Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

UK Minister for Asia Pacific Alok Sharma visits New Zealand

UK Minister for Asia Pacific Alok Sharma visits New Zealand


Alok Sharma will arrive in Auckland today as the first UK minister to visit New Zealand since the EU referendum.

Mr Sharma will meet Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Trade Minister Todd McClay, emphasising the importance of the UK’s relationship with New Zealand in trade and investment, prosperity and security.


He will make a keynote address at the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds – the annual meeting of 30 sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) that collectively manage 80% of all assets managed by SWFs.

He will also meet senior CEOs representing major UK companies and investors and the British New Zealand Business Association (BNZBA) to discuss trade and investment opportunities.

The Minister will hold a roundtable discussion with community representatives of the Pacific Island groups to hear from them about Auckland and New Zealand as a Pacific city and hub, as well as opportunities to work with the UK on issues like good governance and climate change. Mr Sharma will emphasise the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme and discuss the challenges facing Pacific economies with Shane Jones, New Zealand’s Ambassador for Pacific Development.

On Armistice Day (Friday 11 November), Mr Sharma will lay a wreath at Auckland War Memorial Park to commemorate all those who lost their lives in the First World War and in conflicts around the world.

Minister for Asia and the Pacific Alok Sharma said:
I am delighted to be visiting New Zealand. The UK and New Zealand are like-minded friends, key Commonwealth partners and global leaders, who continue to play a central role on the issues that matter.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

As the first UK Minister to visit New Zealand since the European referendum, I look forward to discussing the many opportunities that lie ahead for the UK and New Zealand. The UK is the third largest foreign direct investor in New Zealand and their fifth largest trading partner. We are open for business, and the natural place for New Zealanders to visit, study, invest and trade.

During his visit, Mr Sharma will also meet a number of Auckland MPs and the recently elected Mayor of Auckland, Phil Goff.

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On The Government’s Smokefree Laws Debacle

The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out - for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable view is that the government was being deliberately misleading. Are we to think Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is a fool, or a liar? It seems rather early on in his term of office to be facing that unpleasant choice. Yet when Luxon (and senior MP Chris Bishop) tried to defend the indefensible with the same wildly inaccurate claim, there are not a lot of positive explanations left on the table.... More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.