Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
The spirit of unanimity in which the United Nations Security Council passed resolution 2334 on December 23 stands in sharp contrast to the condemnation and accusations that have dominated subsequent commentary from Israel and that country's supporters.
New Zealanders deserve to know why the issue of settlements has become so challenging, and why it came before the council in December 2016.
At the heart of this whole debate is whether we will see a future in which two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security. This two state solution has been the accepted basis for resolving the Palestinian question for many decades now, enshrined in various negotiated accords and UN Security Council resolutions, and the focus for several unsuccessful attempts to broker final agreement between the parties,
The most recent attempt was led by US Secretary of State John Kerry. After showing great promise those talks broke down in 2014.
No one should underestimate the challenges associated with negotiating the terms for a two state solution. Significant compromises are required of both sides, and the domestic political challenges for both are formidable.
But there has been agreement in principle on the key components, security guarantees for Israel and a state for Palestinians based on the 1967 borders but with negotiated land swaps, including a negotiated approach to managing Jerusalem's holy sites. Resolution 2334 reinforces the international community's commitment to this negotiated outcome.
Resolution 2334 condemns the obstacles to a negotiated two state solution: incitement and acts of violence and terror against civilians of all sides, and the ongoing settlements programme which carves ever more deeply into the land available for a Palestinian state on the West Bank.
There have been some misleading and irresponsible claims made by critics of the resolution: that it somehow predetermines negotiations between the parties, affects the rights of Israelis to access certain religious sites, or changes the legal status of the West Bank. None of those claims is correct. New Zealand would not have supported it if those assertions were correct, and the US would most certainly not have allowed the resolution to pass.
The focal point for much of the critics' anger is the direct call for a halt to the settlements. But that call by the council was clear and deliberate because continuing settlement growth at anything like the current rate will render the two state solution a purely academic concept. There will be nothing left to negotiate.
The other reality is that without a two state solution, demographic and security considerations will pose a serious challenge to the future character of Israel. Kerry put it starkly in his statement the week after the adoption of Resolution 2334, "If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic - it cannot be both - and it won't ever really be at peace."
Those who doubt the seriousness of the settlements issue should read the report of the Middle East Quartet of July 1, 2016. The Quartet comprises the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States. Its report outlines in a careful and factual way the impact of ongoing settlement activity, and more recent moves by the Israeli Parliament to retrospectively legalise settlements developed in contravention of Israeli law.
In Israel this is a politically difficult topic. The settler movement is very influential in the current government, and its leaders occupy a number of key Cabinet posts.
For the whole of New Zealand's two year term on the Security Council, the Secretary-General and his Special Co-ordinator have expressed alarm that the forces of incitement and violence and the relentless progress of the settlement programme were undermining the two state solution.
Some quite exotic theories have been advanced as to why this resolution was dealt with in the final month of New Zealand's council membership. The truth is: the United States would not accept any resolution on this topic until after US presidential elections in November. The domestic politics would have been too difficult.
In late 2014 three quarters of the countries in the United Nations voted for New Zealand's election to the Security Council. They did so because New Zealand has a long standing and respected record for fairness. They also knew of New Zealand's long standing bi-partisan support for the two state solution as a basis for resolving the Palestinian question.
Against that background it would be very difficult to explain why we would not support a resolution seeking to reinforce the notion of two states living peacefully, side by side, and which called for an end to the incitement, violence and the settlements that pose such a serious threat to it.
| Murray McCully Foreign Affairs | January 12, 2017 |
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More local businesses looking to expand into Korea will benefit from the latest round of tariff reductions under the New Zealand-Korea Free Trade Agreement, Trade Minister Todd McClay says.
The start of 2017 saw two thirds of New Zealand’s exports to Korea become duty free, up from 46 per cent in 2016.
“Thanks to this continued progress under the FTA, even more New Zealand businesses can compete favourably in the Korean market,” Mr McClay says.
New Zealand and Korea celebrated the first anniversary of the agreement in December 2016. Since the FTA’s entry into force in December 2015, New Zealand has experienced strong results particularly in the food and beverage sector where exports to Korea have increased by over 16%.
“Korea is New Zealand’s 6th largest goods export market, worth NZ$1.5 billion in the year ending September 2016, but this isn’t just about productive businesses wanting to sell into Korea,” Mr McClay says.
“The FTA also gives New Zealand consumers better access to high quality Korean goods like electronics, cars and machinery.”
Fifteen years after the FTA’s entry into force, 97.8 per cent of New Zealand’s total current exports to Korea will enter duty and quota free.
“New Zealanders are benefiting from the Government’s positive, outward looking relationship with our global partners, and this includes constantly progressing more Free Trade Agreements,” Mr McClay says.
“Tomorrow I will accompany the Prime Minister’s delegation to Brussels and look forward to discussing further trade opportunities with the European Union with my Ministerial counterparts.”
Mr McClay will meet with European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and Christian Cardona, Malta’s Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business. Malta currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Further Information on trade progress with Korea:
Prime Minister Bill English will travel to Brussels, London and Berlin next week to meet with leaders to discuss issues including trade and security.
