Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3860] 
8.  
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (NZ Labour—Mana) 
 to the  
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
: What assistance is New Zealand giving to its Pacific Island neighbours to meet international counter-terrorism standards? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 
: 
 Following last year’s Pacific Forum and the passage of the Nasonini Declaration on regional security New Zealand is now assisting Pacific Forum countries by developing model legislation that addresses transnational crime and counter-terrorism issues. This legislation will be put to the forum leaders for their endorsement at their August meeting this year in Auckland. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: Why is the provision of such assistance in the Pacific region important? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It is important because as members of the United Nations those Pacific countries have an obligation to bring in counter-terrorism legislation under Resolution 1373. Many of the Pacific countries have not ratified United Nations conventions on terrorism and transnational crime and are having trouble developing legislation to do so. By helping them with model legislation we can help them meet their international obligations and in doing so we can help ourselves by protecting New Zealand from potential terrorists who would operate out of those jurisdictions if those protections were not in place. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: What practical steps is New Zealand taking to ensure failed States like the Solomons do not become havens for international terrorism given that passing model legislation in the Solomons might not have quite the desired effect? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It is quite correct that model legislation is only one aspect. With regard to a State like the Solomon Islands the member knows well that New Zealand has worked very hard in that context particularly in terms of policing and good governance and we have a group up there. We also work with all the countries of the Pacific with regard to cooperation in policing immigration and customs. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Minister confirm that the major threat to visitors to the island of Mitiaro in the Cook Islands—and I believe the Minister has had first-hand experience of that threat—comes from the overwhelming physical hospitality of the local women? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I can confirm that in two respects. Firstly they have a tradition of carrying members of Parliament or leaders of delegations on their shoulders on what is called a pata. They were really glad it was me and not Gerry Brownlee. Secondly the nature of the dancing was obviously a physical threat to many of the members who were reluctant to participate. 
Keith Locke 
: Will the assistance the Minister has referred to include strong representations to our Pacific Island neighbours to use full legal process in dealing with alleged terrorists particularly following the furore in Fiji this week over the sudden and arbitrary expulsion of Abdul Majeed a Sudanese cleric who has lived in Fiji for 18 years? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It would be inappropriate to comment on that particular case and perhaps the member will not know all the factors that were involved but certainly we would encourage the Pacific Islands to use due process. We balance the need to take effective action against terrorist organisations with the need to protect the proper civil rights of ordinary people in any jurisdiction. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: As New Zealand still has responsibility for the defence and foreign affairs of at least some of the Pacific States does our action in respect of anti-terrorism moves mean that we also have to accept responsibility for ensuring that those States are free of terrorist activity; if so how will we give effect to that other than through draft legislation? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: There are two countries where New Zealand has some at least theoretical involvement in defence and foreign affairs: Niue and the Cook Islands. The assistance we are giving in model legislation extends to those countries as well as to a wide range of Pacific Forum countries. Equally the assistance we give in terms of working with them at the South Pacific Chiefs of Police meetings the customs organisation meetings that are held regionally immigration and so on is designed to ensure that there are procedures in place that will minimise the ability of terrorists to work out of any of those countries.