Monthly Archives: August 2023

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had reservations about the cultural aspects of the dawn raids apology, long-serving Labour Party MP Aupito Williams Sio revealed in his Parliamentary valedictory speech.

Ardern said in her apology on behalf of the New Zealand government that the infamous early morning raids of the 1970s left Pacific communities feeling "targeted and terrorised".

During his final remarks in the House last week, as he retires after 15 years as an MP, Aupito thanked Ardern for agreeing to deliver the dawn raids apology, which was held in August 2021.

He told his parliamentary colleagues and a packed public gallery that he swelled with emotion when Ardern agreed.

"I was even more emotional when you agreed to participate in the ifoga, despite your reservations," he said.

As part of the ifoga, a Samoan ceremony of apology, the party seeking forgiveness typically sits before the house of the wronged party, and is then covered by fine mats.

Ardern performed this at the dawn raids apology, which is understood to have been the first time a world leader has performed the ifoga.

On the Pacific Days show last Wednesday, Aupito explained to host Ma'a Brian Sagala that her reservations were about not being familiar with some of the Samoan cultural customs, especially the ifoga.

"You have to remember, I'm asking a head of state, the Prime Minister of a nation, to humble herself in a foreign ceremony, a ceremony from another culture," Aupito said.

He said he was the only one in Cabinet and the Labour Pacific caucus who had experienced or fully understood the ifoga, so his job was to explain the process and allay any reservations Ardern had.

Aupito William Sio, the MP for Mngere, dressed in traditional Samoan attire for his valedictory speech in Parliament, 22 August 2023. Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP

Aupito told Pacific Days there were risks with a Head of State performing a custom from another culture, and he also didn't want to offend other Heads of State who might wonder why a New Zealand prime minister was participating in the ifoga.

Aupito said his role was to make sure he was protecting the mana and dignity of the prime minister, while also making sure the ceremony was genuine and authentic to the Samoan people and to himself.

This article first appeared on the Pacific Media Network website and is republished thanks to a sharing agreement between RNZ Pacific and PMN

Originally posted here:

Aupito reveals the reservations he helped PM overcome for raids ... - RNZ

New Zealands election campaign is now underway, and it is set to be inward-looking and bruising, but there are points to watch for the Jewish community.

At the time of writing, Parliament was in its final two weeks of sitting before it disbands prior to the election on October 14. Valedictory speeches are flowing, alongside policy promises and fundraising appeals.

There have been launch events and manifestos.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of Labour has claimed his party is the underdog, but vowed it would fight back and campaign vigorously.

The reason? A sharp downward trend in recent polls, which culminated in a particularly brutal result for Labour in the latest 1NEWS Verian poll.

Hipkins took over as leader earlier this year, following the surprise resignation of then-PM Jacinda Ardern, and the partys fortunes in the polls improved initially.

Labour and the main opposition party, National, had both been jostling around similar mid-30s levels in polls for much of the year, but the latest 1NEWS Verian poll has Labour down 4% to 29% and National up to 37%.

A potential minor party partner for National, the libertarian ACT, was up 1% to 13%, while Labours potential coalition partner, the Green Party, was up 2 points to 12%. The Te Pati Maori (Maori Party), which currently holds one electorate seat, was at 3%.

Veteran populist and former Foreign Minister Winston Peters whose New Zealand First party was knocked out of Parliament in 2020 has also managed to bring his party back to within touching distance of the 5% electoral threshold.

If reflected on election day, these poll results would translate to 65 seats for the centre-right bloc of National and ACT. Sixty-one seats are needed to form government.

These results are Labours worst since 2017, and political pundits have turned pessimistic on Labours chances.

Labours decline in the polls comes after a series of ministerial mishaps, which have dominated headlines.

The 2020 election was dominated by domestic issues and fought against the backdrop of COVID. This year the battleground will again be local.

To quote James Carville (Bill Clintons 1992 presidential campaign strategist), Its the economy, stupid. The cost of living consistently rates as the biggest concern for the public.

Thats left all parties focused on related issues, such as tax and housing, with crime, health and education also in the mix.

So what does that mean for issues that might have special significance for the Jewish community?

New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC) spokesperson Juliet Moses pointed to antisemitism/community safety and Israel-related issues as key focuses for New Zealands Jews.

I dont think these are figuring high on the agenda of any of the parties, given the numerous issues we have in the country at the moment.

If there is a change of government, I am not sure what its stance might be, but it will depend in part on its composition in terms of coalition partners, she said.

