Political Roundup: New Zealand resets relationships with Australia and India

• Geoffrey Miller writes – 

The first clues to New Zealand’s foreign policy after Jacinda Ardern are beginning to emerge.

Chris Hipkins, the new Prime Minister, decided to retain Nanaia Mahuta as his foreign minister – and both Hipkins and Mahuta took to the skies last week.

While Hipkins headed to Australia – the customary first destination for an incoming New Zealand Prime Minister – Mahuta flew to India on a surprise trip announced just a day prior to her departure.

In very different contexts, the pair managed to smooth over differences and pave the way for deeper partnerships – which may well involve greater military cooperation.

Mahuta is likely to play a bigger role in New Zealand’s foreign policy in the months to come, not least because Hipkins’ pledge to focus on ‘bread and butter’ economic issues is likely to keep him at home more often, especially as the October 14 election date draws closer.

Media stick with “Turkey” but Mahuta diplomatically announces $1.5m aid using the language authorised by Turkish leaders

Buzz from the Beehive

Announcements on the provision of aid – to Auckland, Turkey and Syria – are recorded on the Beehive website  today along with a statement from the PM about his flying visit to Australia.

This was Chris Hipkins’ first overseas visit since he took office, enabling him to meet Australian Prime Minister Albanese and talk about issues of mutual concern, such as the war in Ukraine, the menace from China and the “501 deportations policy” which the Aussies employ to be rid of undesirable citizens by sending them back to New Zealand regardless of the paucity of their family ties with this country.

The PM’s press statement was headed

Prime Ministers’ meeting reaffirms close trans-Tasman relationship

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today held their first bilateral meeting in Canberra.

Hipkins’ need to strengthen focus on “bread and butter” issues suggests the Ardern team was looking the wrong way

Buzz from the Beehive

Before he announced his Cabinet yesterday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced he would be flying to Australia next week to meet that country’s Prime Minister.

And before Kieran McAnulty had time to say “Three Waters” after his promotion to the Local Government portfolio, he was dishing out more government money to flood-ravaged Auckland as  Minister of Emergency Management.

Hipkins’ travel plans were announced  in a statement headed –

Prime Minister to meet with PM Albanese

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.

Economic issues are on the agenda along with security issues within the bilateral relationship and engagement in the Pacific and wider Indo-Pacific regions.

Govt delivers more goodies and a Treaty apology – but the big news is that it has pulled the plug on Three Waters entrenchment clause

Buzz from the Beehive

The government hadn’t finished a beneficent day or so of handouts, when we filed our previous Buzz from the Beehive on Friday.

Lots of goodies had been up for grabs during that day, but geography, ethnicity and occupations largely determined who would benefit.

The same considerations loomed large in two subsequent announcements – 

Funding boost for kaupapa Māori response to homelessness

Associate Minister of Housing (Homelessness) Marama Davidson has announced a significant funding boost today for kaupapa Māori approaches that support whānau into housing.

And…

10 new whare for Ngāi Tāmanuhiri kaumātua and whānau in Te Muriwai

Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare joined Ngāi Tāmanuhiri and the wider Toitū Tairāwhiti collective, at the opening of 10 new homes built for kaumātua and whānau in Muriwai today.

 But handouts for a favoured few (fair to say) accounted for just two of the latest bunch of press statements from the Beehive.

Mahuta pumps millions into the Cooks while colleagues attend Pacific defence meeting in Tonga and protect Niue’s language

Buzz from the Beehive

There has been a strong Pacific thrust to the weekend news from the Beehive, with ministerial press statements referring to investments, policies and meetings involving the  Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has been dishing out and/or reaffirming the investments of millions  of dollars during her visit to the Cook Islands as well as signing a new Statement of Partnership between New Zealand and the Cooks.

She confirmed a $7.5 million New Zealand government contribution to upgrade solar farms in the Northern Group of the Cook Islands, part of the 2022-2025 international climate commitment.

 “It will see renewable energy grids upgraded, support for maintenance, and provide financial stability for technology and electricity supplies” Mahuta said.

