Hon Chris Penk
Minister for Land Information
Associate Minister of Defence

Land Information Minister and Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk will travel to Antarctica this week to see New Zealand’s scientific and international cooperation efforts on the ice.

“Our scientists carry out globally significant research in one of the most challenging environments in the world, alongside essential conservation work,” Mr Penk says.

The Minister will meet with teams from Antarctica New Zealand and the New Zealand Defence Force who support our scientific programmes.

“I will visit monitoring sites in Antarctica where there is critical instrumentation that informs navigation systems, topographical maps, and nautical charts. I’ll also observe active research that helps us understand land movement,” Mr Penk says.

The visit coincides with the HMNZS Aotearoa’s fuel resupply mission to McMurdo Station, an important contribution by NewZealand to the US-NZ Joint Logistic Pool.

Mr Penk will meet with NZDF staff assisting the mission and offloading the ship, and our closest neighbours, the United States, at McMurdo Station.

“The US is a critical partner in supporting New Zealand’s operations at Scott Base, and we work closely to preserve the region for future generations as a place for peace and science.”

Mr Penk is scheduled to depart from Christchurch on Friday 7 February and is expected to return on Tuesday 11 February.

He is the third Minister to visit Antarctica in recent months, following visits from Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts in November 2024.

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