A discussion is very much needed of both Nanaia Mahuta’s speech and New Zealand’s participation in Five Eyes. There has been considerable commentary from politicians and those in the media, some a little surprising. Two factors are at play here. One is the responsibility incurred when a country, in this case, New Zealand, is a member of a group and the other is the diplomatic tightrope that needs to be walked when the other country involved, China, is your largest trading partner. How far do you go before the risk of offending becomes too great?
Heather du Plessis Allan, who presents an excellent show on Newstalk ZB, made two main points in connection with Mahuta’s speech. First, she said, there was a message to exporters of the need to diversify and not rely on just one market. I agree, although I doubt there isn’t an exporter that hasn’t already worked that out. These people don’t need to be told, by an outfit patently ignorant of how business works, how to suck eggs. The second point Heather made was that she thinks all the subsequent bad press globally is simply a beat up on Jacinda Ardern. While agreeing that Ardern deserves it, I respectfully suggest to Heather that was not the case.
There is also an argument within an argument concerning the role of the Five Eyes. Until now it has been simply a security intelligence sharing arrangement between the member countries. The edicts the group have issued in regard to China’s human rights issues, which we have not signed up to, appear to broaden that role somewhat to include matters more of a foreign affairs nature. Is this expansion of the Five Eyes responsibilities wrong in the context of the reason for the group’s founding? Can it be argued that calling China out on its human rights abuses is something the Five Eyes should involve themselves in?
It would appear that those criticising Mahuta’s speech certainly thinks so. Heather points out, quite rightly, that they are all on the right side of politics. In that group, you can also include Judith Collins who fortunately has enough nous to realise the possible negative outcomes for New Zealand in terms of our membership of the group. Cast your mind back to 1984 when we were thrown out of ANZUS and deprived of security intelligence information. We are getting into the same risky situation here. We are grossly naïve if we think the same thing can’t or won’t happen again. The parallels are certainly there including a Labour Government.
The other member countries will tolerate this behaviour for a while but the time will come when questions will be asked as to where we sit with regard to our membership. If the Five Eyes has decided to broaden its role then we will be expected to follow suit. Playing the mouse that roared will not be a long term option. There are those, as with ANZUS, who will see this as being told what to do and argue that we should protect our independence. That’s fine if you are on your own, but in this instance we are not and we will be expected to play by the rules.
Apart from the fact it was a dreadful speech, there is no doubt this government is very happy to cosy up to China and not just for reasons of trade. There is also the United Nations agenda they are wedded to. The substance of the speech, if indeed there was any, was very much about not wanting to offend China. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from that is that we have chosen to put trade before human rights. Is this the path we should be following? People like Nigel Farage and Andrew Bolt certainly don’t think so, nor do what little of the right-wing press still survives. China, according to their press releases, was very happy with it.
Here’s where we have played right into China’s hands, intentionally or otherwise. What we have done by taking the stance we have is given China the one opportunity they want, which is to drive a wedge between the members of the group.
What a gift! This crowd, who are so ignorant in every area of government, have proven themselves to be so yet again. Nanaia Mahuta might think a metaphor for diplomacy is a taniwha courting a dragon but that is arrant nonsense worthy of nothing but perhaps an episode of Play School.
This situation has come about because we have a government of misfits, more intent on turning this country into the China of the South Pacific by taking away our human rights than on taking China to task over theirs.
The way the world is going in 2021, particularly with regard to China, means that security and foreign affairs will inevitably become more interlinked. Our government is proving that this is something that is well beyond their combined wits.
What a disgrace!
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