To date, foreign affairs discussions from the two main parties have been limited. But the Greens say they want the government to formally recognise Palestine as a state in their manifesto.

David Zwartz, the former Honorary Consul of Israel in New Zealand and a long-term community leader, said the countrys foreign policy is closely linked to its overseas trade needs.

There are growing business relationships with Israel that are not publicised, partly because the media prefers to report on conflict that can be used to vilify Israel, rather than on successful constructive achievements.

He said he does not think there is any Jewish political consensus on domestic affairs, but there is a strong desire for parties to keep away from foreign affairs policies that help create a negative, anti-Israel climate that impacts on Jews in a way that doesnt happen for any other minority anti-Israelism turning into antisemitism.

One domestic policy being put forward that would have an impact on the Jewish community is ACTs plan to abolish the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, along with a range of other demographic ministries. National has refused to rule out this policy.

Moses said the NZJC would be disappointed if the Ministry for Ethnic Communities was to go. They do important work perhaps it is not visible to all and have provided us with good support.

Zwartz agreed, and said the Jewish community had benefitted from the strengthened security and support for minority communities provided by the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, and other government departments, since the Christchurch mosques massacre in 2019.

Right-wing electioneering against this is, unfortunately, a reflection of underlying racism, chiefly dog-whistled against Maori.

But more than a quarter of New Zealands present population was born overseas, and increased immigration will continue this trend.

As in Australia, rising local antisemitism has been egged on by overseas social media influences, and this was on display at the raucous 2022 Wellington anti-vaccine mandate occupation outside the Parliament, he noted.

Continue reading here:

AIR New Zealand: Jewish views on NZ's bruising election battle ... - Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

Whether New Zealands new strategic direction will help it navigate its shifting relationship with China, while balancing security cooperation with the West remains to be seen

The South Pacific has been a region of geopolitical tussle since the World War II. Critical shipping lanes, untapped blue economy resources, and strategic ports in the island nations have further intensified regional competition. Historically, Australia and New Zealand have been the dominant powers in the region. The United States (US), an ally to both traditional Pacific powers, has also been an active partner here. Among these three major powers, the South Pacific has enjoyed a relatively stable environment conducive to development and economic progress. These traditional powers have also been wary of external forces trying to change the status quo in the South Pacific.

However, there is a new entrant. In recent times, China has intensified its engagement in the South Pacific, especially with the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries. China has engaged in chequebook diplomacy at large by providing the region with lucrative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows and developmental aid. Chinas focus on the PIF is understandable as, at one point, eight of its 14 members recognised Taiwan as an independent country. Today, only four recognise Taiwans independence.

China has intensified its engagement in the South Pacific, especially with the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries. China has engaged in chequebook diplomacy at large by providing the region with lucrative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows and developmental aid.

While Australia has treated Chinese incursions in the South Pacific as hostile, and successive governments since the Malcom Turnbull government of 2015 have made critical remarks about Beijings regional engagement, neighbouring New Zealand followed a different strategy. Unlike Canberra, Wellington embraced Chinas economic opportunities through its growing market and manufacturing base. Today, Beijing is Wellingtons largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$ 25 billion in 2022. However, as Chinas foreign policy assumes more aggressive tones, in the past six years, New Zealand too has become cognisant of the Chinese threat in the region. Successive governments have expressed concerns regarding Beijings military build-up in the region and the depth of Chinese investments in the South Pacific. This article analyses New Zealands strategic recalibration for the South Pacific and the geoeconomic factors that pushed Wellington to do so.

Commercial orientation drives the China-New Zealand bilateral relationship. In a rare case, New Zealand leads the Balance of Payments, with exports worth US$ 19.2 billion. Yet, New Zealands heavy reliance on China has created economic dependencies in the long run.

Exports to China comprise 35 percent of total global exports from New Zealand. As an export-dependent economy, China has become crucial to the island nations economic progress. Beijings imports mainly constitute perishable commodities such as dairy, meat and wood. As much as 45 percent of exports from these industries in New Zealand are directed towards China, making export returns from China essential. One in four New Zealanders depends on exports for livelihood, thereby making an amicable trade relationship with China an important foreign policy imperative. Another important economic linkage is the impact of the Chinese economy on global terms of trade. New Zealands terms of tradedifference in import-export prices for a countrys commoditieshave grown significantly, as Chinese economic heft has contributed to increasing export prices and Chinese industrialisation has contributed to lowering import prices.

