Praise for NZ’s ‘campaign of slaughter’

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had an eventful visit to Zealandia yesterday, congratulating the Government on its ‘‘campaign of slaughter’’ and comparing a bird’s loss of wings to nuclear disarmament.

Johnson, in the country on a twoday jaunt in between trips to Japan and Australia, visited the Wellington wildlife sanctuary as a guest of Minister of Culture and Heritage Maggie Barry – on the first anniversary of her pledge to make New Zealand predator-free by 2050.

During a brief walk through the sunny woods Johnson was treated to sightings of a kereru, a kaka, a tui, and a takahe, all native New Zealand birds.

The critically endangered takahe – named ‘‘T2’’ (after the film) and one of just 300 or so alive – prompted the visiting politician’s nuclear comments, after his guide advised that the species had lost its wings after arriving in New Zealand.

‘‘I don’t want to be disobliging to the takahe, but it’s not surprising given that they dispensed with their wings, that they are now finding life tough. It’s a bit of a lesson for us all, isn’t it? It’s like you know nuclear weapons, if you disarm ...’’ he trailed off.

The trip also featured brief encounters with tuataras, which Johnson noted had a ‘‘marmoreal indifference’’ to him.

On their way out, the pair discussed Barry’s push to make New Zeland predator-free by 2050.

‘‘Thank you very much for having me here on this important anniversary day of your campaign of slaughter of rats, and possums, and stoats,’’ Johnson said.

‘‘I’m sure what you are doing is done in an entirely humane and dignified way, and they die with a smile on their faces, and I congratulate you on that.’’