New Zealand to buy 43 Aussie-designed and built Bushmaster defence vehicles

The New Zealand government has approved the purchase of 43 Bushmaster armoured vehicles, set to be produced in Bendigo, Victoria, by Thales Australia, the Australian subsidiary of French defense technology conglomerate Thales Group. The contract is worth a reported $75 million. Thales Australia claims more than 50 Australian businesses will benefit from this decision, which comes as the NZ government plans to modernise its fleet of dated Army defence vehicles.