“This is an opportunity to exchange views on a range of issues facing Europe and the world, and to reaffirm that New Zealand remains a committed friend and partner,” Mr English says.
“The focus of my trip will be to advance New Zealand business and trade opportunities in the region, including starting the negotiations on an FTA with the European Union this year.”
In Brussels, Mr English will meet with the three Presidents of the EU – European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Parliament President Martin Schulz. He will also meet with Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel.
In London, Mr English will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May and Mayor Sadiq Khan.
“I will be interested to hear Prime Minister May’s views on Brexit and will take the opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to working towards a high quality trade deal when the UK is in a position to negotiate.”
In Berlin, Mr English will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble.
Mr English will also meet with a range of other government, business and academic leaders to hear their views on the political, economic and security situation in the region and about opportunities for New Zealand there.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Trade Minister Todd McClay in Brussels and Foreign Minister Murray McCully in London and Berlin.
Dr Mary English will also travel with the Prime Minister.
Mr English will leave New Zealand on 9 January and return on 18 January.
The New Zealand economy continued to grow solidly in the September quarter, posting a higher than expected 1.1 per cent growth rate for the quarter and 3.5 per cent over the last year, Finance Minister Steven Joyce says.
“New Zealand’s focus on developing a strong and open economy is delivering good results for Kiwi families, especially relative to most of the rest of the developed world,” Mr Joyce says.
New Zealand’s economic growth in the year to September was the fifth strongest in the OECD ahead of Australia (1.8 per cent), the USA (1.6 per cent), Canada (1.3 per cent) and the Euro Area (1.7 per cent).
“We are starting to see the benefits of a clear and stable focus on economic fundamentals coupled with a determination to build a competitive environment from which Kiwi companies can succeed on the world stage.”
Growth in the quarter was strong across 13 of 16 industries, including:
“It’s hard to overstate the importance of key service sector exports like tourism and education in New Zealand’s economic success in recent years. They have taken up a lot of the shortfall as the dairy sector went through its downturn. Other food sectors and hi-tech exports have also contributed significantly,” Mr Joyce says.
The Current Account deficit was unchanged at 2.9 per cent for the year, well below the long-run average. New Zealand’s external debt was 58 per cent of GDP, compared with 83.8 per cent of GDP back before the GFC in 2008.
Treasury’s half-yearly Fiscal Update predicts growth to average 3 per cent per year out to 2021, with a further 150,000 jobs expected to be added to the New Zealand economy over the same period.
“The future is looking positive for New Zealand, but these are of course just forecasts. The world remains an uncertain place and it is important that the Government, businesses and households collectively keep our feet on the ground and not go crazy with the credit card. If we work hard, maintain our economic programme and increase our competitiveness we can continue to improve the outcomes for Kiwi families,” Mr Joyce says.
Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has today announced the latest round of successful recipients of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia (PMSA).
A total of 156 New Zealand students have been selected to study, carry out internships or conduct research at top institutions throughout Asia as part of the first 2016/17 scholarship round. Successful applications came from universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, and private training establishments.
“The PMSA is designed to encourage New Zealand students to study in Asian countries and experience the benefits of international education for themselves.
“Since the establishment of the PMSA programme in 2013, 907 New Zealand students have been awarded a scholarship to study in a variety of Asian countries,” says Mr Goldsmith.
Students will study in 11 countries, with China, India and Japan the top three destinations this round.
Of the successful recipients, 69 students will take part in a variety of programmes ranging from a Long Term Chinese Language Programme at Beijing Language and Culture University, a one-year exchange to Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan, and an Internship at the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in Cambodia.
A further 87 students were awarded a scholarship as part of seven group applications.
Funding for the PMSA of $9 million over five years was initially provided in Budget 2013 as part of the Government's Internationally Focused Growth Package. Additional funding was granted in Budget 2016 of $1m for each of 2016/17 and 2017/18, and $1.5 million per year from 2018/19. The total awarded this round was $1,401,657.
Applications for round two of the 2017 PSMA opened mid-December 2016, and close 30 March 2017.
Further information, including the names of the scholarship recipients, is available here: Education New Zealand website.
Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has today named the first students to receive a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America (PMSLA).
Thirty seven top students from across New Zealand have been chosen for the first round of 2016/17 scholarships, with a total value of $250,000.
“The new scholarships aim to introduce more young New Zealanders to Latin American countries and cultures, as well as build connections that will benefit New Zealand into the future.
“Latin America is becoming increasingly important to our nation from a trade and enterprise perspective. International education experiences help young Kiwis develop cultural awareness, understanding and skills that enhance our country’s ability to work in this part of the world,” says Mr Goldsmith.
The twelve individual scholarships go to students undertaking a range of programmes, including an exchange to Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia, and a study-abroad semester at the Universidad Austral de Chile in Chile.
Two groups have also been awarded scholarships. Twelve students from Massey University will to travel to Colombia for a month-long programme, Latino Aotearoa: Spreading the Word Across the Pacific. Thirteen students from the University of Auckland will travel to Brazil to carry out a month-long Brazilian Visual Cultures - LATINAM202 programme.
