Official Information Act request — Ministry of Defence oversight of NZDF training scenarios (VPF / DATE)
Joshua Riley made this Official Information request to Ministry of Defence
Currently waiting for a response from Ministry of Defence, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).
From: Joshua Riley
Dear Ministry of Defence Information Request team,
I write under the Official Information Act 1982 to request information held by the Ministry of Defence relating to its oversight of New Zealand Defence Force training scenarios, with specific reference to the "Visayan People's Front" (VPF) scenario drawn from the Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE).
For background: NZDF has confirmed (OIA-2025-5622, response of 5 February 2026) that the VPF scenario — in which a predominantly Christian armed insurgent group operates in opposition to a Muslim immigrant community within a fictional country geographically resembling New Zealand's South Island — was used four times in 2025 NZDF training, that the underlying scenario was developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023, and that, following an internal Army review, the Army has directed the removal from training scenarios of actors not contained within the DATE-world.
This request seeks information held by the Ministry of Defence, not the operational training documents themselves (which are held by NZDF).
On Ministerial briefings and awareness
1. Has the Minister of Defence (currently Hon Chris Penk, and previously Hon Judith Collins) been briefed at any point — written or oral — about the VPF scenario, the SASO scenario developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023, or the broader matter of religious or political identification of opposing forces in NZDF training scenarios? Please provide: a. Copies of any written briefings; b. The dates of any oral briefings; c. The titles and authors of those briefings.
2. Has the Minister of Defence issued any Ministerial direction, statement of expectation, or letter of expectation to NZDF or the Ministry on the matter of cultural, religious, or political appropriateness in training scenarios? If so, please provide copies.
On Ministry of Defence advice and oversight
1. Has the Ministry of Defence provided advice to the Minister of Defence, or to NZDF, on: a. The adoption of the DATE training environment by NZ Army in 2021; b. The use of religious, ethnic, or politically-identified opposing-force scenarios in training; c. The VPF scenario specifically, at any point since August 2023?
If so, please provide copies of that advice.
1. Does the Ministry of Defence hold any policy, framework, or guideline governing the cultural, religious, or political appropriateness of training scenarios used by NZDF? If so, please provide a copy.
2. If no such policy is held by the Ministry, please confirm that fact, and indicate whether the Ministry considers oversight of this matter to be its responsibility, NZDF's, or shared.
On the internal review referred to by NZDF
1. NZDF's response of 5 February 2026 refers to an Army review that has directed the removal of non-DATE actors from training scenarios. Has the Ministry of Defence: a. Been briefed on the existence, scope, or findings of that review? b. Received a copy of the review's report or directed outcome? c. Provided any input to the review?
If yes to any of these, please provide the relevant documents.
On correspondence
1. Please provide any correspondence, including emails, between the Ministry of Defence and NZDF between 1 December 2025 and the date of this request that refers to the VPF scenario, to "Christian extremist" training scenarios more generally, or to the OIA response of 5 February 2026 (OIA-2025-5622).
2. Please provide any correspondence between the Ministry of Defence and any other government agency (including but not limited to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, or the Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security) on the same subject matter and over the same period.
On the Christchurch context
1. The royal commission of inquiry into the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack on the Christchurch mosques made findings about the framing of threat in New Zealand's national security architecture. Does the Ministry of Defence hold any record of considering the implications of that report for NZDF training scenario design, in particular for scenarios involving religious, ethnic, or political opposing forces? If so, please provide.
Procedural matters
I request that information be provided in electronic form. Where information is to be withheld, please cite the specific section of the OIA relied upon. Where information is withheld in part, please indicate clearly what has been withheld and why.
If any part of this request is more appropriately directed to NZDF rather than the Ministry, please transfer that part under section 14 of the Act and notify me of the transfer.
I am happy to discuss narrowing or clarifying any question that would assist a timely response within the 20-working-day statutory period.
I confirm that this request and any response will be publicly available via FYI.org.nz. I confirm I am a New Zealand citizen ordinarily resident in New Zealand.
