Regional presence depends on deployable fleet depth

Should Australia and New Zealand deploy ships around the South Pacific to show the flag?

Australia has the depth to do so more readily, while New Zealand's smaller fleet makes sustained deployments harder.

Australian show-the-flag deployments in the South Pacific were already part of regional practice. New Zealand's smaller fleet makes every distant deployment harder to sustain. The Royal Navy's reactivated Singapore foothold and expected Commonwealth involvement created another reason for regular Australian visits. Maritime diplomacy depends on enough hulls and bases to maintain deployments without hollowing out other commitments.