Displaying 1 - 24 of 366 results.

An independent audit into the financial management of the Constitutional and Electoral Reform programme in Tonga has found no evidence of fraud, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today.

Last month it was alleged that NZ$330,000 provided by New Zealand and Australia to the Tongan Government to support their historic transition to a more democratic system of government had been misused.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has expressed serious concern over the storming of the two British Embassy compounds in Tehran yesterday.

“The storming of the British Embassy in Iran was totally unacceptable” Mr McCully said.

“We join other Governments and the United Nations Security Council in condemning the attacks and calling on the Iranian Government to take action against those responsible.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully is representing New Zealand at the 6th East Asia Summit (EAS), being held in Bali, Indonesia, on November 18th-19th.

“The East Asia Summit is significantly expanding with both the United States and Russia attending the summit for the first time,” said Mr McCully.

“An important issue being discussed is economic integration within East Asia. ASEAN members are interested in consolidating bilateral FTAs with existing partners, including New Zealand and Australia, into a wider agreement,” said Mr McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand’s new Ambassador to Turkey will be career diplomat, Taha Macpherson, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced today.

“This is a key appointment. As well as being based in Ankara the Ambassador is also accredited to Israel and Jordan. He will be our main representative dealing with a broad range of Middle East issues,” said Mr McCully.

“Over the next few years the Ambassador will help prepare for the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing Gallipoli in 2015.”

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, has announced New Zealand will provide $250,000 to support the Turkish Red Crescent’s humanitarian response to the devastating quake in the Van Province of Turkey.

“The quake which struck Turkey on 23 October has caused terrible loss of life and widespread damage. At this stage more than 400 people have died and more than 1000 have been injured,” Murray McCully said.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully and EU High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton yesterday held bilateral talks in Perth. Catherine Ashton agreed to seek a negotiating mandate for a Treaty level Framework Agreement to upgrade the bilateral relationship.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully leaves today to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth.

The Minister will attend the Foreign Ministers’ meetings and represent the Prime Minister at the Leaders’ meetings.

“It will be an important meeting for the Commonwealth as it debates what reforms are needed to be more effective,” said Mr McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Sport and Recreation Minister, Murray McCully, says New Zealanders can look forward to seeing more kiwi winners on the world stage with the National Training Centre for high performance athletes opening today.

High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) is based at the AUT Millennium Campus on Auckland’s North Shore.

Its new National Training Centre was officially opened by the Minister and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge, who is in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup.

  • Murray McCully
  • Sport and Recreation

To New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.

“The Major Economic and Foreign Policy Issues Facing New Zealand 2012-17”

The theme of your seminar is foreign policy challenges for the next five years.

I thought I might address these challenges against the background of some of the achievements of the past three years – expressed, of course, in an appropriately modest fashion.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, says a New Zealand and Australian airlift operation is starting from today to assist the drought stricken Tuvalu.

A series of RNZAF C130 flights and an RAAF C17 flight will be made over the coming days to deploy a large New Zealand Army desalination unit to Funafuti, Tuvalu.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

A joint New Zealand and United States operation is underway to provide emergency water supplies to drought-stricken Tokelau, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced today.

“A severe La Nina weather pattern is operating in the Pacific region resulting in very low rainfall for many areas,” said Mr MrCully.

“Tokelau is entirely reliant on rainwater collection and is therefore severely impacted when drought conditions occur – current information suggests there’s less than a week’s supply,” he said.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says Japan is isolating itself from the international community with its decision to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Japan's Minister of Agriculture has announced in Tokyo overnight that Japan intends to resume its Southern Ocean whaling programme over summer.

“Japan’s decision is increasingly out of step with international opinion. It is also entirely disrespectful of the strong concerns expressed by Australian and New Zealand people for whom the Southern Ocean is our neighbourhood,” said Mr McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

A New Zealand Defence Force C-130 has arrived in Tuvalu this afternoon to deliver New Zealand Red Cross supplies and personnel to address severe water shortages, Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced.

“Tuvalu has declared a state of emergency relating to water shortages in the capital, Funafuti, and a number of outer islands,” Mr McCully said.

“A New Zealand Defence Force C-130 left this morning to take supplies and personnel to Tuvalu. The supplies include two desalination units as well as water containers.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Korea will be Patrick Rata, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced today. 

Based in Seoul, Mr Rata will be maintaining and strengthening the relationship with the Republic of Korea as well as establishing a greater trade presence.  

“Korea is New Zealand’s fifth largest trading partner. There is potential for a significant expansion of economic ties, particularly in science and innovation collaboration," said Mr McCully. 

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand’s new Consul-General to New Caledonia will be career diplomat Linda Te Puni, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced today.

“Ms Te Puni will also be accredited to French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna, although resident in Noumea. This will enable her to strengthen New Zealand’s relationships with these key Pacific partners, as well as establish a greater trade presence,” said Mr McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

A High Commissioner to Tuvalu and a new Ambassador for New Zealand to the African Union and Ethiopia, both to be based in Wellington, have been announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully.

“Accrediting non-resident Ambassadors provides us with a flexible and cost-effective means of increasing our diplomatic activity,” said Mr McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand will not participate in the commemorative event in New York this month to mark ten years since the adoption of the Durban Declaration at the World Conference Against Racism.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said "New Zealand is fully committed to combating racism and we agree the UN should lead discussions on the elimination of racism. That is why we engaged constructively in the preparatory discussions in New York. However, in the end, the text is not one that we could support.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully has granted urgent approval under the RWC Empowering Act 2010 to the extension of the Queens Wharf fanzone, festival and showcase event.

The Minister’s decision follows yesterday's hearing on the application by the RWC Authority chaired by Sir Bruce Robertson.

  • Murray McCully
  • Rugby World Cup

The Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, has welcomed the Waikato region winning the tender process to build the national cycling centre of excellence.

“This has been a careful tender process managed by SPARC. They have advised the Waikato’s Home of Cycling Trust that it has won the tender process since it received the support of the Waikato Regional Council today,” said Murray McCully.

  • Murray McCully
  • Sport and Recreation

Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully says he’s disappointed poor performance in two areas has spoiled for some people what was otherwise a spectacularly successful World Cup opening night.

The Minister today met with officials to debrief last night's operations having met with Police and Queens Wharf managers late on Friday night as well

  • Murray McCully
  • Rugby World Cup

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced New Zealand will donate NZ$3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in response to an urgent international request for increased humanitarian assistance in Africa.

“The United Nations has named the situation in Africa as the worst humanitarian disaster in the world. The crisis is predicted to continue well into 2012,” Mr McCully said.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka have today signed a Joint Commitment for Development which sets out New Zealand support for sustainable economic development in the Solomon Islands.

The agreement also clearly sets out the joint accountabilities and responsibilities for the delivery and management of the aid program in the Solomon Islands.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced today that New Zealand will invest $7.9 million to fund the construction of a 1 Mega Watt photovoltaic solar plant in Tonga.

The project will be delivered through an innovative public-private partnership with Meridian Energy, Tonga Power Limited, and the Tongan Government.

“Reducing the Pacific’s reliance on expensive, imported fossil fuels and promoting renewable energy will be a major topic of discussion for Leaders during the 42nd Pacific Island Forum,” Mr McCully said.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Dr Michael Wesley,

Distinguished guests,

This important conference takes place against the backdrop of the 40th anniversary Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting.

Your gathering brings together some of the best economic, business, academic and civil society brains in the region.

The New Zealand Government very much appreciates the energy and commitment of the Lowy Institute in bringing it together.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs