Australia, NZ foreign ministers’ range of concerns
WELLINGTON: Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has once again raised concern about ‘‘501’’ deportees with the Australian Government.
Ms Mahuta took the opportunity at a meeting in Wellington yesterday with Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne.
Ms Payne, who flew into the country on Wednesday for the first facetoface foreign ministers' consultations since the Covid19 pandemic began, will be meeting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today.
Ms Mahuta later said the countries had moved on from comments that were made last month by Australia's former home affairs minister Peter Dutton, who said that the deportees were ‘‘trash’’.
‘‘The things that needed to be said were said at the time in relation to the statements made.
‘‘I can say we continue to raise our concerns around the issue of deportations and the impact it has on New Zealand.
‘‘We have reflected time and again through the prime minister and as recently as our conversation today the level of that concern.’’
Ms Mahuta said this matter would continue to be raised and discussions were continuing.
Ms Payne said the New Zealand woman who was suspected of belonging to Isis in Syria, and who is now in Turkey awaiting possible deportation with her children to New Zealand, was also discussed yesterday.
Australia has revoked the citizenship of Suhayra Aden who had lived in that country for several years before travelling to Syria.
Ms Payne said it was a complex case, especially as children were involved.
She said both ministers had a constructive discussion, and the two countries would continue to work together, but she could not provide any update.
When asked if New Zealand's concerns on issues such as deportees and the mother being deported from Turkey were taken seriously by Australia, Ms Payne replied they were and discussions were ongoing on both issues.
On Australia's relationship with China, and New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damian O'Connor's recent advice that China needs to be spoken to with respect, Ms Payne said her country's relationship with China had changed in recent years.
However, her government had a policy that had clarity and was consistent, and China was aware of this.
Australia had torn up agreements Victoria had with China for the Belt and Road deals in the last 24 hours because they were inconsistent with Australia's foreign policy.
States were now obliged to consult the federal government about such deals, she said.
She said it was ‘‘entirely a matter for New Zealand’’ what it did with its own memorandum of agreement with China over a Belt and Road deal.
Ms Mahuta said that with regard to New Zealand's relationship with China, when New Zealand wanted to speak about human rights it did not have to be within the framework of Five Eyes as a first priority.
She rejected media reports of Australia being blindsided over her remarks on the Five Eyes alliance last week.
During the speech on China, Ms Mahuta discussed the Five Eyes alliance and said New Zealand could raise human rights issues outside the Five Eyes relationship which was more focused on security and intelligence.
She said New Zealand's membership in Five Eyes was secure.
Ms Payne had not questioned New Zealand's commitment to the alliance, she said. — RNZ
MELBOURNE: Australia’s foreign minister has defended her decision to tear up Victoria’s Belt and Road agreement with China, saying she does not expect retaliation from Beijing.
Marise Payne announced on Wednesday night the infrastructure deal had been cancelled under the Commonwealth’s new veto powers.
Her decision was backed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who told reporters yesterday the accords were cancelled because his Federal Government did not want other levels of government to enter into agreements that conflicted with Australia's foreign policy.
China’s embassy in Australia responded swiftly, expressing ‘‘strong displeasure and resolute opposition’’.
‘‘This is another unreasonable and provocative move taken by the Australian side against China,’’ a Chinese embassy spokesman said in a statement.
‘‘It further shows that the Australian Government has no sincerity in improving ChinaAustralia relations.’’
Payne yesterday said the decision to tear up the agreement, along with two older ones between the Victorian government and Iran and Syria, was ‘‘very careful and very considered’’.
‘‘It’s about ensuring that we have a consistent approach to foreign policy across all levels of government, and it isn’t about any one country,’’ she told ABC Radio National.
The Morrison government in December granted itself the power under the Foreign Relations Act to veto deals between states and foreign powers that ‘‘are not consistent with Australia’s foreign policy’’.
At a press conference with her New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta in Wellington, Payne said more statebased agreements would likely be scrapped.
Victoria signed a memorandum of understanding in relation to the Chinese regional infrastructure initiative in 2018 and then signed a ‘‘framework agreement’’ with Beijing in 2019.
Areas of cooperation included increasing participation of Chinese companies in Victoria’s infrastructure programme.