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Scoop
14 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cook Islands' 60th Anniversary: ‘Who New Zealand Sends, Sends A Message'
Article – RNZ Aotearoa has an opportunity to 'show maturity' as Cook Islands celebrates six decades of self-governance, a Cook Islands political analyst says. Caleb Fotheringham New Zealand has an opportunity to 'show maturity' as Cook Islands celebrates six decades of self-governance, a Cook Islands political analyst says. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters are not going to attend the 60th Constitution Day celebrations in Rarotonga. New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will attend the celebrations instead. The Cook Islands will mark 60 years of being in free association with New Zealand on 4 August. 'Who [New Zealand sends], sends a clear message,' William Numanga, who worked for former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna as a policy analyst, said. 'I think if New Zealand wants to move forward on a lot of things, of course, it should send the Prime Minister.' Last month, New Zealand paused nearly $18.2m in development assistance funding to the Cook Islands, after its government signed several controversial deals with China. Wellington cited a lack of consultation with the Cook Islands as the reason for the pause. Numanga said the two nations relationship troubles had played out publicly, so it is not a shock Luxon is not attending the celebrations. 'I think a lot of people will not be surprised, but a lot of people would want to be able to move forward from where things are at, and hopefully, we can resolve things at the diplomatic level.' In 2015, former Prime Minister Sir John Key attended celebrations marking Cook Islands 50 years anniversary. New Zealand Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, who is one of two Cook Islands MPs in Parliament, said the coalition government should have representatives at the event. 'It is an important milestone in the relationship with the Cook Islands,' he said. 'John Key went 10 years ago, so it is a bit petty, and it is a missed opportunity for dialogue to sort out the differences between the two governments,' he said. Officials from the Cook Islands and New Zealand have been meeting to try and restore the relationship. 'This comes on the back of the unilateral freeze on funding to the Cook Islands and my concern there is, and like a lot of Cook Islanders, is that the Cook Islands won't be able to fund schools, health care and social services,' Tuiono said. 'We have got New Zealand passports, I think the emphasis here actually should be that government should be focusing on patching things up.' Prime Minister Mark Brown said that his government is honoured to have New Zealand Governor-General representing New Zealand at the event. 'We are excited to welcome Dame Cindy Kiro and Dr Davies as they lead the New Zealand delegation for this significant national occasion,' Brown said. 'I look forward to reconnecting with them, following our last meeting in October at Niue's 50th anniversary of self-governance.' Meanwhile, more than 900 Cook Islanders will head to Rarotonga from the outer islands for the 60 years celebrations. Cook Islands News reports that the government has allocated over NZ$4 million to help transport people across the country so they can join in the celebrations next month. For the Southern Group islands, it will be a mix of air and sea travel. For the Northern Group, ships from Tonga and Tuvalu will take people to Rarotonga.
Scoop
15 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cook Islands' 60th Anniversary: 'Who New Zealand Sends, Sends A Message'
New Zealand has an opportunity to "show maturity" as Cook Islands celebrates six decades of self-governance, a Cook Islands political analyst says. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters are not going to attend the 60th Constitution Day celebrations in Rarotonga. New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will attend the celebrations instead. The Cook Islands will mark 60 years of being in free association with New Zealand on 4 August. "Who [New Zealand sends], sends a clear message," William Numanga, who worked for former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna as a policy analyst, said. "I think if New Zealand wants to move forward on a lot of things, of course, it should send the Prime Minister." Last month, New Zealand paused nearly $18.2m in development assistance funding to the Cook Islands, after its government signed several controversial deals with China. Wellington cited a lack of consultation with the Cook Islands as the reason for the pause. Numanga said the two nations relationship troubles had played out publicly, so it is not a shock Luxon is not attending the celebrations. "I think a lot of people will not be surprised, but a lot of people would want to be able to move forward from where things are at, and hopefully, we can resolve things at the diplomatic level." In 2015, former Prime Minister Sir John Key attended celebrations marking Cook Islands 50 years anniversary. New Zealand Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, who is one of two Cook Islands MPs in Parliament, said the coalition government should have representatives at the event. "It is an important milestone in the relationship with the Cook Islands," he said. "John Key went 10 years ago, so it is a bit petty, and it is a missed opportunity for dialogue to sort out the differences between the two governments," he said. Officials from the Cook Islands and New Zealand have been meeting to try and restore the relationship. "This comes on the back of the unilateral freeze on funding to the Cook Islands and my concern there is, and like a lot of Cook Islanders, is that the Cook Islands won't be able to fund schools, health care and social services," Tuiono said. "We have got New Zealand passports, I think the emphasis here actually should be that government should be focusing on patching things up." Prime Minister Mark Brown said that his government is honoured to have New Zealand Governor-General representing New Zealand at the event. "We are excited to welcome Dame Cindy Kiro and Dr Davies as they lead the New Zealand delegation for this significant national occasion," Brown said. "I look forward to reconnecting with them, following our last meeting in October at Niue's 50th anniversary of self-governance." Meanwhile, more than 900 Cook Islanders will head to Rarotonga from the outer islands for the 60 years celebrations. Cook Islands News reports that the government has allocated over NZ$4 million to help transport people across the country so they can join in the celebrations next month. For the Southern Group islands, it will be a mix of air and sea travel. For the Northern Group, ships from Tonga and Tuvalu will take people to Rarotonga.
