Blueprint for new Foreign Affairs Minister

We didn’t have any focus on Foreign Affairs during the election but with a new Minister there is a chance to reset NZ foreign policy and confront some of the big issues.

• Combating Chinese influence in the Pacific: I think two ways NZ could uniquely promote its interests into the Pacific against China could be via Rugby Diplomacy and Journalism. The All Blacks doing a tour of the South Pacific would actually be of huge cultural and sporting importance and something the Government should sponsor with taxpayer dollars to help subsidise the costs to the All Blacks as a sign of respect to the sporting and cultural contribution Pacific Island nations have provided NZ. Why shouldn’t we use Rugby as a diplomatic tool to build standing throughout the Pacific? It’s something China couldn’t match and something NZ could excel at. Likewise Journalism. AUT run the excellent Pacific Media Centre to promote quality Journalism throughout the Pacific. What if NZ saw the promotion of quality Journalism as a craft throughout the Pacific as a strong way to counter corruption and Chinese influence? Scholarships, Pacific News Media websites, support of local ethical journalism these could be the pillars of promoting corruption free politics and holding those Governments to account. Rugby diplomacy and promotion of Journalistic standards throughout the Pacific could counter China and promote NZs strategic interests. We can’t outspend China, but we can play a far smarter game.

 

• Conflict between China & America with NZ being a military target: With Rocket Lab’s launch site a legitimate military target, the push-shove diplomacy in the South China Sea between America and China has every chance of igniting via miscalculation or Trump’s desperation. We are going to have to make a decision between our Economic Overlords and Political Masters.

• The reality of Climate Change: Northland was hit by a 1 in 500 year storm, Auckland is in drought conditions, Siberia is on fire and Antartica is warming more rapidly than believed possible. None of this is even being discussed with the required urgency. Auckland is the largest Pacific Island City and we do little to celebrate or leverage off that. We need to look at offering fundamental migration opportunities for Tuvalu, Tokelau and Kiribati who face the worst impacts of climate change

• The ongoing genocide in West Papua: It is an abomination that the ongoing genocide of the people of West Papua is censored and continues without any condemnation by New Zealand. Our continued fear of angering Indonesia should be a collective shame.

• Our lack of moral leadership against the illegal occupation of Palestine: The brutal and illegal occupation of Palestinian land shows no sign of abatement and the only ethical position is to  recognise Palestine officially with an embassy.

 

• Continued ill treatment of New Zealander’s in Australian custody: New Zealanders continue to be treated like second class citizens in Australia and are still renditioned and forcibly deported to NZ. With the ever looming environmental heatwave that will burn life from Australia, NZ needs to be focused on preventing Australians from swamping us as they begin to flee their furnace blasted future.

 

For a country that bitches about being left off every world map, we will do very little to actually debate foreign affairs policy this election.

 

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