The King of Tonga has unexpectedly dismissed Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva, dissolved the Tongan Parliament and ordered a new election to be held by November 16.
A group of 20 New Zealand SAS troops are in Tonga where the Prime Minister has suddenly been dismissed by the King but the New Zealand Government insists it is a coincidence.
Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee told the Herald the troops were there - for a routine exercise.
"But they are currently confined to barracks and won't be moving out of the barracks until they get notice from New Zealand that it is okay for them to do it.
"You don't want New Zealand solider floating around the streets at the moment do you?"
He said the soldiers were due to go to an outer island for an exercise on Monday.
"But we will just assess whether or not it is right for them to even be there."
Asked if the presence of the New Zealand Defence Force was completely coincidental he said "absolutely."
"I had no idea and I would certainly know if there was an action planned."
However he would not have been be informed of just a standard exercise - which was what it was.
The New Zealand armed forces had a strong relationship with the Tongan armed forces and they regularly exercised together in Tonga and New Zealand.
"They are under clear instructions that we do not want them out of the streets under any circumstances until we can understand more fully what is actually happening up there."
The King of Tonga unexpectedly today dismissed the Prime Minister, Akilisi Pohiva, dissolved the Tongan Parliament and ordered a new election to be held by November 16.
Pohiva, the former leader of the Tongan democracy movement, has been Prime Minister since 2014.
The move was gazetted today after King Tupou VI met yesterday with the Nobles, the Privy Council and Parliament.
Pohiva came under strong criticism for poor financial management and after cancelling the Pacific Games which Tonga had been planning to host in 2019.
There is also speculation among Tongans in New Zealand that he may be unwell.
Brownlee said the Government had had no indication the move was coming.
"So we will just be trying to work out over the next couple of days what it is going to mean for democracy in Tonga and what the implications will be for New Zealand."
Asked if he was concerned the dismissal could create civil unrest, he said that was always something to watch out for in circumstances like this.
"I think the next 48 hours will tell the full story of what this is all about."
Nobles make up nine seats of Tonga's 26 Parliament and the other 17 are democratically election.