The Spinoff
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
Greater Wellington must stay the course on its freshwater quality rulebook
Thanks to central government's new freshwater proposals, Greater Wellington Regional Council is voting on whether to proceed with a decade-in-the-making plan designed to improve the health of the region's streams, rivers and harbours. Today, the Greater Wellington Regional Council will vote on whether to proceed, pause or withdraw a new freshwater quality rulebook for the Wellington region. A rulebook that has been at least 10 years in the making, is informed by significant engagement with mana whenua and the community, and has cost residents literally millions of dollars to develop. Why, you may ask, is the council taking this vote at all? Well that would be thanks to recent proposals announced by the government to 'rebalance' our environmental regulation away from nice-to-haves like protecting our environment and back to the basics of protecting economic interests. Not to mention the odd threat from ministers that if councils don't, they'll make 'em. Some have even suggested we should just get rid of regional councils altogether. But before we come to the vote, it's worth recapping the process that led to Wellington's proposed new freshwater rulebook, starting back in the distant mists of time when a chap called John Key was our prime minister. Faced with increased scrutiny on the health of our rivers and lakes – remember phrases like 'dirty dairying' and 'swimmable rivers' regularly appearing in our media? – in 2011 the Key-led government created the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM). In essence, the NPS-FM provided a set of minimum freshwater standards that our regional councils, which are our chief environmental regulators, must implement within their local context. To implement the NPS-FM in its region, Greater Wellington chose to establish the whaitua programme in 2013. The programme saw the region divided into sub-regions – known as whaitua – and in each it established a whaitua committee, made up of representatives of mana whenua, affected councils and the community. The committees were tasked with considering the freshwater issues in their whaitua, current and predicted trends, impediments to progress, and to chart a way towards a more sustainable future. These processes were not once-over-lightlies. Each took several years and significant mana whenua, community and council resources. Committee members were made well aware of the challenges of our water system, and the mind-boggling costs to maintain and upgrade water infrastructure and improve the health of our streams and rivers. The committees produced their blueprints with these challenges and costs at the forefront of their thinking, and, befitting the scale of the challenges, made recommendations that in some instances stretched out decades. The poor state of our urban streams meant that in many instances their short- to medium-term recommendations amounted simply to arresting declining trends or improving quality to the minimum required by the NPS-FM. Plan Change 1, which amends the region's environmental rulebook known as the Natural Resources Plan, gives effect to recommendations of two mostly urban whaitua committees – those that cover the land that drains into the Porirua and Wellington harbours. In planning terms, Plan Change 1 has been publicly notified, consulted on, and is now deep into an expert hearings process. It is the fate of Plan Change 1 that councillors will decide today. Nothing the government has proposed or threatened requires the council to withdraw Plan Change 1, but should central government reform happen, the council may have to revisit some aspects of its rules. Par for the course in environmental planning and regulation. At this stage that is hypothetical anyway, and with an election now a little over a year away, the government may find it runs out of time to make any changes before we head back to the polls. RMA reform is, after all, a historically difficult beast to manage. Depending on how councillors vote today, Wellington could needlessly go back to a set of rules that have not halted declines in water quality across the region and will not miraculously be able to do so now. Not only that but it will be a huge kick in the guts to everyone – mana whenua, communities, councillors and staff – who have given so much of their time to help restore the health of Wellington's rivers, streams and harbours. I hope they vote wisely.
