they are facing a lack of support and welfare support, particularly when spouses are deployed or posted to different locations.

Mission Homefront co-founder Erin Speedy who started the campaign in June, is excited to have someone else on board with the same vision and passion.

“Hayden knows first hand the personal sacrifices it takes to serve this country and the impact it has on the people and their whanau. His knowledge, skills and experience will be invaluable to lead the Mission Homefront mahi and bridge the current gap when it comes to support for our military personnel and whanau.”

Speedy has met with Chief of Army Major General Rose King, representatives from Defence Estate Infrastructure and had multiple meetings with Associate Minister of Defence Chris Penk over the last few months.

“The nature of the military requires ‘service before self’, yet our people aren’t being supported to do that effectively and our family units are depleted and suffering the consequences,” she said. “The foundation of any organisation is it’s people, and our mission is to support and build stronger foundations and make stronger forces.”

With a “whole whanau” approach, the pair hope to improve the lives of soldiers, sailors and aviators across the country and their families.

Since they are subject to service law, there are few protections for service people. They are not subject to many forms of protective legislation. Service people cannot form a union or association to advocate for their conditions since they are bound by the Defence Act 1990, the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971. It is this lack of advocacy that Mission Homefront intends to address.

Mission Homefront will also provide tangible, practical assistance and advocacy for personnel and their whanau, from housing and tenancy rights to welfare and support with hopes to be able to provide hardship grants and financial support for those who need it.

“I think it’s absolutely negligent that some of the people who sacrifice so much for this country are accessing food banks, needing support from WINZ and can’t afford to pay their bills,” Speedy said. When our country is in crisis, the New Zealand Defence Force is the first to drop everything and respond to protect and serve our communities, Ricketts said.

“It’s time the Government and political parties of New Zealand end the boom and bust cycle of investment in the NZDF and return that same commitment, courage, comradeship and integrity to those who sacrifice the most for this country,” Ricketts said.

“Defence spending is not just about ships, aircraft and Army battalions. Investing in our uniformed people, their welfare, and conditions of service needs to be a top priority.” The pair are actively seeking businesses and organisations to come on board as “Mission Partners” to enable and support the mahi.

Find more information at www.missionhomefront.co.nz

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