6. Australia—Deportation of New Zealand Citizens Rights of New Zealanders in Australia and Trans-Tasman RelationshipHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsAustralia—Deportation of New Zealand Citizens Rights of New Zealanders in Australia and Trans-Tasman Relationship6. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What are his three greatest priorities for the Foreign Affairs portfolio?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): One restoring the ministry's capabilities after nine years of woeful neglect; two restoring official development assistance capacity from the malignant path of neglect and decline that the Government inherited; and three improving the character and quality of the foreign policy engagement of our country to promote the prosperity and security of all New Zealanders.Hon Gerry Brownlee: What particular areas of the trans-Tasman relationship did he and the Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop discuss in Auckland last week?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Basically how we could dramatically improve our engagement and relationship as two countries that desperately need each other more so than ever since 1946. The Foreign Minister of Australia understands that and that's the beginning of a new pathway forward.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Did he raise with the Australian Foreign Minister his often stated concerns about the way in which New Zealand citizens have been treated by Australians when they are living in Australia?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I can say that generically with respect to two aspects of that the answer is yes and we formed the basis of a future discussion based on fundamental principles and law with which she herself was very familiar.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Does he expect that as a result of his discussions Australia will stop sending criminals who have committed their crimes in Australia back to New Zealand?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: We made it very clear that the situation that we inherited from the previous New Zealand Government which was unattended despite all of those statements of a marvellous buddy relationship between the two Prime Ministers at the time was not going to be the destiny that we were going to accept and we have sought to have a positive agreed way forward. That begins when the Prime Minister meets Prime Minister Turnbull in Australia next month.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Then what does he expect that will mean with regards to the repatriation of Australian criminals to New Zealand?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well we're ambitious for enlightened improvement.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can I just suggest that the Minister has on a number of occasions counselled people that words matter so on this occasion relating to—SPEAKER: Sorry is this a point of order or a question?Hon Gerry Brownlee: No it's a question.SPEAKER: OK. All right. It's just—[Interruption] Hon Gerry Brownlee: Eh? Look you're very good at analysing everybody else's questions; stay with me. The—[Interruption] SPEAKER: No no. I do want to make it clear that the member has had some experience in asking them in the distant past whereas not all of his colleagues have in that way. So take the advice that I gave to his colleague.Hon Gerry Brownlee: In this circumstance relating to this issue what will be the enlightened result he's looking for?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The enlightened result that we are looking forward to is an improvement in our relations so that some of the events that have caused great anxiety to New Zealanders both in Australia and back home do not occur in the future and they start with the Australian political dichotomy of understanding how critical a country called New Zealand is out here in the Pacific with all these major challenges we face. And that's why we're getting our funding up to do our role.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Does that mean that post the Prime Minister's discussions the Australians will stop sending their criminals who have New Zealand citizenship back to New Zealand?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: When you have a situation that you inherited which is one of grave neglect—from the point of view of years of New Zealand neglect—it's a bit rich to expect us in a matter of days to fix it. But what I am very confident about because of the way both the Prime Minister my senior colleagues and I intend to engage with the Australian political system is that there's going to be a serious improvement.