- pl anned ▁modification ▁to ▁carry ▁hel ic op ters , ▁was ▁a ▁concern . ▁Appro val ▁was ▁sought ▁from ▁Cab inet ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁purchase ▁a ▁ship , ▁although ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁buy ▁a ▁new - build ▁or ▁second - hand ▁vessel ▁was ▁un resol ved . ▁The ▁Australian ▁government ▁offered ▁to ▁le ase ▁or ▁sell ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Navy ' s ▁heavy ▁lift ▁ship , ▁, ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ers ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 3 ; ▁although ▁the ▁offer ▁was ▁respond ed ▁to ▁fav ou rab ly , ▁it ▁was ▁rejected ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁lower ▁cargo ▁capacity ▁and ▁higher ▁personnel ▁requirement ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁Mer c and ian ▁design , ▁despite ▁Tob ru ks ▁cap ability ▁for ▁beach ▁land ings .< ref > Gre ener , ▁Tim ing ▁is ▁Everything , ▁pp . ▁ 5 5 - 9 </ ref > ▁ ▁The ▁decision ▁to ▁ac quire ▁a ▁second - hand ▁Mer c and ian ▁ 2 - in - 1 ▁class ▁ship ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁R ugg ▁and ▁Co ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁such ▁ships ▁available ; ▁they ▁ad vised ▁that ▁the ▁only ▁ship ▁available ▁was ▁Mer c and ian ▁Queen ▁II , ▁which ▁had ▁just ▁come ▁back ▁onto ▁the ▁market ▁after ▁a ▁previous ▁sale ▁fell ▁through , ▁and ▁Cab inet ▁appro val ▁was ▁secured ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁purchased ▁from ▁Mer