McAnulty mentions “democracy” as he braces to meet local authority leaders – and maybe he will dive into Three Waters issues

Buzz from the Beehive

Amidst a raft of statements that crow about government achievements and/or bray about new initiatives, Point of Order found an oddity:  a statement from the newly minted Associate Minister of Local Government who intends to meet local government leaders around the country to talk about this, that and …

Well, surely he will want to talk (if not listen) about Three Waters and explain the influence that will be wielded by the sister of his colleague,  Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta,

But the press statement only hinted that  Three Waters would be on the agenda.

The crowing and braying statements, of course, were much less puzzling.

Dishing out awards to volunteers should have been a calming chore for Minister in charge of highly stressed health system

Buzz from the Beehive

We introduced our Buzz report yesterday by observing that while Health Minister Andrew Little was announcing the launch of a meth addiction service in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, two of his colleagues were dealing with global issues.

We introduce today’s Buzz with much the same sentence.  While Andrew Little was at an awards ceremony to celebrate winners of this year’s Minister of Health Volunteer Awards, two of his colleagues were dealing with global issues  – the PM announced plans to travel to Europe and Australia “for a range of trade, tourism and foreign policy events”; Trade Minister Damien O’Connor will travel to Europe, Canada and Australia “to advance New Zealand’s economic interests”.

The PM’s travel plans most notably include her attendance of a session of the NATO Summit along with leaders from Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The awards ceremony in Parliament’s Grand Hall would have provided Little with an hour or so of relief from a slew of challenges within his portfolio and a daily flow of adverse news media reports –

While some talk of recession, Nash has cheering news (and a $54m trough) for the tourism sector – or for favoured operators, at least

Buzz from the Beehive

Businesspeople gathered in Christchurch for a national trade show called MEETINGS were treated to a cheering-up speech from Stuart Nash, Minister of Economic and Regional Development and of Tourism.

MEETINGS is described as the only national tradeshow in New Zealand for the business events industry, organised by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA). Once a year, the conference, meetings and events, exhibition and travel incentive sector come together to discuss new business opportunities across the country.

And – in this case – they heard from Nash about the sums the government is providing to boost the industry.  A trough, in other words.

More ominously (if you happen to be bothered about the futures of industries which become subjected to central planning) he enthused about the government’s strategy for the tourist sector and policies which determine what sort of tourists should be encouraged to come here.  

It was the same day that StatsNZ added to a stream of disquieting economic news (a 10 per cent rise in food prices, a stock market crash and so on)  by reporting New Zealand’s GDP fell 0.2 per cent in the March 2022 quarter, worse than most economists had forecast.

No abusive responses to this post, please, but shouldn’t the interests of Seniors be looked after by a more mature Minister?

Buzz from the Beehive

Efforts to buttress New Zealand’s relationships with our South Pacific neighbours are reflected in two announcements from the Beehive.  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she had a warm and productive meeting with Samoa’ Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, in Wellington yesterday and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said tomorrow she will welcome Penny Wong on her first official visit to New Zealand as Australia’s Foreign Minister.

The Prime Ministers issued a Joint Statement acknowledging “strong cooperation” on COVID-19 and vaccines, a commitment to work together to navigate post-pandemic economic challenges, the importance of regional unity, and the pre-eminent role of existing regional architecture, such as the Pacific Island Forum.

They also agreed to strengthen cooperation on climate change.

Mahuta echoed this, saying she looked forward to talking to the new Foreign Minister on Australia’s climate change agenda and further ways of assisting Pacific Island nations on mitigation and adaptation measures.

Check out the order of matters discussed by Ardern and Albanese: deportations from Australia were “also” on the agenda

Buzz from the Beehive

New Zealand’s relationships with other countries have been a feature of an outpouring of press statements and speeches from the Beehive over the past 24 hours.

The PM checked in from overseas, the Minister of Trade is headed overseas,  the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed a bunch of diplomats from overseas, the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety brayed about a ruling from overseas, and (a second statement from him) the Minister of Trade brandished a report from overseas.

The most important of those was the press release after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held their first bilateral meeting in Sydney.

The most contentious issue on the agenda – and the matter of most interest to news media in this country – was mentioned almost as an afterthought: