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New Zealand’s Relationship With Our Pacific Neighbours

This week I was part of a Parliamentary delegation to Canberra to discuss the situation in the Pacific. One of the major jobs of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Select Committee this year is to study the region and our role in it.

For the last two decades there has been much trouble in the Pacific; four coups in Fiji, unstable government and a breakdown of law and order in the Solomons, autonomy problems in Bougainville and New Caledonia, downtown Nukualofa being burnt down in riots. Most states are heavily dependent on foreign aid. Very few of them have benefited from the global growth of the last two decades.

One of the revealing features is the engagement of the People’s Republic of China in the region. They now have more diplomats in the region than Australia. Much of this is due to competition with Taiwan, but China also has longer term ambitions, particularly in relation to resources in Papua New Guinea. The Fijian coup leader was quick to play the China card earlier this year.

Some interesting suggestions came up during the trip. Some people mooted the development of an economic union as in Europe, with full interchange of trade, services, investment and people. This would go both ways. Clearly this would have to be staged. Both Australia and New Zealand Parliamentarians agreed that the region will be a challenge for decades to come.

This is our patch. The two governments inevitably play the major role in the region, and we do so together. It is not an optional role. In my particular spokesmanship, Defence, New Zealand must have the capability to effectively engage with land forces and maritime patrol and surveillance. With such a vast region, there is inevitably some specific shaping of our defence force to be able to cope with any eventuality in the region.

Select Committee inquiries can sometimes shape New Zealand’s fundamental policy. This was the case with the “Defence Beyond 2000” report, also undertaken by the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Select Committee during 1997 to 1999. The same opportunity exists now with the report into New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific. It’s time for new thinking and new ideas.

Events
Thursday 21 June
6.30pm to 8.00pm

JONMER Business Centre Boardroom
Level 4 , 95 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna

$25 per person, includes refreshments and hors d’oeuvres

Speaker: Gerry Brownlee, Shadow Leader of the House of Representatives

RSVP: Monday 18 June to 486 0005

Thursday 28 June
7.30pm

PUBLIC MEETING

Takapuna Grammar School
Lake Rd, Takapuna

Topic: Education in New Zealand – How do we improve it?

Speaker: Katherine Rich MP, National Party Spokesperson for Education
1 June 2007

ends

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