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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is acting jovial in his first interactions with leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum, including jokingly urging members not to put his Australian counterpart in “detention”.
Both Luxon and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, latecomers to the forum in Tonga, made their way around the other Pacific leaders who had been based in Nuku’alofa for discussions this week ahead of the leaders’ retreat on nearby island Vava’u tomorrow.
It followed Luxon’s first bilateral meeting in Tonga with local Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku this morning, during which the pair signed a renewed partnership agreement between the two nations.
Luxon arrived late last night in Tonga, replacing Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who had represented New Zealand at the forum since Saturday.
Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Christopher Luxon go in for a hug at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse
Kitted out in a customary Pacific-themed shirt, Luxon strode into the Tonga High School indoor stadium with vigour, clearly eager to meet up with his fellow Pacific leaders.
Ahead of the leaders’ plenary, he made his way around each leader, shaking hands and making brief conversation.
His first engagement with Tonga PM Hu’akavameiliku, which included the new partnership signing, prompted Luxon to compliment the Tongan leader’s handwriting as a product of his education at Timaru Boys’ High School.
The pair spoke briefly about the forum with Hu’akavameiliku thanking Luxon for attending.
Tonga Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku and NZ PM Christopher Luxon sign a renewed statement of partnership while at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse
Luxon also inquired as to whether Hu’akavameiliku was still a Crusaders fan. The Tongan PM, with one eye on nearby journalists, said he’d tell him later - perhaps indicating the Crusaders’ recent loss of form had lost Luxon’s favourite team some fans in Tonga.
Luxon drifted from leader to leader, using his typical approach of a handshake and back-pat in most interactions.
His conversations largely consisted of how and when respective leaders had travelled to Tonga for the forum.
Luxon marvelled at the efforts of Palau Surangel Whipps jnr who, on his return, would have to fly through Tokyo, then to Guam and then back to Palau in the northern Pacific.
NZ PM Christopher Luxon chats with Papua New Guinea PM James Marape (left) and Palau President Surangel Whipps jnr at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse
He thanked Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele for recently hosting Foreign Minister Peters. Luxon also noted the pair had the commonality of being new leaders: “I’m a new Prime Minister too.”
There was a brief chat with New Caledonia President Louis Mapou through a translator, given Mapou’s English was limited.
Pacific Island Forum leaders sit for a family photo in Tonga ahead of the leaders' summit tomorrow. Photo / Adam Pearse
Mapou will be a central figure at tomorrow’s leaders’ retreat given how the unrest in the French territory and tensions with France had been one of the forum’s top issues. Peters met with Mapou earlier this week, during which he was invited to visit New Caledonia.
Luxon’s best interaction was reserved for his friend Albanese.
It was obvious Luxon was looking forward to seeing his Australian friend, sitting on the edge of his chair and grinning as Albanese made his way over.
Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Christopher Luxon share an intimate moment at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse
The pair embraced in a big hug and joked with each other.
“Yeah, you’re getting into trouble,” Luxon responded before announcing to the room: “Don’t put him in detention please!”
Albanese was in a similarly jovial mood with other leaders as well but his jokes bordered on quite strange at times, particularly when he came up behind the seated Fiji PM Sitiveni Rabuka, grabbed him by the shoulders and proclaimed: “You’re under arrest, you’re arrest!”
Following the Tongan bilateral, Luxon today was expected to meet with leaders of Samoa, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Papua New Guinea.
PM Christopher Luxon meets with Samoa PM Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Pool
Earlier today, Luxon and Hu’akavameiliku signed a renewed statement of partnership between New Zealand Tonga through to 2028.
It included commitments to grow the benefits from Tonga’s participation in the recognised seasonal employer (RSE) scheme, address challenges associated with labour mobility and use respective police forces to “strengthen national and regional security”.
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 Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