China responded by decreasing its imports to New Zealand by 7 percent in 2023, resulting in a US$ 1.7 billion loss of export revenue for Wellington.

As a small state, New Zealand has historically refrained from directly criticising China over its South Pacific engagement and its increasing military build-up in recent years. Yet, Beijings increasingly domineering strategic policy in New Zealands backyard has prompted criticism from the Labour government between 2017-22. Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised concerns about Chinas aggressive engagement in the region at Washington DC as well as the Madrid Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in July 2022. China responded by decreasing its imports to New Zealand by 7 percent in 2023, resulting in a US$ 1.7 billion loss of export revenue for Wellington. Chinese state media also published pieces stating that New Zealands imports mostly consist of elastic commodities and can be sourced from elsewhere and that Wellington needs to weigh in its relationship with China while it builds rapport with the West.

Coupled with incidences of Chinese cyber espionage in 2018 and then again in 2023, the Chinese Communist Partys interference in domestic elections in 2019 and further economic bullying, the Labour government came out with the Pacific Reset policy in 2018, meant to provide a direction to Wellingtons earlier ambiguous stance vis--vis Chinese engagement in the South Pacific.

The policy unveiled New Zealands stance on the intensifying regional competition for resources and influence. Without mentioning China, the document stated that New Zealand faces compounding challenges of a scope and magnitude not previously seen in our neighbourhood. Under the policy, New Zealand stepped up its diplomatic presence and aid in the South Pacific with 14 additional postings in the region and a commitment of US$ 1 billion in developmental aid. The policy also implored security partners such as Australia and US to step up their military coordination with New Zealand in the region for upholding international law, order and the rules-based system.

New Zealand stepped up its diplomatic presence and aid in the South Pacific with 14 additional postings in the region and a commitment of US$ 1 billion in developmental aid.

Complementary to this policy, New Zealands government issued a notification concerning FDI regulation, giving Wellington the right to screen and stop any foreign investment for national security purposes. The July 2018 Strategic Defence Policy Statement further stated that Australia and US were its trusted security partners and expressed concern regarding Chinese ambitions in the South China Sea, North-east Asia, Antarctica, and South Pacific. These laws and national policy directions were seen in action in the same year, when Wellington banned Chinese tech company, Huawei, in domestic 5G rollouts.

Building on these policies and strategic directions, New Zealand released its inaugural national security strategy in July 2023, followed by the Defence Policy and Strategic Statement 2023 and Future Force Design Principles 2023, released in August 2023. These documents outline the countrys approach to a changing international order, and note the intensifying contestation between great-powers in its neighbourhood. The documents state that Beijing has sought to grow its political, economic, and security influence in the Pacific at the expense of more traditional partners such as New Zealand and Australia and that Chinas more assertive pursuit of foreign policy imperatives is the primary driver of global strategic competition and has contributed to a world where power is the norm instead of rules.

The inaugural strategic policy also expresses concern regarding Chinese involvement in strategic sectors such as port-building and airport construction in the Pacific.

These complementary policy documents suggest a shift in Wellingtons strategic outlook: shift towards its traditional security system of ANZUS partners; willingness of the government to counter Chinese ambitions and military buildup in the region; zero tolerance for security incidents such as cyberattacks, espionage and interference in domestic elections by Chinese actors. The inaugural strategic policy also expresses concern regarding Chinese involvement in strategic sectors such as port-building and airport construction in the Pacific. Some multipurpose port designs can be used for civilian and military purposes. It says that this would fundamentally alter the strategic balance in the region.

Wellington walks a tightrope between Western security alliances and its economic relationship with China. As mentioned earlier, New Zealands exports are heavily dependent on the Chinese consumer base. Yet, it needs to shore up Western alliances, for securing its surrounding seas, and providing an environment conducive for economic growth and investments. Australia and the US have already started mounting pressures on Wellington to join the second phase of AUKUS. Yet, economically the island nation is heavily dependent on Chinas burgeoning middle class that has lapped up the island nations exports and generated substantial export revenues. Between 2008, when the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement was signed, to 2022, exports from New Zealand rose eightfold. Wellington worries that Chinas authoritarian leadership might instrumentalise its economic leverage to gain political benefits or hinder Wellingtons alliance with the West.

Australia and the US have already started mounting pressures on Wellington to join the second phase of AUKUS.

