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<\/p>\nThe Prime Minister is defending the deployment of a second Defence Force plane for his Pacific Islands Forum mission, having previously criticised the use of a back-up plane when in opposition.<\/p>\n
Christopher Luxon is in Palau for the annual Pacific Islands leaders meeting. Both of the RNZAF Boeing 757s have been deployed on the mission, with one staying in Cairns as a back-up.<\/p>\n
Luxon said it was a Defence Force decision to take two planes, with 88 people from New Zealand heading to the Pacific Islands Forum.<\/p>\n
“We’ve taken 14 delegations up here, we’ve got a lot of people to take home on Sunday as well, and we’re taking some home when I go out on Friday as well.”<\/p>\n
Luxon said connectivity was a big challenge at the forum, and he had talked about the importance of connectivity at the realm leaders’ meeting with Tokelau, Niue, and the Cook Islands last week.<\/p>\n
“It makes the case for why we need a good, reliable Air Force plane.”<\/p>\n
Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott also spoke of the Pacific Islands Forum meeting’s remote location.<\/p>\n
“This important meeting is being held in a comparatively remote location where air services and options are limited, and therefore a back-up aircraft has been positioned to assist if required for any reason.”<\/p>\n
New Zealand is hosting next year’s leaders meeting.<\/p>\n
The Realm of New Zealand’s four leaders representing New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau are meeting in Auckland on Friday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
RNZAF Boeing 757 arriving at Whenuapai airbase in 2003. (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
In 2023, the Defence Force sent a back-up plane for then-Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ trip to China.<\/p>\n
The back-up plane, which was sent in case the first broke down, was left in Manila. It attracted strong criticism from then-opposition leader Luxon, who said it “doesn’t seem a good move” in a climate challenge.<\/p>\n
Luxon vowed not to use Defence Force planes to travel internationally if he became prime minister \u2013 a promise he quickly reneged on.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Hipkins said Luxon was changing his position based on what was convenient for him.<\/p>\n
“Well, well, well,” he said. “Hypocrisy knows no ends.”<\/p>\n
The Government is currently purchasing two new Airbus A321XLR planes on a lease-to-buy arrangement, to replace the ageing 757s.<\/p>\n
The current planes, which were purchased in 2003, are mostly used for transporting cargo around the Pacific. But they have a recent history of unreliability when it comes to prime ministerial travel<\/p>\n
In 2024, Luxon had to fly commercially to Melbourne after the 757 broke down.<\/p>\n
He also left a business delegation in Papua New Guinea after a 757 broke down during a refuel stop en route to Japan.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Sir John Key was forced to cancel the first day of a trip to India after the 757 broke down in Townsville, while in 2019 Dame Jacinda Ardern flew commercially back from Melbourne after a breakdown.<\/p>\n
She also took a commercial flight back to New Zealand from the United States in 2022 when the 757 broke down in Washington DC.<\/p>\n