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2 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark Blames Cook Islands For Creating A Crisis
Article – RNZ Helen Clark says the Cook Islands government entered into a strategic partnership with a major power nation – China – without consulting New Zealand. Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Producer Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the Cook Islands, a realm of New Zealand, caused a crisis for itself by not consulting Wellington before signing a deal with China. The New Zealand government has paused more than $18 million in development assistance to the Cook Islands after the latter failed to provide satisfactory answers to Aotearoa's questions about its partnership agreement with Beijing. The Cook Islands is in free association with New Zealand and governs its own affairs. But New Zealand provides assistance with foreign affairs (upon request), disaster relief, and defence. The 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration signed between the two nations requires them to consult each other on defence and security, which Winston Peters said had not been honoured. Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown both have a difference of opinion on the level of consultation required between the two nations on such matters. 'There is no way that the 2001 declaration envisaged that Cook Islands would enter into a strategic partnership with a great power behind New Zealand's back,' Clark told RNZ Pacific on Thursday. Clark was a signatory of the 2001 agreement with the Cook Islands as New Zealand prime minister at the time. 'It is the Cook Islands government's actions which have created this crisis,' she said. 'The urgent need now is for face-to-face dialogue at a high level to mend the NZ-CI relationship.' Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has downplayed the pause in funding to the Cook Islands during his second day of his trip to China. Brown told parliament on Thursday (Wednesday, Cook Islands time) that his government knew the funding cut was coming. He also suggested a double standard, pointing out that New Zealand has entered also deals with China that the Cook Islands was not 'privy to or being consulted on'. A Pacific law expert says that, while New Zealand has every right to withhold its aid to the Cook Islands, the way it is going about it will not endear it to Pacific nations. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) senior law lecturer and a former Pacific Islands Forum advisor Sione Tekiteki told RNZ Pacific that for Aotearoa to keep highlighting that it is 'a Pacific country and yet posture like the United States gives mixed messages'. 'Obviously, Pacific nations in true Pacific fashion will not say much, but they are indeed thinking it,' Tekiteki said. Since day dot there has been a misunderstanding on what the 2001 agreement legally required New Zealand and Cook Islands to consult on, and the word consultation has become somewhat of a sticking point. The latest statement from the Cook Islands government confirms it is still a discrepancy both sides want to hash out. 'There has been a breakdown and difference in the interpretation of the consultation requirements committed to by the two governments in the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration,' the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) said. 'An issue that the Cook Islands is determined to address as a matter of urgency'. Tekiteki said that, unlike a treaty, the 2001 declaration was not 'legally binding' per se but serves more to express the intentions, principles and commitments of the parties to work together in 'recognition of the close traditional, cultural and social ties that have existed between the two countries for many hundreds of years'. He said the declaration made it explicitly clear that Cook Islands had full conduct of its foreign affairs, capacity to enter treaties and international agreements in its own right and full competence of its defence and security. However, he added that there was a commitment of the parties to 'consult regularly'. This, for Clark, the New Zealand leader who signed the all-important agreement more than two decades ago, this is where Brown misstepped. Clark previously labelled the Cook Islands-China deal 'clandestine' which has 'damaged' its relationship with New Zealand. RNZ Pacific contacted the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment but was advised by the MFAI secretary that they are not currently accommodating interviews.
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Government, Opposition Scrap Over Common Infrastructure Ground
Article – RNZ Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has agreed to work with his counterparts on the 30-year plan, but the discussion got heated. A reference to $250,000 was corrected to $250 million in this story. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has committed to working directly with the Opposition, when putting together the Government's response to the 30-year infrastructure plan due out next week. He says that co-operation comes on the proviso that infrastructure decisions are always political in nature – and it did not stop the discussion from repeatedly descending into a fingerpointing tit-for-tat over which government was to blame for what. Labour housing, infrastructure and public investment spokesperson Kieran McAnulty kicked off the scrutiny week select committee hearing on Thursday afternoon, making an effort to 'start on a positive note' on how bipartisanship could work for infrastructure policy, suggesting that would provide more certainty to the sector. 'I agree,' Bishop said. 'That's part of the reason why we campaigned on a 30-year national infrastructure plan being developed in government.' The plan has been developed independently by the Infrastructure Commission since late 2023 and is due to be launched at Parliament next week, with the government required to respond within six months. Bishop said he planned a Parliamentary debate, so all the political parties' views could be included in that response, but McAnulty wanted more. 