Wall LouisaLOUISA WALL (Labour—Manurewa): Tēnā koe Madam Chair. Tēnā koutou katoa. It's a pleasure to be a member of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee. Our responsibilities are to oversee Vote Customs Vote Defence Vote Defence Force Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote Official Development Assistance. It is in fact the last two that I mentioned that I'd like to focus on tonight: so Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote Official Development Assistance. Essentially I've chosen to focus on those and I'll start with the Pacific reset because the Pacific reset actually provides the context for much discussion within the committee at the moment about our official development assistance within a context of us valuing our Pacific brothers and sisters. I'll start there because actually that is why we have had an emphasis on our aid money going into the region and also trying to reframe the historical relationship we have had with the Pacific in terms of assisting and developing their dreams and aspirations.One of those dreams and aspirations obviously which was emphasized by the Minister of Foreign Affairs when he spoke to the committee was our commitment to climate change. So it's been very significant recently. We have had the Pacific Islands Forum. Obviously within that context we as a country have pledged $150 million of $300 million that we've highlighted for official overseas development to ensure that the Pacific is fit to meet the demands of climate change. It's specifically and exclusively for projects such as climate hazard mapping. We currently have initiatives in Tokelau and the Marshall Islands. It is to provide for risk planning in terms of energy production and energy efficiency sources so that these Pacific nations can be self-sufficient. So essentially our commitment is how can we help Pacific people to defend their homes and their livelihoods? I think as we move into the future that's going to be an area that we will have to emphasize more and more unfortunately because climate change does exist.One of the other things I wanted to highlight in terms of the kōrero that we had before the committee—there's a nice-headed contribution called Bipartisanship in foreign affairs". One of the things the Minister said when he presented to the committee was that he hoped that there will be further Opposition input into foreign policy in the future. But I do want to specifically highlight that the reason there isn't as much as we would expect or we would like is because we who aren't in the executive are constrained by a lack of information to members outside of the executive. I wanted to put that on the table because I think there's always been a willingness in foreign affairs for us to collaborate and for us to work together. But obviously if there are constraints or Cabinet conventions then that's not always possible.One of the things that have happened in this last year was the opening of new embassies. I particularly wanted to emphasise the opening of our embassy in Ireland. We've never had an embassy in Ireland and I think the fact that we have prioritised that embassy in this particular year which started with an announcement in March 2017 by the previous Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully highlights how important we see Ireland as in terms of developing a relationship—particularly in the racing industry I noted. That is going to enhance our ability hopefully to have trade agreements that are going to be beneficial not only to our country but to those in Ireland and also in Europe where we have historic connections. I just want to focus on one last issue and it was an emphasis on West Papua. So there is an acknowledgment by the Minister of Foreign Affairs that we have an issue in West Papua. Recent days have highlighted some of the military operations in that particular part of Indonesia and so I want to put on the table that the Minister has raised these issues. We as a country are incredibly interested in what's happening within that region and so there is a willingness for us to engage with the Indonesian Government to ensure that there isn't any harm happening to the inhabitants. Kia ora."