Newsroom
05-06-2025
- Business
- Newsroom
The science sector sounds the alarm
New Zealand's science sector, once hailed for its agility and ingenuity during the pandemic and natural disasters, is now grappling with what researchers say is a crisis of confidence, fuelled by shrinking budgets, unstable funding pathways, and policy decisions that increasingly favour commercial returns over long-term public good. Last month, a total of $212 million was cut from the science sector in this Budget, which reprioritises existing research funding towards commercially focused science and innovation. A sizeable portion goes to Invest NZ and a new gene tech regulator. The Government says it backs the sector and is prioritising industry partnerships, private-sector investment, and 'innovation outcomes with measurable economic impact.' While officials insist the move reflects 'fiscal discipline and real-world alignment,' many in the sector say it amounts to a dismantling of the research base. Newsroom political journalist Fox Meyer tells The Detail 'the scale of the cuts is not great for the sector, but it's also more about the lack of investment'. 'It's one thing to have cuts and reprioritisation, but people have been calling for more of just anything for some time now. Now, there is a lot of frustration. 'Science funding has been stagnant or declining for years now, and a decision to reprioritise stuff is not necessarily going to put money in the Government's pocket like they think.' With a focus on the bottom line, is this the Government pulling off a Sir John Key 'show me the money' moment, with a scientific bent? 'That actually goes both ways,' says Meyer. 'Scientists are looking at the Government saying, 'Show me the money if you want me to produce more money', and the Government is looking back at the scientists and saying, 'Well, you show me the money, what are you bringing in, how are you lifting your weight?'. 'That is going to be a hard one to reconcile unless the Government is willing to pony up and make the investment.' He worries the fall-out will include a 'brain drain' with our country's brightest and best scientists and researchers opting to take up positions overseas. 'My connections in the science world – plenty of them – have moved. 'The chief science adviser for the Department of Conservation has moved to Australia … that's an expert in a cutting-edge field that we have lost to a company in Australia. 'And it's not the only example of this sort of thing. We invest so much in training up these scientists, and they are very skilled scientists, and then to not give them what they are asking for and what they need, I feel it falls short of our own investment.' In fairness, it is not all doom and gloom. 'So, the positives, there is a new funding pool for Māori-related science, that's a good thing. There's the sector-wide report that has come out, which has given us a good look at the sector. We know more now, that's a good thing. And the chief science adviser has been appointed, and the panel around him has been appointed, that's a good thing there.' Meyer says the sector is crucial to all parts of New Zealand. 'The science sector is about answering questions. If you have questions, science is a method, and it is used to answer a lot of those questions … the more money that we put into this sector, the more questions we can answer. And the more questions we can answer, the more answers we can sell. 'If the Government is worried about economic growth, and they want to champion this sector, then you've got to put your money where your mouth is. 'I am going to be curious to see how they can steer the ship of science, when maybe what they are most suited for is selling the fruits of science.' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India welcomes New Zealand's Deputy PM & Foreign Minister Winston Peters for official visit
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) extended a warm welcome to New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, upon his arrival in New Delhi for a two-day official visit. Peters just concluded a two-day visit to Kathmandu, where he was received by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai at the airport, along with other Foreign Ministry officials. In a post on X Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said, 'A warm welcome to DPM & FM @winstonpeters of New Zealand on his arrival in New Delhi for an official visit. This visit reflects the momentum of high level exchanges & will further strengthen the warm and friendly ties between our two countries.' On Friday, May 30, Peters is scheduled to meet JP Nadda, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, at the Hotel Taj Mahal at 3:30 pm. His departure is scheduled for 9:55 pm on the same day. India and New Zealand have historically shared close and cordial ties. Similarities such as membership of the Commonwealth, common law practices and pursuing shared aspirations of achieving economic development and prosperity through democratic governance systems for diverse communities in both countries (NZ prides itself as one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world with 213 ethnicities officially recorded) provide an excellent backdrop for deepening the friendly ties, according to MEA. Tourism and sporting links, particularly in cricket, hockey, and mountaineering, have also significantly facilitated goodwill between the two countries. Both countries share commitments to human rights, global peace, a rules-based international order, ecological preservation, and combating terrorism. People-to-people contacts have flourished since migration from India began around the 1860s. New Zealand has approximately 3,00,000 persons of Indian origin and NRIs, a vast majority of which has made NZ their permanent home. India and New Zealand have shared significant high-level visits over the years, which have strengthened the bilateral relations. In 1968, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited New Zealand, contributing to the strengthening of diplomatic ties between the two nations. In 1986, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited New Zealand, further advancing the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. In 2016, President Pranab Mukherjee conducted a state visit to New Zealand from April 30 to May 2; and in August 2024, President Droupadi Murmu paid a state visit to New Zealand. New Zealand has seen several high-level visits to India, including Prime Minister John Key's state visit from October 25 to 27, 2016. Other notable visits include Prime Minister John Key's visit in June 2011, Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand's visits in January 2011, October 2010, and September 2008, and Prime Minister Helen Clark's visit in October 2004. (ANI)