From: Information
Ministry of Defence
UNCLASSIFIED
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request for official information. This will be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include transfer to a more relevant agency or Minister.
The Ministry may publish the content of our response to your request on the Ministry of Defence website (www.defence.govt.nz). Your personal information will not be published. More information on making an official information request with the Ministry of Defence is available here: https://www.defence.govt.nz/contact-us/o....
Ngā mihi,
Ministry of Defence
UNCLASSIFIED
-----Original Message-----
From: Joshua Riley <[FOI #34619 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 6 May 2026 9:22 am
To: Information <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Official Information Act request — Ministry of Defence oversight of NZDF training scenarios (VPF / DATE)
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CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization.
Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If in any doubt, please forward the email to [email address] and then delete the email from your Inbox. Thank you
Dear Ministry of Defence Information Request team,
I write under the Official Information Act 1982 to request information held by the Ministry of Defence relating to its oversight of New Zealand Defence Force training scenarios, with specific reference to the "Visayan People's Front" (VPF) scenario drawn from the Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE).
For background: NZDF has confirmed (OIA-2025-5622, response of 5 February 2026) that the VPF scenario — in which a predominantly Christian armed insurgent group operates in opposition to a Muslim immigrant community within a fictional country geographically resembling New Zealand's South Island — was used four times in 2025 NZDF training, that the underlying scenario was developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023, and that, following an internal Army review, the Army has directed the removal from training scenarios of actors not contained within the DATE-world.
This request seeks information held by the Ministry of Defence, not the operational training documents themselves (which are held by NZDF).
On Ministerial briefings and awareness
1. Has the Minister of Defence (currently Hon Chris Penk, and previously Hon Judith Collins) been briefed at any point — written or oral — about the VPF scenario, the SASO scenario developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023, or the broader matter of religious or political identification of opposing forces in NZDF training scenarios? Please provide: a. Copies of any written briefings; b. The dates of any oral briefings; c. The titles and authors of those briefings.
2. Has the Minister of Defence issued any Ministerial direction, statement of expectation, or letter of expectation to NZDF or the Ministry on the matter of cultural, religious, or political appropriateness in training scenarios? If so, please provide copies.
On Ministry of Defence advice and oversight
1. Has the Ministry of Defence provided advice to the Minister of Defence, or to NZDF, on: a. The adoption of the DATE training environment by NZ Army in 2021; b. The use of religious, ethnic, or politically-identified opposing-force scenarios in training; c. The VPF scenario specifically, at any point since August 2023?
If so, please provide copies of that advice.
1. Does the Ministry of Defence hold any policy, framework, or guideline governing the cultural, religious, or political appropriateness of training scenarios used by NZDF? If so, please provide a copy.
2. If no such policy is held by the Ministry, please confirm that fact, and indicate whether the Ministry considers oversight of this matter to be its responsibility, NZDF's, or shared.
On the internal review referred to by NZDF
1. NZDF's response of 5 February 2026 refers to an Army review that has directed the removal of non-DATE actors from training scenarios. Has the Ministry of Defence: a. Been briefed on the existence, scope, or findings of that review? b. Received a copy of the review's report or directed outcome? c. Provided any input to the review?
If yes to any of these, please provide the relevant documents.
On correspondence
1. Please provide any correspondence, including emails, between the Ministry of Defence and NZDF between 1 December 2025 and the date of this request that refers to the VPF scenario, to "Christian extremist" training scenarios more generally, or to the OIA response of 5 February 2026 (OIA-2025-5622).
2. Please provide any correspondence between the Ministry of Defence and any other government agency (including but not limited to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, or the Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security) on the same subject matter and over the same period.
On the Christchurch context
1. The royal commission of inquiry into the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack on the Christchurch mosques made findings about the framing of threat in New Zealand's national security architecture. Does the Ministry of Defence hold any record of considering the implications of that report for NZDF training scenario design, in particular for scenarios involving religious, ethnic, or political opposing forces? If so, please provide.
