We need to talk about Tonga

By
Martyn Bradbury
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30
1194

It is thankful that not more lives have been lost and that NZ has already donated $3m.

But we can’t be under any illusions that the death toll may rise sharply or that vast money will be required.

The true scale of the devastation isn’t quantifiable yet but the magnitude of what lies ahead can’t be dismissed.

This has been a once in a thousand year eruption and the science tells us that these can continue for months so this disruption may only be starting.

The immediate threat is fresh water and contamination of the entire agricultural industry.

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The downstream effects of acid rain and ash pollution will be enormous and stretching.

We need to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge this is going to be an enormous task and we are going to have to view far larger donations and ongoing support.

I often argue that the climate crisis will demand of us a far greater expenditure on the military – this civil defence emergency requiring our military is the exact point I’m making.

We are going to have to accept a far larger aid cost to our Tongan brothers and sisters and we need to start by offering all Tongan overstayers immediate amnesty in NZ and stop all immigration uplifts to Tonga.

This is family and we have an obligation to step up to help them from this incredible natural disaster.

I don’t think we have a true picture of the damage yet.

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30 COMMENTS

  1. Also in the frame is China, who will be looking to use debt diplomacy to increase its foothold in the Pacific and push the West out.

  2. I think we go the whole way with not Just a security, intelligence and military arrangement where we run South Pacific non commissioned and commissioned officers through kiwi Officer training courses, police and fire and medical and so on to.

    But we go all the way with trade pacts, uni, fiscal unions, cheap loans of our own, not China cheap but if the south Pacific wants to own and operate businesses in NZ with the correct climate! Then I want to set up shop in the islands too.

    We don’t just need a strong military, we need a big, strong South Pacific Union with ferries and feeder ships and food and amenities and security of our own.

    • Sam South Pacific Union holding hands, that sort of diversity and unity finding a practical but humanitarian glue is what we need for sure.

  4. we need to start by offering all Tongan overstayers immediate amnesty in NZ and stop all immigration uplifts to Tonga.

    It’s to our shame that we still do that!
    Absolutely it needs to end.
    Also of any other island overstayers – the acid rain is likely to affect all of them, – not to mention climate change with its ever more violent storms and rising tides.
    We are family – Yes.

  5. I sympathize with the nation of Tonga in this tragedy and see in it the opportunity to bring us all under one umbrella … Australia .. New Zealand .. the Pacific Nations including Fiji, Tonga & Samoa. This is long overdue. As commentators so frequently point out, a lot of Tongans already live in New Zealand. Australia and New Zealand have reciprocal agreements so that Australians can live, work and travel in New Zealand for as long as they wish, and vice versa. How long will we point at our differences and gloss over our similarities? Efforts should be made by the governments of the respective nations to unite us as one, call us The Pacific, Oceania, whatever, as long as we are brought closer together.

  6. My 3 trips to Tonga showed a very happy people living 3rd world. Very few houses would get anywhere near building codes, most cars are wrecks on pot holed dirt roads. That’s Nukualofa the capital. It goes downhill from there. But lovely people who are used to cyclone damage and rebuilding their shacks. Supply them with lots of timber, nails and corr. iron and they will rebuild again, sans code.

  7. 100% agree. A revamped navy is in order for precisely these sorts of events. As is greater expenditure on long range air force capacity. Primarily we are a maritime country and a well equipped navy is what we need to patrol our fisheries and provide disaster relief within our sphere of influence which is the south pacific, – not Asia. Even our army should not be left out as a defensive force with boots on the ground. Not to mention the careers and training these services would provide. When we look at Europe, many of those nations still have compulsory military training,… I don’t advocate for that, but certainly advertising and making a viable career in the services attractive enough and ‘normalized’ as a viable career future. Basically, making it high profile .

    We , because of our anti nuke stance, have been snubbed by the old ANZUS agreement partners, its time we stood up, grew up and pushed ahead with our own licks instead of being so vulnerable and reliant on others,- which also, – pushes us into their confrontations.

    As for Tonga, – we should be in there boots and all. Like you say, we are family and there’s going to be much ahead for the Tongan people. Water, food, temporary shelter, medical supplies esp for those with respiratory issues and chronic illness,… all of which will be ongoing past the clean up stage if that volcano keeps on being active for a long time.

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