Rebuilding New Zealand’s Relationship with Fiji
New Zealanders and Fijians have traditionally got on well and our countries have cooperated closely. We have welcomed and benefited from people from Fiji coming to New Zealand to make their future here. New Zealanders enjoy holidaying in Fiji. We draw on common traditions of English language, institutions, rugby and cricket.
However, periodically that relationship has been interrupted by military coups and the removal of basic democratic rights and freedoms in Fiji, most recently in 2006. Last year’s election restored democracy to Fiji - not perfectly - but enough to say that the new Government is a fair reflection of the will of the Fijian people.
Importantly, the new constitution has also gone a long way towards removing discrimination against Indo-Fijians and recognising that citizenship should be equal regardless of ethnicity.
Without diminishing our commitment to the full observance of the human rights that a democracy requires, it is time for us to strive to put disagreements between governments behind us and to work alongside Fiji to help it build a strong, fair and resilient democracy.
In line with that objective, I am part of an official Parliamentary delegation to Fiji this week along with our Speaker, Clerk of the House and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
We have a busy programme. We will be observing Question Time in Parliament and meeting with Speaker Dr JikoLuveni whom I met when she recently visited the New Zealand Parliament. We will be meeting with the Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, the Foreign Minister and other members of Cabinet as well as the Opposition Leader Ro TeimumuKepa and MPs from all parties.
Our discussions will be wide-ranging. There may be some disagreements. But the spirit of the visit will be how New Zealand can make available to Fiji our experiencesin shaping a parliamentary system that works and how we can bring our countries closer together.
New Zealand is currently contributing to a United Nations Development Programme called the Fiji Parliament Strengthening Project. Our Parliamentary officials can help with things like drafting Standing Orders and information about what has worked for us in promoting a parliamentary system where necessary cooperation can occur between competing political parties for the benefit of good governance.
We are also beginning the process of rebuilding military cooperation and conducting maritime surveillance flights on behalf of Fiji. An important convention in New Zealand is to have a strong and effective Defence Force, which however does not involve itself in the politics of the nation.
New Zealand is additionally in the process of doubling the value of its development assistance programme to Fiji to $30 million and restoring Fiji’s ability to participate in our Pacific immigration access quota.
Fiji is an important country in the Pacific. It hosts the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. It is our largest trading partner in the Pacific. Its economy has grown solidly and there is more that we can do together.
It makes sense for our countries to cooperate and to build the best relationship we can. That requires efforts from both sides in order to succeed and I hope that this will be the outcome of our visit.
New Zealanders and Fijians have traditionally got on well and our countries have cooperated closely. We have welcomed and benefited from people from Fiji coming to New Zealand to make their future here. New Zealanders enjoy holidaying in Fiji. We draw on common traditions of English language,...
New Zealanders and Fijians have traditionally got on well and our countries have cooperated closely. We have welcomed and benefited from people from Fiji coming to New Zealand to make their future here. New Zealanders enjoy holidaying in Fiji. We draw on common traditions of English language, institutions, rugby and cricket.
However, periodically that relationship has been interrupted by military coups and the removal of basic democratic rights and freedoms in Fiji, most recently in 2006. Last year’s election restored democracy to Fiji - not perfectly - but enough to say that the new Government is a fair reflection of the will of the Fijian people.
Importantly, the new constitution has also gone a long way towards removing discrimination against Indo-Fijians and recognising that citizenship should be equal regardless of ethnicity.
Without diminishing our commitment to the full observance of the human rights that a democracy requires, it is time for us to strive to put disagreements between governments behind us and to work alongside Fiji to help it build a strong, fair and resilient democracy.
In line with that objective, I am part of an official Parliamentary delegation to Fiji this week along with our Speaker, Clerk of the House and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
We have a busy programme. We will be observing Question Time in Parliament and meeting with Speaker Dr JikoLuveni whom I met when she recently visited the New Zealand Parliament. We will be meeting with the Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, the Foreign Minister and other members of Cabinet as well as the Opposition Leader Ro TeimumuKepa and MPs from all parties.
Our discussions will be wide-ranging. There may be some disagreements. But the spirit of the visit will be how New Zealand can make available to Fiji our experiencesin shaping a parliamentary system that works and how we can bring our countries closer together.
New Zealand is currently contributing to a United Nations Development Programme called the Fiji Parliament Strengthening Project. Our Parliamentary officials can help with things like drafting Standing Orders and information about what has worked for us in promoting a parliamentary system where necessary cooperation can occur between competing political parties for the benefit of good governance.
We are also beginning the process of rebuilding military cooperation and conducting maritime surveillance flights on behalf of Fiji. An important convention in New Zealand is to have a strong and effective Defence Force, which however does not involve itself in the politics of the nation.
New Zealand is additionally in the process of doubling the value of its development assistance programme to Fiji to $30 million and restoring Fiji’s ability to participate in our Pacific immigration access quota.
Fiji is an important country in the Pacific. It hosts the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. It is our largest trading partner in the Pacific. Its economy has grown solidly and there is more that we can do together.
It makes sense for our countries to cooperate and to build the best relationship we can. That requires efforts from both sides in order to succeed and I hope that this will be the outcome of our visit.
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