Christopher Luxon has announced a probe into Te Pāti Māori allegations. Video / Mark Mitchell
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit New Zealand this week – the first visit by such a high-ranked Chinese government representative since 2017.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the visit at his post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon.
He also announced he will travel to Japan on Sunday for a four-day visit aimed at boosting trade and having talks on regional security issues with Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
Luxon said Premier Li’s visit was an opportunity to discuss areas of co-operation and the trade relationship.
“New Zealand and China engage where we have shared interests, and we speak frankly and constructively with each other where we have differences. Our relationship is significant, complex and resilient,” Luxon said.
“The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on key issues that matter to New Zealand.”
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner – two-way trade totalled almost $38 billion last year.
“I am confident that trade with China will continue to grow, supporting the Government’s goal to double the value of exports in the next decade,” Luxon said.
As well as a ceremonial welcome, bilateral talks and an official dinner in Wellington, Li will have engagements in Auckland focusing on business, agri-tech, education, and people-to-people connections.
The last visit by a Chinese Premier was in 2017 when Li Keqiang came to meet with former PM Sir John Key. China’s President Xi Jinping last visited in 2014.
On his trip to Japan, Luxon will take a business delegation to Japan and said it was also an important and natural strategic partner in an increasingly contested world.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and sharing perspectives on global and regional issues, as well as agreeing some concrete ways New Zealand and Japan can step up our co-operation in relation to defence and security.”
Japan is considering joining the Aukus security agreement with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States while New Zealand is also considering whether to sign up for pillar 2 of the arrangement.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo / Jason Dorday
That is also likely to come up in Luxon’s talks with Premier Li, China has made its view against the Aukus agreement clear.
Luxon said he will take a senior business delegation with him to Japan to promote trade as well as pitching New Zealand as an attractive destination for Japanese investors, tourists and students.
Japan was the world’s fourth largest economy and New Zealand’s fourth largest export destination.
“Our trade relationship is a key plank to economic success. We are a small, geographically isolated country that relies on exporting our goods to the world.
“If we are to maximise our economic growth, we will need to continue to strengthen international relationships to meet our ambitious target of doubling the value of our exports in the next ten years.”
He expected trade between New Zealand and China to grow.
Luxon said “we are out there engaging”, adding that Judith Collins and Winston Peters were both on overseas engagement trips.
On China’s increasing militarisation, Luxon said there were a “range of topics” that would be discussed. He said his focus was on “peace and stability” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Luxon said China and New Zealand would “co-operate where we have common interests”, but the two countries had different cultures and political systems.
“This is a longstanding relationship,” he said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (left) and Trade Minister Todd McClay during Monday's post-Cabinet press conference at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Aukus security pact would be a live issue during the meeting, given the pact was designed to counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific. New Zealand was currently contemplating whether to join the second tier of Aukus that involved sharing technology but didn’t include nuclear power, which tier one did.
Luxon said New Zealand’s position would remain the same as it had in previous meetings with Chinese leaders.
“We are going to work to the pace we need to,” he said, regarding New Zealand and tier two.
Luxon said as a small country, New Zealand relied on trade so expanding trade across different countries was beneficial. Many of these countries had different political systems or cultural backgrounds, he said.
Independent investigation launched into alleged misuse of Census data by Te Pāti Māori
On the allegations surrounding Te Pāti Māori, Luxon said the allegations were serious, going to the heart of trust in our democratic processes.
The Public Service Commission would undertake an independent inquiry.
Luxon encouraged anyone to come forward with any information they had around the allegations, either to the police or Privacy Commissioner.
The review would be powered by public service legislation.
Luxon was not sure when the inquiry was expected to report back.
The Public Service inquiry would look at the safeguards that public agencies had in place to protect personal information.
The investigation would also cover reports some agencies knew about the allegations but did not act on them.
There were a number of options considered, such as getting the Auditor-General involved, but the Public Service Commissioner investigation was the best way forward.
Luxon said he had not spoken to Te Pāti Māori about the investigation prior to this afternoon’s post-Cabinet announcement.
Asked why Te Pāti Māori were not informed, he said the situation was moving quickly.
Luxon said the inquiry would be “arm’s length” and have sufficient scope and powers to undertake its work.
Whether the inquiry would have the power to compel people or the marae to supply documents, Luxon said that would be up to the police or others involved.
Luxon said the claims were still allegations “and that’s why I want it done objectively”.
He would not be drawn on Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere’s statement in response to the allegations.
Luxon said it was important that the New Zealand people can trust its institutions.
There was no indication around the cost at this stage stage.
This was not a cost issue but a principle issue, he said.
Luxon said the Government was on a “fact-finding mission” and that needed to be done in a very objective way.
On the fact he did not alert Te Pāti Māori to the announcement, Luxon said “this is really about [whether] the Government’s institutions are managing... public data appropriately”.
The process of appointing a new Public Service Commissioner was ongoing, he said.
