King post breaks gridlock
National welcomes a change in approach to diplomatic appointments from Peters
Former Labour deputy leader Annette King has been named New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Australia.
She is expected to start her duties at the end of the year, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
The move had been widely anticipated but Peters confirmed it yesterday.
“Dame Annette King needs no introduction given her long-running career as a parliamentarian, where she has previously held a number of senior Cabinet portfolios, including justice, police and health,” Peters said.
King is Parliament’s longestserving female MP, with 30 years’ service.
“As High Commissioner Dame Annette will be working on one of New Zealand’s most significant relationships,” he said.
“The transtasman bond is exceptionally strong, however the relationship is not something we take for granted, and the new high commissioner will be tasked with keeping the connections strong.”
Peters said the appointment is notable because Dame Annette is a former MP on a diplomatic posting.
“In this sense, she is an exception. Of the 25 Heads of Mission appointments announced this year all have been career diplomats.”
The appointment was supported by National.
Foreign affairs and trade spokesperson Todd McClay said New Zealand’s relationship with Australia had struggled after a series of unnecessary disagreements and mishandlings. Dame Annette could provide the care and maintenance needed for the relationship, he said.
“It will be important for our new high commissioner to repair any damage that has been done over the last year.”
He also welcomed a change in approach to diplomatic appointments from Peters.
“I am pleased that the strong objections to political appointments previously held by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters have been dropped,” he said.
King stepped down as deputy for Jacinda Ardern in March last year and retired from politics at last year’s election as New Zealand’s longest-serving woman MP. She was a popular MP with good relationships across the House.
The Government has already deployed King in a diplomatic role, sending her to Brussels last month as the Prime Minister’s special envoy to the Asia Europe summit. She met European Parliament MPs to discuss free trade negotiations with the EU.
In the past year, King has chaired the Earthquake Commission.
She was made a dame in the 2018
New Year’s Honours list.