My grateful thanks go to my PhD supervisor, Associate Professor Steve Hoadley, for his unwavering patience, unstinting support and insightful challenge over the time it took to complete the thesis on which this book is based.

During the course of my research I interviewed a large number of officials and Service personnel both active and retired, academics and non-governmental organisation representatives. Their reflections, recollections and considered comment have been of immense value, contributing significantly to my understanding of the politics and processes involved in defence decision making. I would like to thank particularly Gerald Hensley, former Secretary of Defence, who not only gave of his time and expertise in answering my questions, but also kindly agreed to write the Foreword to this publication; and Graham Fortune, Andrew Wierzbicki, Hamish Bunn and Esther Mendoza at the Ministry of Defence, who together ensured that I was furnished with all of the official information that I requested, and spent a considerable amount of time answering my queries. The staff of the Defence Library was also unfailingly helpful, as was Andrew South, librarian at AUT University’s North Shore campus, who provided significant support and advice as I searched for research material.

I want to thank Captain Helen Marks of the Royal Australian Navy, who put me in touch with Admiral Michael Hudson and Rear Admiral David Campbell, each of whom had a great deal of involvement with the ANZAC frigate project. Kate Dewes at the Christchurch office of the Foundation for Peace Studies Aotearoa-New Zealand provided access to extensive archive material regarding the ANZAC frigate debate. I also want to thank the Gleisner family who always welcomed me and provided hospitality on my many trips to Wellington to undertake research.

Finally my love and thanks to my wife and family, whose tolerance and patience has known no bounds over the years.