Procedural matters
I request that information be provided in electronic form. Where information is to be withheld, please cite the specific section of the OIA relied upon. Where information is withheld in part, please indicate clearly what has been withheld and why.
If any part of this request is more appropriately directed to NZDF rather than the Ministry, please transfer that part under section 14 of the Act and notify me of the transfer.
I am happy to discuss narrowing or clarifying any question that would assist a timely response within the 20-working-day statutory period.
I confirm that this request and any response will be publicly available via FYI.org.nz. I confirm I am a New Zealand citizen ordinarily resident in New Zealand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34619 email]
Is [Ministry of Defence request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry of Defence? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
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If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
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Note:
The information contained in this email message is intended only for the addressee and is not necessarily
the official view or communication of the Ministry. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use,
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please email or telephone the sender immediately. Thank you"
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From: Information
Ministry of Defence
UNCLASSIFIED
Kia ora Joshua,
Please see attached the Ministry's response to your request for Official
Information.
Ngā mihi,
[1]cid:image001.png@01DCA4B2.EA4E5B90 Ministerial and Public Services
Manatū Kaupapa Waonga - New Zealand
Ministry of Defence
Defence House, 34 Bowen Street, PO
Box 12703, Wellington 6144, New
Zealand
UNCLASSIFIED
-----Original Message-----
From: Joshua Riley <[FOI #34619 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 6 May 2026 9:22 am
To: Information <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Official Information Act request —
Ministry of Defence oversight of NZDF training scenarios (VPF / DATE)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization.
Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If in any doubt, please
forward the email to [email address] and then delete the email from your
Inbox. Thank you
Dear Ministry of Defence Information Request team,
I write under the Official Information Act 1982 to request information
held by the Ministry of Defence relating to its oversight of New Zealand
Defence Force training scenarios, with specific reference to the "Visayan
People's Front" (VPF) scenario drawn from the Decisive Action Training
Environment (DATE).
For background: NZDF has confirmed (OIA-2025-5622, response of 5 February
2026) that the VPF scenario — in which a predominantly Christian armed
insurgent group operates in opposition to a Muslim immigrant community
within a fictional country geographically resembling New Zealand's South
Island — was used four times in 2025 NZDF training, that the underlying
scenario was developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023, and that, following an
internal Army review, the Army has directed the removal from training
scenarios of actors not contained within the DATE-world.
This request seeks information held by the Ministry of Defence, not the
operational training documents themselves (which are held by NZDF).
On Ministerial briefings and awareness
1. Has the Minister of Defence (currently Hon Chris Penk, and previously
Hon Judith Collins) been briefed at any point — written or oral — about
the VPF scenario, the SASO scenario developed by 2/1 RNZIR in August 2023,
or the broader matter of religious or political identification of opposing
forces in NZDF training scenarios? Please provide: a. Copies of any
written briefings; b. The dates of any oral briefings; c. The titles and
authors of those briefings.
2. Has the Minister of Defence issued any Ministerial direction, statement
of expectation, or letter of expectation to NZDF or the Ministry on the
matter of cultural, religious, or political appropriateness in training
scenarios? If so, please provide copies.
On Ministry of Defence advice and oversight
1. Has the Ministry of Defence provided advice to the Minister of Defence,
or to NZDF, on: a. The adoption of the DATE training environment by NZ
Army in 2021; b. The use of religious, ethnic, or politically-identified
opposing-force scenarios in training; c. The VPF scenario specifically, at
any point since August 2023?
If so, please provide copies of that advice.
1. Does the Ministry of Defence hold any policy, framework, or guideline
governing the cultural, religious, or political appropriateness of
training scenarios used by NZDF? If so, please provide a copy.
2. If no such policy is held by the Ministry, please confirm that fact,
and indicate whether the Ministry considers oversight of this matter to be
its responsibility, NZDF's, or shared.
On the internal review referred to by NZDF
1. NZDF's response of 5 February 2026 refers to an Army review that has
directed the removal of non-DATE actors from training scenarios. Has the
Ministry of Defence: a. Been briefed on the existence, scope, or findings
of that review? b. Received a copy of the review's report or directed
outcome? c. Provided any input to the review?
