The hope and complexity in New Zealand’s current approach to veterans’ recognition.

On the one hand, the formation of a Veterans Advisory Board and the drafting of a Kawenata (Armed Forces Covenant) is a promising development—one that could finally offer a clear, enduring commitment to New Zealand’s service personnel and their whānau.

However, this progress is clouded by policy ambiguity, particularly with the Government’s proposed legislation to redefine “veteran” status.

Key Issues Emerging:

1. Redefining “Veteran”

The new bill proposes to recognise all ex- and serving NZDF members as veterans, which sounds inclusive.
But the creation of “classes” or “tiers” of veterans muddies the waters, potentially creating inequity in entitlements, where some veterans may be more recognised or better supported than others.
This risks undermining the intent of a covenant if only certain “classes” are covered by it.

2. A Covenant with Teeth—or Just Symbolism?
Without legislative power, a covenant may be purely symbolic, particularly if not all veterans benefit equally. The UK’s Armed Forces Covenant has evolved to carry statutory weight in some areas—New Zealand needs to decide whether its Kawenata will have similar enforceability or whether it will just be aspirational language.

3. Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Cultural Context
Integrating Te Tiriti principles is crucial and overdue, especially considering the service history and ongoing contribution of Māori in the NZDF. But this also introduces a layer of cultural, historical, and legal complexity that must be handled carefully, respectfully, and with wide consultation. It may slow progress or lead to compromised clarity in the final covenant.

4. Public Expectation vs Political Execution
There is growing public and veteran community support for a clear, fair, and unified system of recognition and care.
But overlapping reforms (the bill redefining veterans, and the covenant development) risk producing a confusing or fragmented outcome, rather than a coherent national commitment.

So Where Does That Leave New Zealand?

At a crucial decision point.

New Zealand can choose to:

Embrace a bold, inclusive, and meaningful Kawenata that genuinely reflects the service and sacrifice of all its veterans;
Or risk creating a fragmented framework where symbolic recognition coexists with unclear entitlements, tiered veteran status, and varying degrees of public respect or institutional support.

The public, especially the veteran community, has a critical role to play in ensuring the Kawenata is:

* Clear in its intent,
* Inclusive in its application,
* And robust enough to survive future governments and political shifts.

Frank Rands is a class 2 (Routine Qualifying Service) veteran with 52 years of service to his credit.