Ron Mark
Ron Mark on NZDF's Boeing 757 ongoing breakdowns
The Prime Minister was forced to abandon his Defence Force flight to Melbourne yesterday because a 'maintenance fault' was identified with the Boeing 757. Problems with the plane also plagued official… Audio
New rail tracks too narrow for carriages in Wairarapa
The bad vibrations continue on the Wairarapa region's rail line, where brand new tracks signed off by KiwiRail were found to be too narrow for the carriages that use them.
Train speeds have been… Audio
Special votes: RNZ's expert panel dissects the results
Time to polish the crown: Winston Peters is Kingmaker again. The final election vote count means New Zealand First is no longer a nice to have, it's a must-have for National to form a government. The… Video, Audio
National to begin talks with ACT and NZ First
Preparations are already well underway for the National Party to launch into coalition talks with the ACT Party and New Zealand First.
While voting numbers aren't finalised, it looks likely Winston… Audio
Former NZ First minister Ron Mark on NZ First's return to Parliament
On the provisional vote count, New Zealand First will have eight members in Parliament - but its not yet clear whether he'll be getting a call from Christopher Luxon, inviting Winston Peters to join… Audio
Is it time for Wairarapa's three small councils to amalgamate
A merger proposal is being considered by a working group comprising all three councils in the South Wairarapa region. Audio
Former defence minister on attempts to recover Abelen's body
Former defence minister Ron Mark says soldiers in Ukraine had to abandon an attempt to recover New Zealand corporal Dominic Abelen's body after coming under heavy fire from Russian troops.
Mark, who… Audio
Former NZ soldier in Ukraine proud to see other New Zealanders on front line
A former New Zealand soldier fighting in Ukraine says he's proud to see other Kiwis on the front line - even though one of his countrymen has given his life for the cause. The Defence Force announced… Audio
New Zealand Sharing Skills with Ukrainian Fighters
New Zealand will be sending 30 defence force personnel to Britain to train Ukranian forces in handling a specific weapon, a howitzer. Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short said 230 Ukrainians… Audio
NZDF to be deployed in Europe
As the invasion of Ukraine by Russia enters its 47th day the New Zealand Government has announced that more Defence Force personnel will be deployed to Europe to further support Ukraine. Audio
Ron Mark says NZ should provide lethal aid to Ukraine
A former Minister of Defence says it's time New Zealand provided lethal aid to Ukraine. Ron Mark, who oversaw the country's armed forces between October 2017 and November 2020, says the government's… Audio
Matangireia: Ron Mark
Former New Zealand First MP Ron Mark values loyalty above all when it comes to politics. In this episode of Matangireia Mark opens up about his time in parliament and his own personal journey to learn… Audio
Matangireia | Season 2 | Episode 3: Ron Mark
In 1996 New Zealand First shook up the political landscape. And for 25 years Former MP Ron Mark stood by the party and its enigmatic leader. Video, Audio
Matangireia | Season 2 | Trailer
The second season of Matangireia – Māori Political Legacies, explores the careers of former Māori Members of Parliament. Video
Biodefence report shows Defence Force priorities changing
A new report says the country's Defence Force will be widely involved in New Zealand's security efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of biological threats.
Those threats include biological and… Audio
Māori Battalion descendants unaware family missed out on medals
Descendants of soldiers who fought in the Māori Battalion say they were blown away to learn their family members never received their war medals.
A list of 134 soldiers from the battalion's C company… Audio
Returning medals to whānau not straight-forward – Minister
The Minister for Veteran Affairs, Ron Mark, says he supports – with trepidation – unclaimed war medals being returned to whānau -- but he says the process needs to be incredibly robust.
Seventy-five… Audio
Military will bring authority to managed isolation facilities - Mark
Defence Minister Ron Mark says soldiers will bring more authority to quarantine facilities, which security guards have lacked.
He is welcoming the deployment of more soldiers at the managed isolation… Audio
More military headed into border operations, but NZ First wants Defence Force to play greater role
As hundreds more soldiers begin to move out to isolation hotels around the country, New Zealand First is calling for the Defence Force to play an even greater role.
The call on the military - and on… Audio
NZDF apologises, compensates injured soldier after 31 years
A former soldier left a tetraplegic due to a Defence Force failure has been given a formal apology and compensation 31 years after the incident.
George Nepata received a formal apology this morning… Audio