If yes to any of these, please provide the relevant documents.
On correspondence
1. Please provide any correspondence, including emails, between the
Ministry of Defence and NZDF between 1 December 2025 and the date of this
request that refers to the VPF scenario, to "Christian extremist" training
scenarios more generally, or to the OIA response of 5 February 2026
(OIA-2025-5622).
2. Please provide any correspondence between the Ministry of Defence and
any other government agency (including but not limited to the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the New Zealand Security Intelligence
Service, or the Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and
Security) on the same subject matter and over the same period.
On the Christchurch context
1. The royal commission of inquiry into the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack
on the Christchurch mosques made findings about the framing of threat in
New Zealand's national security architecture. Does the Ministry of Defence
hold any record of considering the implications of that report for NZDF
training scenario design, in particular for scenarios involving religious,
ethnic, or political opposing forces? If so, please provide.
Procedural matters
I request that information be provided in electronic form. Where
information is to be withheld, please cite the specific section of the OIA
relied upon. Where information is withheld in part, please indicate
clearly what has been withheld and why.
If any part of this request is more appropriately directed to NZDF rather
than the Ministry, please transfer that part under section 14 of the Act
and notify me of the transfer.
I am happy to discuss narrowing or clarifying any question that would
assist a timely response within the 20-working-day statutory period.
I confirm that this request and any response will be publicly available
via FYI.org.nz. I confirm I am a New Zealand citizen ordinarily resident
in New Zealand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34619 email]
Is [Ministry of Defence request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Ministry of Defence? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Note:
The information contained in this email message is intended only for the
addressee and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the
Ministry. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use,
disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you
have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender
immediately. Thank you"
References
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hide quoted sections
From: Joshua Riley
Thank you for your response of 19 May 2026 to my Official Information Act request regarding Ministry of Defence oversight of NZDF training scenarios.
I note the Ministry's position that it is not responsible for oversight of NZDF training scenarios and holds no information within scope. Before deciding whether to seek a review by the Ombudsman, I would appreciate clarification on several points.
Ministerial briefings
The Ministry states it was not involved in this particular activity. However, my question was not whether the Ministry was involved in training scenario design, but whether the Minister of Defence was briefed on the matter at any point — including after it became a subject of public interest following the NZDF OIA response of 5 February 2026 and subsequent media coverage. The Ministry is the primary channel for providing advice and briefings to the Minister of Defence. Can the Ministry confirm that no briefing, media response pack, talking points, or "for your awareness" note was prepared for the Minister on this topic at any point?
Policy framework
I asked whether the Ministry holds any policy or guideline governing the cultural, religious, or political appropriateness of NZDF training scenarios, and if not, whether the Ministry considers that oversight to be its responsibility, NZDF's, or shared. The response states the Ministry is not responsible for oversight of training scenarios, but does not directly answer the question about where the Ministry considers this responsibility to sit. Could the Ministry please confirm explicitly: does the Ministry consider that no civilian oversight of the cultural and political content of NZDF training scenarios is required, or does it consider this to be a matter for NZDF's own internal governance?
Christchurch Royal Commission
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack made findings relevant to the framing of threat across New Zealand's national security architecture, of which the Ministry of Defence is a part. My question was whether the Ministry holds any record of considering those findings in relation to training scenario design. This is a policy question directed at the Ministry's own advisory function, not a question about NZDF's operational training. Can the Ministry confirm that it has never considered the Royal Commission's findings in this context?
Correspondence
Can the Ministry confirm that a search of its email systems returned no correspondence between Ministry staff and NZDF staff, or between Ministry staff and any other government agency, mentioning the VPF scenario, "Christian extremist" training scenarios, or OIA-2025-5622 at any point between 1 December 2025 and 6 May 2026? Given that the NZDF OIA response received media attention, I would find it surprising if no correspondence at all passed between the Ministry and NZDF on this topic, even informally.
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