'At the moment, frankly, the attitude of some ministers of bipartisanship is, 'We'll work with you, if you agree with us', and I don't think that's good enough,' he said, garnering an emphatic 'yeah' from Green MP Julie Anne Genter. Bishop said completely depoliticising infrastructure was not possible, which was to be expected in a democracy. 'You know, if we all agreed, this would be a fairly boring place,' he said. McAnulty agreed with an agreement to disagree. 'We think some of the things you've done are stupid… what I would like to see is a commitment,' he said. 'There's an opportunity there to work with the other side to actually identify where there is broad agreement and include that in your response.' More than just a debate, he wanted the response to include an explanation of which infrastructure projects the government and opposition parties agreed on. Bishop: 'I'm happy to commit to that now. Just making the obvious point … we may not always agree. 'For example, you guys have got to figure out where you're at on PPPs, for example, because you've had about nine different positions. McAnulty: 'We know where we're at with that.' Bishop: 'You sure?' McAnulty: 'Yes, I am actually… this is one of the things that I'm actually trying to avoid, right, is that we can't help ourselves. 'This is the game we're in. We talk about bipartisanship, but we also take every opportunity to have a crack at each other.' Bishop: 'Well, you just said some of the stuff we've done was stupid.' McAnulty: 'Exactly my point, we can't help ourselves.' Bishop said parties could agree on a lot, when it came to infrastructure, and 'sometimes there's a bit more heat than light in this debate'. McAnulty said he did not think the public would know that. The minister pressed on, deferring to Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper to explain the projects expected across the country from about 110 organisations, including all but 14 of the country's councils. The result was a list showing investment worth $206 billion, broken down by region and sector, which Cooper said started to paint a much clearer picture of investment. 'The point is to have… almost a single source of truth for what's in the pipeline,' Bishop said. Committee chair Andy Foster – a former Wellington mayor – said the information should be included in councils' long-term plans and they should be contributing. Bishop had an easy solution. 'Well, if they don't do it, we can just mandate that they do it – but I'd rather not, because that takes time and money,' he said. 'I'd rather they just do it.' 'Enough of those mandates for councils,' interjected Labour local government spokesperson Tangi Utikere. 'We make them do all sorts of things for the right reasons and this would be the same thing,' Bishop responded. Clashes over cancellations While the first half hour was not entirely bonhomie, unicorns and rainbows, the verbal finger pointing was surely on show in the second half of Bishop's appearance. McAnulty asked if the minister accepted cancelling projects across successive governments had affected sector confidence. 'Depends exactly what you're talking about,' Bishop said. 'I accept that, after 2017, the radical change in direction of the National Land Transport Plan at the time had a significant impact.' 'So you're willing to say that one government cancelled projects that had an effect, but you're not willing to concede that you guys cancelling projects has?' McAnulty responded. Bishop said it showed the limits of bipartisanship. 'Our view was that they're the wrong projects for the country, he said. 'Depends which one, but generally too expensive, not good value for money, in some cases undeliverable. 'It was the right thing to do to say, 'You know what, we're actually just not going to proceed with that'.' Genter said many council projects were also defunded under the coalition and the iReX ferry replacement could have been rescoped, rather than dumped. Predictably, this kicked off a four-minute cancellation-measuring contest – which government cancelled more projects? Who cancelled more projects that were already contracted? 'You can have an intention to do something, it doesn't mean it will end up happening,' Bishop concluded – or seemed to. 'The last government lived in fiscal fantasy land.' 'Only because your government made a decision to give billions of dollars to landlords,' Genter fired back. Foster was eager to move on, asking Bishop about whether Kāinga Ora had managed to bring social housing build costs down to the same level as private developers – a topic well traversed in the last scrutiny week in December. The minister did not have the latest numbers, 'because this is not the vote Housing and Urban Development estimates', but the agency was making 'good progress' and would report back on that publicly. He and Utikere then argued some more over the roughly $250 million allocated for cancellation of the ferries contract – whether that was part of Bishop's responsibilities – with Bishop saying it belonged to Rail Minister Winston Peters and Utikere saying, when they'd asked Peters, he'd referred it to Bishop. Utikere: 'And the minister doesn't even know … that's very disappointing.' Bishop: 'Yes. So's your behaviour.' Utikere: 'No, it's not actually, minister, my behaviour is about scrutinising the executive – that is our responsibility. 'It is disappointing that you don't know the answer to just over a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of taxpayers money that has been set aside in your Budget.' Foster stepped in again, suggesting Bishop's answer was that it was best for his ministerial staff to provide an answer and they did. Treasury deputy secretary Leilani Frew said negotiations for the ferry contract exit were still continuing, as well as wind-down costs. The discussion soon wound down too – after a series of patsy questions and a discussion about the causes of 15,000 fewer people being employed in construction. Bishop argued it was an expected side-effect of bringing down the official cash rate, which would – in turn – have the biggest effect on reinvigorating the sector, McAnulty argued housing could be an avenue for stimulating growth. In the end, the public got a commitment to bipartisanship. Whether it lasts remains to be seen, but investors watching this scrappy select committee may be hesitant to bet the house on it.
