Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was treated to a stunning flyover of Niue ahead of his arrival. Photo / Adam Pearse
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was treated to a stunning flyover of Niue ahead of his arrival. Photo / Adam Pearse
There are few better remedies for post-Budget fatigue than the sun and sea spray you get on a trip to the islands.
Perhaps that’s why Prime Minister Christopher Luxon booked his first official visit to Pacific Island nations less than a week after delivering a largely expected but somewhat gloomy Budget 24.
The leader of Aotearoa is filled with his trademark buoyancy when he steps onto the NZ Defence Force Boeing 757 on Tuesday morning, leaving behind or hiding any frustration he might have held onto from the morning’s media round, which was dominated by questions on cancer drugs.
His energy is almost akin to a school teacher leading a camp trip as he asked how excited the travelling journalists are ahead of visits to Niue and Fiji.
Expected banter about the plane from the former Air New Zealand chief executive followed. The 757 was responsible for embarrassing Luxon on the world stage early in his prime ministership when faulty nose landing gear meant his trip to Australia in March was delayed, forcing him to miss meetings with world leaders.
Luxon guarantees there’d be no issues this time. Given he was unable to honour similar commitments made regarding the Crusaders’ playoff hopes, Luxon is certainly tempting fate.
However, his faith is rewarded and after a few hours in the air the plane descends through the clouds, bearing down on Niue.
Described as a small island with sheer cliffs and no beaches, one could be forgiven for picturing a setting out of Game of Thrones.
An extraordinary amount of Niue is covered in bush and forest. Photo / Adam Pearse
Instead, what Luxon and his delegation see is 260 square kilometres of largely flat land smothered in bush and forest.
As we get closer, roads that snake through the dense greenery become apparent. Homes and businesses belonging to the roughly 1500 residents on the island are almost completely hidden. Whitewash smashes and churns against the jagged coast.
Luxon’s itinerary allows time for a quick flyover of Niue before landing. It wouldn’t have taken much more than a few minutes to circle around the entire land mass.
The airport - a quite obvious strip of bare land - is fairly empty as we land. No planes are waiting on the tarmac. On the other side of the fence that borders the runway, four kids sit upon a lone car, waving at the 757.
Luxon’s official welcome is emphatic, thanks in large part to the group of warriors who issue their challenge to the Prime Minister, wearing what looks like seaweed around their heads, chests, waists and calves while brandishing a katoua, a traditional weapon not dissimilar to Māori’s taiaha.
Niuean warriors welcome Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Niue. Photo / Adam Pearse
After meeting Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi and other dignitaries, Luxon gets his first in-person taste of the island’s isolated beauty as he’s driven to his accommodation. He sees the first of many roosters. A dog lies regally atop a green of Niue’s nine-hole golf course.
Luxon’s quick to gush over the view from his resort’s balcony, apologising to journalists for picking such a “distracting spot” to hold a press conference in.
Afterwards, he issues a challenge to two members of the press pack: “I’m looking forward to seeing some manus in the pool later.”
Unfortunately, there isn’t often time for manus on overseas trips with the Prime Minister.
A family sitting at the bar see Luxon wearing a suit and note he must be hot in Niue’s mid-20s temperature. The PM admits he is feeling the heat a bit.
There are only a few roads cut through the dense vegetation and forest on Niue. Photo / Adam Pearse
The family, seemingly visitors, appear chuffed with the interaction with one man encouraging a young girl in their group to recount the story at school. They laugh she’d better not wag, in light of the Government’s harsher approach to absentism.
Day one of two ends with a King’s Birthday reception at the residence of the New Zealand High Commission. Luxon and wife Amanda arrive in matching blue floral outfits.
Speeches are made and toasts called for. An unexpected shower of rain passes through. The formalities end with the singing of God Save the King. Not many in attendance seem to know the words.
Luxon’s second day was supposed to start with an early morning boat tour of Niue’s western coastline, so he could appreciate the island’s vulnerability to natural disasters and its need for quality wharf infrastructure.
The tour is called off due to a large swell. Luxon’s pre-trip assessment of the Pacific’s “increasingly choppy geostrategic waters” seems pretty accurate so far.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he expected to be good mates Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi (right). Photo / Adam Pearse
His next tour for the day of Niue’s Parliament goes off without a hitch. Luxon asks Speaker Hima Douglas how well-behaved his MPs are.
Douglas jokes, “A pack of bloody rebels”. Luxon says he’s interested in the behaviour of politicians - perhaps a hobby he’s picked up sitting in the House next to Winston Peters.
Douglas turns his attention to the press pack, claiming we should prepare to dance if we want to be fed at the upcoming village lunch. Luxon takes pleasure in pointing out journalists and some of his own staffers who he thinks have rhythm - a bold move given Douglas’ warning almost certainly applies to him as well.
Later, Luxon and Tagelagi say their official talks are “friendly” as the former announces $21 million to build a solar farm to help Niue reach its target of 80 per cent renewable energy production. They also celebrate 50 years since Niue became self-governing in free association with New Zealand.
Luxon’s cheek earlier in the day earns him a centre-stage spot ahead of a lunch rich in island delicacies, hosted by the Avatele and Tamakautoga villages.
PM Christopher Luxon and wife Amanda have a dance ahead of a village-hosted lunch in Niue. Photo / Adam Pearse
He and Amanda, this time without matching outfits, break into a small dance after Douglas requested Luxon and his delegation sing a song - Ten Guitars - ahead of the feast. Luxon safely navigates a few twirls.
His final engagement is a ribbon-cutting for the resurfaced airport runway. Normally armed with a pair of over-sized scissors for such occasions, Luxon is given a katoua to cut the kapihi - Niue’s take on a traditional ribbon.
He wields it with aplomb, slashing through with ease and bringing down the curtain on the first leg of his Pacific visit.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
