I make a distinction between self protection and self interest. Yes, New Zealand certainly had a real self interest in being involved in the Second World War, but it was under direct threat of invasion, and was not directly attacked in the way, northern Australian towns such as Darwin and Broomer were attacked. And I do think that difference is partly behind the difference in modern attitudes within Australia and New Zealand.
I don't intend to disparage New Zealand in any sense. I've served alongside New Zealand Defence Force personnel on several occasions, and in terms of ability and dedication they are the equal of any on Earth. And, frankly, I feel New Zealand's contribution to World War II is all the greater because of the fact that they were fighting to defend others more than they were themselves. Yes, there was self interest involved and that was important. But self interest has real limits.
We are indeed the last and smallest stop on the line, but Kiwis in 1941 still feared that the Japanese train would arrive. Guerrilla units were trained, weapons were cached in the mountains, aviation fuel dumps were created in secret for whatever remnants of the RNZAF and USAAF could get here, bunkers were built along the most likely landing beaches, and so on. I'm sure similar things were done in Aussie. No, we weren't bombed like Darwin was, but Kiwis were convinced that it was a war of national survival, the more so once Japan overran Singapore. There's a fair bit of hindsight involved in saying we weren't under physical threat. The necessity for NZ of forward defence with allies was well understood by the war generation. It's the baby-boomers who overturned that here.
But I know what you're saying about NZ's isolation, and Australia's proximity to Southeast Asia. You guys should remember that according to the NZ Labour Party we're all in a "benign strategic environment". Feel comforted?
Yes, our defence lads and lasses do a brilliant job, particularly given the lack of funding and equipment through the 1990s. Credit goes to the ones who hung in during some tough years. Hopefully the latest spending increases let them build a good base for the future.