For long, Wellington has followed a policy of pacification towards China, ignoring its inroads in the Pacific and purporting ambiguous statements about its role in intensifying competition and tensions in the region. While its military partner, Australia has been critical since 2016, New Zealands concerns have found sure footing only in 2018, with the ban of Huawei tech in 5G rollouts. In 2023, there seems to be consensus amongst Wellingtons policymakers to counter Chinas strategic inroads in the region while maintaining crucial economic ties. What remains to be seen is whether New Zealands new strategic direction will help it navigate its shifting relationship with China, while balancing security cooperation with the West.

Prithvi Guptais a Research Assistant with the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation

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Wellingtons strategic recalibration for a changing South Pacific region - Observer Research Foundation

OPINION

Scientists tell us dark matter makes up much of the mass of the universe. They do not know what it is, but they know it plays a key role.

The dark matter in elections is apathy. If apathy were a political party, it would have more than 20 MPs.

Jacinda Ardern won the last election with the biggest mandate of any party since MMP began, with a near-record turnout of 81.54 per cent. Yet apathy got 18.46 per cent - the enrolled voters who did not vote. And another 200,000-plus people did not even enrol.

Pollsters know apathy is important, but there is no way to measure the likely non-vote.

However, candidates detect apathy: fewer people offer to deliver pamphlets, put up billboards, door-knock or donate.

All the signs point to apathy being the kingmaker of this election.

A political reporter said to me last week, I cannot wait until this election is over. No one is saying anything new.

I knew what she meant when I watched Winston Peters on TV. I first saw Winston on TV in 1975, saying much the same thing. In half a century, he has been a minister in three governments, and helped to create this Government.

Like dark matter, we can detect apathy indirectly.

The apathy in the Hamilton West byelection was extraordinary. Labour voters gifted the seat to National by staying home.

Crowds at public meetings are another guide. Christopher Luxon has been holding well-attended meetings, but with nothing like the numbers Sir John Key attracted.

Act, on its nationwide tour, is attracting larger audiences than in 2020, but smaller ones than Sir Roger Douglas meetings.

Labour appears to have abandoned public meetings in favour of unannounced appearances at markets.

There is no sign of any Chris Hipkins mania. His captains calls have disillusioned Labour activists. Labour needs those activists to get out the vote.

To win government, Labour must not just win in Auckland, but run up huge majorities. In Auckland Central, I needed at least 400 volunteers to turn out the vote. It was a pleasant surprise to discover Act voters are self-motivated and I did not need an election-day machine.

There is an objective measure of enthusiasm: money. Parties must declare their donations. For the 2023 election, Labour has declared $1.1 million, less than the Greens on $1.4m, and about the same as New Zealand First. In contrast, National has raised $8.2m and Act has a $4.2m war chest.

This column has warned Chris Hipkins that no replacement PM in the past 70 years has gone on to win. We said his only hope was to set out his vision and call a snap election. Now, Hipkins cannot run on his record of high inflation, an economy in recession, higher Government debt, spiralling crime and having lost four ministers, plus the Revenue Minister asking to be replaced.

Using focus groups to make campaign promises has failed. Many experiments work in the lab but not in the field. The GST announcement has been ridiculed by the left and the right. Not one voter is going to turn out because Labour has promised three tunnels under Auckland Harbour at a cost of up to $45 billion.

Unable to run on Labours record and with the partys campaign promises having flopped, Hipkins has pledged a vigorous campaign. That is code for going negative. Last weekends personal attack on Winston Peters is just the start.

David Seymour had better put on a flak jacket. By election day, it will be understandable if voters think Hipkins has confused Seymour with Genghis Khan.

But negative campaigns can boomerang. Parties must stand for something - and Hipkins is running out of time to tell us what he is for. Advance voting begins in 33 days.

Labours remaining supporters are overwhelmingly women, and women hate personal attacks. We may see the lowest voter turnout since MMP, and Labours worst defeat.

It is that dark matter - apathy - that will defeat Labour.

Richard Prebble is a former leader of the Act Party and a former member of the Labour Party.

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Election 2023: Why the non-voter will lead to Labours worst defeat ... - New Zealand Herald

Kiri Nathan model.

As New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria kicks off on Tuesday at the Viaduct Events Centre, local designers will be out to impress the Australian power players in the front row.

Among the visiting VIPs will be buyers from David Jones, Harrolds and Parlour X, and fashion media titans Damien Woolnough-Reid (the Sydney Morning Herald), Jonah Waterhouse (Vogue Australia), Patty Huntington (Harpers Bazaar) and Pema Bakshi (Grazia magazine).