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Business
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Dump Shop Rescues Items To Kit Out Homes For Struggling Families: ‘It Means Everything'
Article – Kira Carrington – Local Democracy Reporter Staff at The Dump Shop in Blenheim have been flat out, connecting households in need with furniture and appliances that were destined for the dump. Staff at The Dump Shop in Blenheim have been flat out, connecting households in need with furniture and appliances that were destined for the dump. JBL Environmental Ltd has been running the Unwanted Goods Project since it was contracted by Marlborough District Council to take over the shop formerly known as the Blenheim Re-use Centre on Wither Road, in July 2024. The aim is to divert usable items from waste for their many customers across Marlborough both those looking for a bargain, and those in urgent need of furniture, appliances and other basic household items. Managing director Chloe Abernethy said they had never found themselves short on donations. 'There's a really positive engagement with the community, they've been so supportive of us,' Abernethy said. 'When we went for this contract, our biggest goal was to just try and divert as much as possible [from landfill] and get it back out to the community. 'We try to not reject anything from anyone. We try to take as much as possible.' The service was particularly handy for people who did not have a truck or trailer to drop off or pick up items, she said. The service was free of charge. JBL operations manager Jabian Takarua said the project worked with organisations such as Women's Refuge, Work and Income, and Christchurch City Mission, sometimes kitting out families with a whole household's worth of items. 'It's an awesome feeling,' Takarua said. 'When you can grab this resource from seniors that would otherwise have to throw it in the rubbish … going to a family that's got nothing from the Hawke's Bay floods the other year, and coming down here trying to survive … it means everything. 'One man's trash, another man's treasure.' Gateway Housing Trust, which managed 16 transitional homes in Blenheim, worked with the project to secure household items for families leaving the service and moving into permanent homes. The trust's housing navigators Karyn and Carmel (who did not give their last names for privacy reasons) said they could not praise the project enough. 'Most of our families … they don't have a thing [when they leave], because all our units are fully furnished,' Karyn said. 'So when they go to move [out], they have nothing.' With eight families currently in the process of moving out, the trust reached out to The Dump Shop for help, and the team was able to spend last weekend organising furniture and household goods for the trust. They then put together starter kits to give to Gateway's families, made up of plates, pots, pans, sheets, pillow slips, and towels. 'I think JBL do an amazing job for our community and for our people,' Carmel said. Along with the Unwanted Goods Project, The Dump Shop's initiatives to divert waste included soft plastic recycling, a pallet recovery scheme, and even repurposing a tomato farm's coconut peat mulch. They planned to do even more community outreach and launch more projects, such as a construction and demolition waste recovery scheme. 'We've always said if we got kicked out of a job because there was no waste, then that would be a great day,' Abernethy said. 'We've done our job.' Collection and delivery forms were available by searching for the Unwanted Goods Project on the Marlborough District Council website.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Appeal For Information Following Assault In Porirua
Detective Sergeant Ben Evans, Wellington District CIB: Wellington Police are investigating an assault on a female in Porirua on Wednesday 18 June. The incident occurred around halfway up the stairs of the Rangituhi/Colonial Knob walking track at around 3:30pm. Rangithui/Colonial Knob is a popular walking area, and we understand this incident may cause some concern. Police will be conducting reassurance patrols in the area in the coming days. This is a deeply concerning incident, and Police are offering support to the victim, who is understandably shaken. Police are following positive lines of enquiry, but are seeking the public's assistance to help locate the alleged offender. The man was wearing a dark-coloured long sleeve top, dark-coloured track pants and a cap. If you were in the area at the time or have any footage of a person matching the above description, please contact Police. You can report information to Police via 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 250618/1395. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. We'd also like to remind people to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to Police, by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- General
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Ngā Pou o Heretaunga return to Hastings Civic Square after restoration
Ngā Pou o Heretaunga have returned to Civic Square in Hastings. Project manager Te Uira Tōmoana, who is working on behalf of Ngā Marae o Heretaunga Charitable Trust, said the pou are more than carvings. "They are living expressions of whakapapa, mana and whanaungatanga. Their return to the square brings a renewed sense of presence and strength," Tōmoana said. "This kaupapa has been led with aroha and deep care by our carvers, whānau and marae," Tōmoana said. Carved by tohunga whakairo and owned by their respective marae within the district of Hastings, 18 of the pou were unveiled in 2013. Since then, they have stood as cultural markers of identity, whakapapa and unity in the heart of Hastings city. A 19th pou was gifted by the Queen of Rarotonga, Pā Ariki, in 2017 and represents the strong connection between Ngāti Kahungunu and the Takitumu region of Rarotonga. In February of this year, each pou was taken back to its marae to undergo inspection and any necessary maintenance. This is the first full collective check and restoration since their installation. One pou remains offsite for additional work. Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the council was proud to support the rededication and acknowledged the ongoing guardianship of the pou by mana whenua. "We are privileged to have them returned to the heart of our city," she said. The pou are complemented by new landscaping and maintenance of Civic Square, including the replacement of the 50-year-old pavers, which had become a safety risk. The project cost just under $1 million. Artist collective Iwi Toi Kahungunu developed the tile design, which reflects "unity in Hastings' diversity" and includes a special pattern that pays tribute to the WWI and WWII memorials in the square. The pou were to be rededicated at a dawn ceremony on Friday morning.
