New Zealand warned not to pressure Tonga over democracy

John Key says his government has no intention of pressuring Tonga. Photo / Martin Sykes

Democracy and business are top of the agenda for Prime Minister John Key's stop in Tonga, where he will dine with King George V and meet Prime Minister Feleti Sevele and other Cabinet Ministers today.

Since Mr Key last spoke to Dr Sevele in May, an interim report on Tonga's reforms to the electoral system and Constitution has been delivered, and is likely to be discussed.

New Zealand has given $1.5 million to help with the process and indicated further support, if it was required.

The report by the Constitutional and Electoral Commission voiced concern about the short time between the November due date of the final report and the goal of making changes in time for elections due in the first half of next year.

The interim report cautioned that the Government would need time to make any required changes and run a civic education programme for voters.

There is a broad consensus on the general need for reform, but details, including how the country should be divided into electorates, are still contentious.

Melino Maka, the chairman of the New Zealand Tongan Advisory Council, said the committee's report made the difficulties of the reforms clear. Mr Maka said Tonga needed to be careful about the reforms and New Zealand needed to ensure it did not use its aid money to try to pressure Tonga into making the changes too quickly.

"We want something that will last. We know that change will come, we all agree on that. But if it is not carefully done it will cause problems. If New Zealand and Australia are pushing through what they want to see, just for the sake of change, then they are asking for bigger headaches ahead."

Yesterday, Mr Key said New Zealand had no intention of pressuring Tonga during the reform process.

Ways to boost Tonga's trade and tourism prospects are also expected to be canvassed.

New Zealand imports about $3 million of goods from Tonga, but Tonga imports $50 million from New Zealand - a trade imbalance both countries are interested in changing. Mr Maka hoped progress would be made on a working committee of government and private sector representatives in Tonga and New Zealand to work on joint venture proposals.

He said the new National Government's shift in emphasis for aid money to go into economic development, rather than poverty alleviation was welcomed by the group.

"The problem at the moment in Tonga is that we promote two-way trade and there is a lot of stuff going from New Zealand to Tonga, but the ship is coming back empty."

Mr Maka said improving Tonga's industry would help local employment as well - leaving it less reliant on remittances, which are sent back to Tonga from those working overseas. They are the biggest source of income, followed by tourism.