NZFW Ambassadors broadcaster and former Miss World New Zealand Jess Tyson and stylists-to-the-stars Sammy Salsa and Sarah Stuart will be there. And Spy expects to see deputy PM Carmel Sepuloni by the Kiri Nathan runway and NZFW regulars Samantha Hayes, Antonia Prebble and Petra Bagust attend at some stage. If former PM Jacinda Ardern is in town, she would be the star guest at Juliette Hogans Tuesday night show. Hogan was her chosen go to when Ardern was in office.

Woolnough-Reid, the Sydney Morning Heralds style editor, who has been a fashion week regular over the years, says hes excited by the way the transtasman markets interact. Kiwi designers Maggie Marilyn and Wynn Hamlyn are now key figures at Australian Fashion Week, he points out.

Woolnough-Reid tells Spy he likes to see bravery demonstrated.

Im also a sucker for something that takes a new approach to sexiness and leaves me fanning myself with my programme.

But hes not a fan of trends.

They can feel a bit cut and paste from other collections.

What I am hoping for are unique expressions of people and places. Unique craftsmanship is also a winner and a bit of whimsy has its place, he says.

Woolnough-Reid is particularly looking forward to Kiri Nathan, Campbell Luke and Juliette Hogan.

The Kate Sylvester show is also a must-see because of her unique eye, and the fact she always has the best runway soundtrack. 2023 playlist sorted.

Bakshi, who is attending NZFW for the first time, wants to see brands that are genuinely offering some difference. New Zealand fashion has always had the agility to be more experimental, she says.

Id really love to see designers take a different approach, offering us eclectic pieces that can be mixed and matched to complement an otherwise simple look.

Brands that have a unique look that can separate itself from the rest and bring value to our wardrobes rather than playing into of-the-moment trends. What I like to look for are innovative designs that dont compromise on craftsmanship.

Bakshi says Australian fashion is undergoing a major shift.

Where weve been known for our relaxed silhouettes and coastal vibes, were now seeing designers take a bolder approach, pushing the envelope of what the Aussie aesthetic looks like, which is really exciting to witness.

Rachel White, the buyer for David Jones, says she will be on the hunt for newness. Shes looking for brands offering a point of difference to their current assortment that will resonate with customers.

Shes looking forward to seeing what New Zealands fashion talent has to offer, and developing a better understanding of the Kiwi customer.

Im looking forward to seeing Campbell Luke and Juliette Hogan as well as veteran Kate Sylvester, as well as the Next Gen and grad shows, White says.

Trend-wise, we are seeing our customer come off the party-dress high and reinvest in wardrobe essentials. Pink is hot right now and for next season, all signs point towards blues.

There is absolutely a continuation of the 90s trend across all categories being played into. However, in saying that, I love seeing designers staying in their own lane and remaining true to their brand DNA.

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Aussies are after our New Zealand Fashion Week designs - New Zealand Herald

Two of Parliaments biggest champions of fighting family violence, and another renowned for her work in the environmental space, have signed out as MPs with rousing speeches calling for greater action.

There was much laughter throughout though, along with tears, for the trio - Eugenie Sage and Jan Logie of the Greens and Labours Poto Williams - with several jokes having the whole House in raucous laughter, along with a unique rendition of Dolly Partons 9 to 5 by Logies supporters.

Logie and Sage entered Parliament on the list after the 2011 election - when the Greens gained a still-record 11.1 per cent - both stating they were reluctant MPs but each being inspired to get into politics to pursue their own passions.

They spoke ahead of Williams, one of the countrys first MPs of Cook Islands heritage, who is also retiring this year. She entered Parliament in 2013 after winning the Christchurch East byelection.

Williams spoke of how advocating for Christchurch residents affected by the earthquakes was her main initial drive.

She also spoke about previous work in family violence prevention and how she thought shed be able to survive anything else as a result.

Then I joined the Labour caucus, she joked, referencing the inner turmoils of the party in 2013, lasting until Jacinda Ardern took over as leader in 2017.

She also drew some big laughs referencing doing the haka on Willie Jackson - likely about her publicly breaking ranks in 2017 about him joining the party, taking issue with his Roastbusters victim-blaming radio interview.

Soz not soz, bro, sometimes you just need to be told.

She then backed the joke up with a dig at Act Party leader David Seymour, saying sometimes she wished she had a cattle prod to shut him up.

