NZ govt. inquiry calls for Tongans views [1]
Friday, December 12, 2003 - 10:00. Updated on Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 22:34.
Tongans will be invited to submit their views to a multi-level New Zealand government inquiry into its relationship with Tonga.
The inquiry will be conducted by the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the New Zealand Parliament, and the terms of reference were announced by committee chairman Peter Dunne on December 4.
It will look at Diplomatic relations, Parliamentary relations, Official Development Assistance, Defence Cooperation, Trade, and any other matters the committee wishes to draw to the attention of the New Zealand House of Parliament.
The purpose of the inquiry is for the committee to make recommendations in its report to the House about future opportunities to enhance the relationship.
Warwick Hawker, the New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga said that the Committee had indicated that it is particularly interested in hearing the views of the Tongan community resident in New Zealand, and the closing date for submissions is 28 March 2004.
...I am advised it is possible for Tongan individuals and institutions resident in Tonga to also make submissions to the Committee should they so wish,... he said.
The committee noted that New Zealand has a longstanding, close relationship with the Kingdom of Tonga, as well as a large resident Tongan population. This relationship occurs at a multilateral level as a South Pacific neighbour and within institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum. It is also pursued bilaterally in arrangements such as the five-year NZAID/Tonga joint programming strategy agreed between the two governments in 2001.
Within its terms of reference, the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has responsibility for oversight and accountability of the New Zealand Government's actions and policies in relation to foreign affairs. This includes official development assistance as administered by NZAID. Additional terms of reference of the committee include defence and trade.
It is expected that submissions will be heard next year. Information about making a submission can be obtained at the the New Zealand Parliament website.