Three of New Zealand's nine naval ships are sitting idle as personnel leave the defence force for industries with rising wages, despite tensions in the Pacific.  

The HMNZS Wellington, an offshore patrol vessel, headed back to New Zealand early from its three-month deployment in the Pacific and was taken out of operation in November because of shortages, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said.

It is the third ship to be put into "care and custody", with another offshore patrol vessel and a smaller patrol vessel pulled off the line and their crews reassigned. 

KEY POINTS

• The HMNZS Wellington returned early from its three-month deployment in the Pacific
• It is the third ship to be put into "care and custody"
• New Zealand's Defence Force chief says "workforce issues are impacting ship availability"

Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short said in August "workforce issues are impacting ship availability to deliver naval outputs" in a note to the defence minister. 

The NZDF has more than 15,000 personnel, including civilian staff, of which about 2,800 are in the navy.

The defence force said in May it would spend $NZ90 million ($85m) over four years to raise the salaries of its lowest-paid workers with hopes numbers will improve by 2026–2027.

"There is more still to do," he said.

A NZDF spokesperson said having so few ships available made it harder for the navy to handle multiple challenges at once.

The problem is especially acute as Australia, the US, Japan and other countries in the region square off against China. 

New Zealand, which spends roughly 1.5 per cent of its GDP on defence, announced earlier this year it would review its own defence policy in light of regional geopolitics and climate change. The review is not expected to be completed until 2024.

In July, after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Pacific region could manage security issues on its own.

The navy attrition rate was about 16.5 per cent in the year to November, which is the highest it has been in decades as staff have quit for jobs in the private sector, where salaries have risen due to a tight labour market.

The NZDF is also dealing with ageing equipment and a large number of personnel being assigned to border quarantine facilities.

Defence Minister Peeni Henare acknowledged staff losses were hurting the defence force, but said the government was committed to rebuilding it.

The country is replacing its fleet of C-130 cargo planes and P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, with the first of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft due to arrive this month.

Plans for a new military vessel built for Southern Ocean and Antarctic conditions were shelved this year.