After a pause, she corrected: Just joking - a clear reference to Seymours recent comments about sending Guy Fawkes into the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, which many have interpreted as him wanting to blow it up, but for which he has refused to apologise, saying it is just a joke.

Williams was also serious, referencing some of the difficulties in her time as Police Minister - she was the countrys first of Pasifika heritage to hold the ministerial portfolio.

Williams was appointed by Ardern after the 2020 election, a time of global calls for police reform following the murder of George Floyd. In New Zealand, this saw mass criticism over the Armed Response Trials, which predominantly focused on Mori and Pasifika communities despite being sparked by the Christchurch white supremacist terrorist.

At the time Williams, with a background in fighting family and sexual violence, was seen as a good fit. However, as crime increased post-Covid, she was seen by the Opposition as a soft touch in the role and came under intense pressure, ultimately being replaced by Chris Hipkins. Williams paid tribute to Chippy not only as current Prime Minister but for coaching her through Question Time during that period.

In acknowledging this, Williams said she had been subjected to blistering scrutiny in social and mainstream media, likening some of it to bullying.

She also took aim at her former sparring partner, Nationals Mark Mitchell, saying while he and Labours Stuart Nash - also a former Police Minister - would arm wrestle, she was able to deliver record investment for police and get the ratio of frontline officers to New Zealanders down to 480 to 1.

Williams said as Police Minister she was also able to play an integral role in developing Te Aorerekura, the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence.

Logie, as with her two fellow MPs, acknowledged - albeit with some light humour - the difficulties of family life and being an MP.

Kath, I need to particularly thank you for putting up with some of the worst dates ever including protests, election panels, vigils for murdered women and children.

Both she and Sage referenced their former party co-leader Metiria Tureis resignation, which occurred after she publicly admitted lying about her welfare situation as a solo mother and came under unbearable pressure.

Logie thanked her partner for supporting her when I was struggling to breathe in the wake of Metirias resignation, feeling as if the bastards had won, and needing to be on TV in less than an hour.

Logie said she was not initially interested in parliamentary politics, with politicians set on one-upping each other.

I decided to stand for Parliament to stop yelling at politicians on the radio and now Im leaving because I want to stop yelling at myself on the radio.

Logie, who has drawn bipartisan praise for her work on womens issues and addressing sexual and family violence, also referenced to Te Aorerekura, which she worked on in the early stages.

Family violence and sexual violence are endemic in this country and sadly there is no one solution to changing this.

She also called on the Government to end poverty: Just tax the rich already - a reference to the partys wealth tax proposals, and Labours internal disputes over it.

As a cis-feminist lesbian, she said it was an honour to support the rainbow community.

The last decade had been a renaissance for the womens movement, and she called for that to extend to the transgender community.

Just look at the public joy celebrating the Football Ferns and Black Ferns and the Me Too movement. Strong movements bring people together, they dont drive people apart.

Thats why it has been so disappointing to also see the rise in transphobia in our communities and politics, activated from offshore.

She signed out by calling for more people power.

We need to stop thinking that politicians are going to fix things without stepping up to help them do it. No one in this place succeeds alone, our power is only ever derived from our communities, and the most meaningful thing we can do is honour that gift and give power back.

Sage, meanwhile, said she had been spurred to be an MP after National in 2010 axed elected regional councillors on Environment Canterbury to install commissioners more sympathetic to irrigation development.

Anger became action.

Sage said in 2017 she got her dream job as Minister of Conservation, along with the role of Land Information and Associate Environment Minister with responsibility for waste.

She spoke of special work in conservationand efforts towards a plastic bag ban.

She made reference to East Coast iwi Te Whnau--Apanui and Ngti Porou, who gave a good lesson in how to lobby a minister.

With the help of a helicopter, they dropped me deep in the forests of the Raukmara Range to see how large numbers of deer had not only eaten out the forest understorey, but also stripped trees of their bark.

I was close to tears seeing the collapsing forest.

That resulted in Raukmara Pae Maunga, a tremendous Treaty partnership with $34 million to undertake pest, goat and deer control.

Sage said a lingering frustration was a lack of action on marine conservation and took aim at the commercial fishing industry.

Too many in the commercial fishing industry continue to deny there is a problem in fisheries management, and with methods such as bottom trawling.

Thirty per cent of Aotearoa enjoys some protection from extractive uses as conservation land and waters. Why is it so hard to do the same at sea? Less than half of 1 per cent of our oceans are protected.

Read more:

Election 2023: Green MPs Jan Logie, Eugenie Sage and Labours ... - New Zealand Herald