KEY POINTS:
About 30 naval shells used by the Anzac frigates Te Kaha and Te Mana and valued at $120,000, were written off after they were damaged by water coming through the roof of a leaky warehouse, a defence report has revealed.
The Ministry of Defence said the country's military ordnance, including missiles, guns, bombs, explosives and ammunition worth $155 million, was being stored in leaky warehouses with poor security.
The report, details of which were published in today's Dominion Post, said the Kauri Point warehouse, which stores most of the navy's ordnance on the northern side of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, was leaking so badly 30 shells used on the Anzac frigates' main guns had to be written off after they were damaged by water.
The report also revealed Kauri Point had poor security fencing.
It said all but five of the military's 120 weapons storehouses were built before or during World War 2 and nearly half were "unserviceable".
Kauri Point consists of a series of 41 storehouses scattered around a large military site but only two were in good condition.
The report also said the air force's bulk depot at Ohakea could hold only small arms ammunition and pyrotechnics, like flares because of safety concerns.
The air force's bombs, torpedoes and depth charges were stored by the navy in tunnels at Whangaparaoa north of Auckland.
The army depot at Glentunnel, near Christchurch, was well fenced and security was adequate.
A defence spokesman told The Dominion Post issues raised in the report would be looked at later this year.
- NZPA