The PMSLA programme is modelled on the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia, which has supported 907 New Zealand students with study, research or internships in Asian countries since its introduction in 2013.
The programme is funded as part of the $761.4 million ‘Innovative New Zealand’ 2016 Budget package.
Applications for round two of PMSLA opened mid-December 2016 and close 30 April 2017. Another $250,000 will be allocated to students in this second round.
Further information, including the names of the scholarship recipients, is available on the Education New Zealand website.
Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced the establishment of a new alliance to repair State Highway 1 and the rail line north and south of Kaikoura.
The alliance, known as the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR), is being led by Duncan Gibb, formerly of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT).
The alliance is made up of the NZ Transport Agency, KiwiRail, Fulton Hogan, Downer, Higgins and HEB Construction.
“The alliance will be the lead delivery agency to repair the transport infrastructure damaged during the earthquake. These organisations have been heavily involved in the emergency response to date and will be able to keep momentum to help Kaikoura and North Canterbury to recover as quickly as possible,” Mr Bridges says.
The work of the NCTIR alliance will mainly consist of rail and road network reinstatement between Oaro and the Clarence River, and the management and operation of the State Highway Corridor between Picton and Christchurch via Murchison and Lewis Pass.
“With access restored to the alternate route and on State Highway 1 to the south already we’re making great progress, however other parts of the network have been significantly damaged and there’s a massive repair job ahead,” Mr Bridges says.
“An alliance is a proven way to deliver high quality results for major infrastructure projects, especially where there is a high level of complexity. We have seen this demonstrated with SCIRT which has done an outstanding job on the Christchurch rebuild.”
Last week the Government announced it would fund the complex repairs to the transport system, estimated to be up to $2 billion.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of Sue Mackwell as High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea.
“New Zealand and Papua New Guinea enjoy a strong relationship, and we work closely together in the areas of sustainable economic development, agriculture, and renewable energy,” Mr McCully says.
“Papua New Guinea is New Zealand’s second-largest trading partner in the Pacific. It has an abundance of natural resources, and we share an interest in helping make sure these assets deliver broad-based benefits to the people of Papua New Guinea. As a close partner of Papua New Guinea, and an APEC member, New Zealand has also offered its support to Papua New Guinea as it prepares to host APEC in 2018.
“As High Commissioner, Ms Mackwell will be responsible for overseeing our aid and development effort in Papua New Guinea, which is New Zealand’s largest development assistance programme.”
Ms Mackwell is currently National Children’s Director of the Children’s Action Plan, following a term as Deputy Chief Executive, Social Service Policy and Social Sector Strategy at the Ministry of Social Development.
New Zealand is into its fifth straight year of strong growth in construction, with more than 30,000 homes consented in the year to October and record levels of commercial and infrastructure investment, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith says.
“Residential construction activity has reached $12.5 billion, an all-time high, and the number of homes consented has topped 30,000. This is the longest and strongest residential construction boom in New Zealand history, with five straight years of growth averaging over 20 per cent per annum. This is as fast as you can practically grow a sector as large and as complex as construction without compromising quality,” Dr Smith says.
“The 30,000 homes per year now being built is the fastest rate ever, with the exception of 2004 and the mid 1970s. The 2004 boom was focussed on thousands of small apartments in Auckland that are no longer allowed, and the 1974 boom rapidly crashed due to the unsustainable mix of high inflation and low interest government loans. The current boom is much more sustainable, better balanced nationwide and also involves record levels of investment in commercial and infrastructure construction.
“This ongoing strong growth shows the Government’s programme to increase housing supply is working. We have aggressively increased land supply with Special Housing Areas in the short-term, changes to Auckland’s planning in the medium term, and the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity and Resource Management Act reforms in the long term.
“We have complemented this with the Crown Land Programme and a record level of direct Government projects to build homes, such as Hobsonville. We’ve also provided record levels of assistance for first-home buyers with the KiwiSaver HomeStart scheme, which has helped more than 20,000 people into their first home with about $500 million in KiwiSaver withdrawals for a deposit.
“Further reforms are in the pipeline to further grow the supply of housing. This Government is step by step, development by development, getting on and addressing New Zealand’s housing challenges.”
Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced that Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae will be New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
“The appointment of Sir Jerry Mateparae as our High Commissioner in London underlines the significance New Zealand places on our relationship with the UK,” Mr McCully says.
“Sir Jerry has been Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force and Chief of Army, and until recently he was New Zealand’s Governor-General.
“He will be replacing Sir Lockwood Smith as High Commissioner and I would like to acknowledge Sir Lockwood’s service and the work he has done to further the relationship between New Zealand and the UK.
“New Zealand is currently working with the UK on the shape of our post-Brexit relationship and the new High Commissioner will be responsible for leading this effort,” Mr McCully says.
The High Commission also conducts the government’s business with Ireland. It is New Zealand’s official contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation, as well as a range of international organisations with headquarters in London.
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
