11. Question No. 11—Foreign AffairsHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 11—Foreign Affairs11. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does she have a plan for ongoing engagement with Pacific countries currently considering the China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision; if so when will we learn about it?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Foreign Affairs): Fa'afetai lava Mr Speaker. Let me start by acknowledging Samoan Language Week in this the 60th year since Samoa's independence. I can assure the member we are continuing our already deep relationship with the Pacific. In the first term of our Government's tenure my predecessor initiated the Pacific Reset. We are ramping up our focus on resilience priorities because the compounding impacts of COVID-19 and climate change require a renewed emphasis of Pacific-led solutions. New Zealand will be a consistent trusted and reliable partner in the way we seek to ensure that the approach has bilateral and regional benefits better coordinated multilateral support for Pacific development and climate change challenges and builds regional peace prosperity and stability. That is why we respect a Pacific-led agenda that has regional benefits.Hon Gerry Brownlee: When did the Minister's ministry—their Pacific-based or Beijing-based diplomats—first report that China was proposing the China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: It has always been a prospect that China would put a vision or a strategy to the Pacific. The Pacific is contested space and we have to remember that not so long ago Secretary of State Blinken from the US also visited the Pacific with a set of opportunities. So going back precisely to the nature of the question can I say that it became evident to New Zealand around the time that the Pacific were made aware there was an interest by Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit eight Pacific nations in a very short period of time that we had greater detail about the intention.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Why is it that the Australian newly minted Foreign Minister was within one day of being granted her warrant able to get into the Pacific to discuss this proposal in Fiji and our own Minister has not even commented greatly on it at this point?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I'm not going to over-sensitise this but the time that the newly elected Foreign Minister for Australia came into her office the borders of Fiji were opened. You might recall that as soon as the borders opened in Fiji and I was able to travel not only did I go to Fiji but also the Minister of Defence and we also have the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs going up very shortly to Fiji to discuss relevant issues for the region in terms of our bilateral relationship as well.Brooke van Velden: Why is she still here and not visiting the Pacific?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I want to be really clear. I've engaged with leaders of the Pacific all throughout a really difficult time. During the two years of COVID when borders were closed we had to use virtual platforms to engage with the Pacific. My first Pacific Islands Forum was conducted online. When borders opened up I travelled to Fiji to ensure not only that we could signal the importance of the bilateral relationship with Fiji but the regional contribution that Fiji is making as secretariat to the Pacific Islands Forum. Can I also be clear that when Prime Minister Brown was able to come to New Zealand when his borders opened up and the quarantine arrangements allowed he came here and we hosted him on his inaugural visit. I intend to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum. I have signalled at my most recent bilateral with Foreign Minister Manele when his diary permits we will meet in person and I have also signalled that there are ample opportunities in particular meetings coming up such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum for us to continue our strong relationship. We have a strong relationship with the Pacific. I'm really disappointed that members across that part of the House are trying to talk it down.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: Faafetai tele lau afioga Fofoga Fetalai. Fesili faaopoopo. In her engagement with our Pacific Island neighbours over the last 19 months what are their biggest concerns and how is she responding to those?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: If you ask Pacific nations what the single biggest threat to regional security is they have the same answer: it is climate change. That is why we're providing $1.3 billion in climate finance over the next four years—a solid commitment. At least half of this will go to the Pacific to support their work to adapt to the impacts of climate change. My colleagues in the region have outlined that their second biggest concern is economic recovery after COVID-19 and my observation is that the compounding levels of debt across Pacific nations increases their vulnerability. We need to do something about it. I'm proud of the way that we stood alongside our Pacific neighbours and partners throughout the pandemic. In the last two years we've provided 1.34 million COVID-19 vaccine doses across the Pacific and committed $325 million in additional Budget support to Pacific countries. Overall aid to the Pacific—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member has answered the question.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If the Minister is not immediately travelling into the Pacific to talk to those nations who have considered the common development vision proposed by China how many of those 10 countries' leaders has the Minister contacted by Zoom or by phone in the last 72 hours?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I can provide a list because I have had a number of engagements by Zoom and by phone and in particular in response to significant aspects of their needs at a very critical time. Take for example our response to the Solomons and the unrest that occurred there. Take for example the Tongan eruption and the regular cyclone events that occur in the Pacific. We are in regular contact. The relationship is strong.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I'm sorry to interrupt the Minister but she clearly didn't hear the question. In the last 72 months she may have had a lot of contact with Pacific Islands. Really the question was about the last 72 hours since the better understanding about the common development vision was understood.DEPUTY SPEAKER: And one could reasonably apply anything that she said to the last 72 hours. Does the Minister have any further—Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I want to just confirm so that there's no misconception in the House: New Zealand's relationship with the Pacific is strong and it is important to ensure that we work alongside the Pacific on some very complex challenging issues that partner their solutions. The fact that New Zealand is a trusted reliable consistent respectful partner speaks volumes in the way that we engage with the Pacific.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If I could assist it does actually create a real difficulty for the House when you interpret the answer for us as being within the last 72 hours. It's not clear to anybody if the Minister was referring to meetings that happened within the past 72 hours. If you then imply that she was she could have unknowingly misled the House because people might take the impression she was referring to recent events when actually some of them happened last year.DEPUTY SPEAKER: In response to what you've just said at the time the point of order was taken the Minister had not completed her answer. I have no idea what she was going to go on to say. When the point of order was made I said that anything that she had said up until that point could have been—I don't know but could have been—applied to the last 72 hours. I don't know if it was or not because the answer was interrupted. At this point the members have supplementary questions if they wish to use them.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Well if that was the case you could have admonished me for cutting the Minister off and then the Minister could have finished the question and we'd know the answer that you sought. At the moment the Minister does appear to have told the House via her yes" to your question that she's had contact with the vast majority of those Pacific Island nations considering the common development vision in the last 72 hours. That's in my opinion something that should be articulated directly by the Minister.DEPUTY SPEAKER: And I could have had I heard the whole answer without interruption offered an additional supplementary—which I will do to you right now. I will offer you an additional supplementary to ask about if you would like to the last 72 hours.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Has the Minister contacted in any way the 10 countries who are considering the CDV in the last 72 hours?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: It's very difficult to try and tie down conversations over the weekend. But let me talk about the next 72 hours during the working week because I have scheduled a conversation with the Tongan Foreign Minister with the Cook Islands Foreign Minister and the Marshall Islands Foreign Minister. To belabour the point—but in order to provide clarity to the member asking the question—the last conversation that I have had with a Pacific leader was Minister Manele in relation to New Zealand's concerns about issues relating to the security agreement with China.Brooke van Velden: Is the Minister finding it difficult to focus on these areas because she is preoccupied with three waters?DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ah no. That's—Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: Not at all.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think we'll go on to the next question."