Distant noises of other voices

As Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon receives no shortage of advice.

Quite apart from his Cabinet and caucus colleagues and coalition partners — let alone suggestions from the ever-helpful Opposition or media — he has several staff members whose entire role is to advise him on the issues of the day.

Then there are the lobbyists, business leaders, interest groups, local government leaders and other influential people who are fortunate enough to capture the PM’s attention and offer their two cents’ worth.

Even the general public can advise the prime minister — ultimately at the ballot box, but also through correspondence or even in person should they be lucky enough to be in the vicinity when Mr Luxon embarks on one of his weekly visits out to the regions.

Not all advice is welcome, of course, and Mr Luxon may well have wished not to hear from former Labour prime minister Helen Clark and former National Party leader Don Brash when they chimed in last week with some salient words on New Zealand’s relationship with China.,

There is little chance of Mr Luxon ignoring them, though, given that they chose to drop him a line via full-page advertisements in the nation’s newspapers rather than sending him an email or letter.

The nub of Miss Clark and Dr Brash’s letter — which was also signed by former National MP and speaker Sir David Carter, former New Zealand ambassador to China Carl Worker, and Beijing-based New Zealand businessman David Mahon — was that they thought New Zealand’s foreign policy was taking a concerning direction.

"In recent months, you and Foreign Minister [Winston] Peters have made a number of statements which we consider to be positioning New Zealand alongside the United States as an adversary of China," they said.

"We see no upside and very considerable downside in the situation which has developed... we do believe that a military relationship with the United States directed against China has many risks for New Zealand."

The former politicians were, mainly, referring to Aukus Pillar Two, a defence arrangement with Australia, the United Kingdom and United States, which New Zealand is still mulling over whether to join.

Signing up would no doubt please countries with which New Zealand has long-standing relationships and alliances and also allow the country access to modern defence and intelligence gathering technology.

Helen Clark and Don Brash. PHOTO: RNZ
Helen Clark and Don Brash. PHOTO: RNZ
But Miss Clark, Dr Brash, et al, point out that the strategic grouping is "explicitly aimed at China" — a country with which New Zealand is also friendly, and which is, as no-one has forgotten, our biggest trading partner.

A vital plank in Mr Luxon’s "going for growth" agenda is increasing export sales, and the ready, waiting and able-to-buy Chinese market is a critical one.

Mr Luxon met Chinese President Xi Jinping at last year’s Apec meeting, and he is widely expected to visit the People’s Republic sometime this year. Such visits always include an obligatory but delicately phrased reference to some of China’s more questionable policies in terms of human rights, a topic quickly skimmed over before the parties turn to dollars and cents.

New Zealand’s attempts to become closer in step with the United States will already have been noted by Beijing, and this will no doubt be added to the awkward topics list when Mr Luxon does make it to the Chinese capital.

No-one is suggesting that Miss Clark or Dr Brash, experienced operators in their own right, are acting as stalking horses for China in placing their advertisement: their views on this matter are backed by lengthy and independent track records, and they raise a legitimate argument.

Mr Luxon will not have welcomed such high-profile questioning of his policies at a time when his staff may well be making final arrangements for what will be a vital trip — as all meetings between China’s and New Zealand’s leaders are for this country.

Mr Peters, in typically colourful language, said that he saw "no value in indulging the tired arguments of various former politicians" — before defending the government’s foreign policy approach.

But indulge them Mr Luxon will likely have to do. In finding language to counter them, he may well find himself grateful that those varied notables raised their voices and offered their opinion.