'Fonz' thanked for bringing Clinton to NZ

When Hillary Clinton "comes to town" next week, an influential band of Americans - let's call them "the Fonz" - will be cheering from the sidelines.

It is not widely commented on outside of business circles, but the deepening bilateral relationship between New Zealand and the United States would not have occurred by this juncture without the assistance of the mainly Washington-based "friends of New Zealand" - Fonz for short.

They are the US business people and former administration players who have helped drive the quest in Washington for the US and New Zealand to put the 1980s anti-nuclear stoush to one side.

This year, US billionaire Julian Robertson and high-profile Washington lawyer John Mullen were the latest Fonz members to be formally honoured by the New Zealand Government for their contributions.

Robertson provided financial backing and important Washington contacts for NZ's quest for a bilateral free-trade deal in the early 2000s, when Labour's Helen Clark made it a priority for her government.

He owns Kauri Cliffs and other lodges, and is a significant art donor. Mullen is the president of the influential US NZ Council, which hosted a successful third Partnership Forum in October, attended by nearly 60 of New Zealand's most influential politicians and business people.

Robertson was made an honorary knight for his services to business and philanthropy and Mullen an honorary officer of the NZ Order of Merit for services to New Zealand-US relations.

Other US citizens to be similarly honoured two years ago include Mullen's predecessor at the council, Fred Benson, and ex-pat Peter Watson, who was a member of the National Security Council under the first Bush administration and later served as chair of the US International Trade Commission and Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Watson, who was born and raised in Auckland, was also honoured by the Woodrow Wilson foundation as an important bridge between the US and New Zealand.

Other US members of the Fonz are expected to be honoured by the Key Government in coming rounds - part of Key's initiative to ensure business efforts are recognised.