Perhaps it is a legacy of being the youngest in my family, but I am so proud of New Zealand’s role in international affairs over recent years. As any youngest sibling will tell you, getting listened to by the rest of the family is an uphill battle at the best of times. Helen Clark and the New Zealand team’s success at getting climate change onto the APEC agenda is only the most recent example. Bear in mind that APEC’s membership includes the mega states of the US, Russia and China. It’s a big family, and the skill and diplomacy that goes with influcencing the agenda in this way is a great tribute to New Zealand. 

Success like this is built on a principled foreign policy, where our independence and our commitment to multilateralism are key.   These two underlying principles have been central to Labour thinking going right back to Peter Frazer’s role in San Francisco in 1945 in the establishment of the United Nations.   They have been followed through by Norm Kirk in relation to nuclear testing in the Pacific, David Lange in relation to nuclear weapons and Helen Clark with the Iraq war.  It is a record of committment.

Now it seems the National Party in a naked attempt to neutralise foreign policy as an election year issue is going to embrace an independent, multilateral foreign policy.  This will be the latest move in a foreign policy gymnastic routine that would make Nadia Comaneci proud.   National’s shifting position on the Iraq war is well documented.  More recently we have seen the decision to move to a ‘niche capable’ military and the promise of  no return to a combat wing for the air force.

This is a remarkable turn around from the comments of Simon Power, Lockwood Smith, Don Brash, Wayne Mapp and others.   Is National’s reflexive, pro American, anti UN stance really gone by lunchtime?

Hard to believe.  Murray McCully developed a rapid interest in foreign affairs when Winston Peters was made Foreign Minister.  He will quickly lose interest if that state of affairs were to stop.  In the meantime, ever the political strategist, McCully has seen the need to remove foreign affairs as the election time irritant of the last election.  He knows Helen Clark will have John Key for breakfast on foreign policy and is desperate to avoid a repeat of Brash’s squirming in 2005.

Ultimtately, the key individuals in the National Party on Foreign Affairs are still in place. They have not changed their view, they have simply seen which way the wind is blowing.   They will sail on that breeze as they try to get into government, and heaven fobid if they do, just watch them return to type in a flash.

It is hard to describe the pressure a country like New Zealand can come under at a time such as the US invasion of Iraq.  Little brother is quickly and firmly informed of their place via various channels, and much is expected.  It is only with a solid, principled position such as that of Labour and Helen Clark that we can navigate through those times.   Labour has been incredibly successful in this, and the relationship with the US is now characterised by the recognition of differences and the desire to move forward positively.

Do we really believe that Key, Smith, Mapp etc would have the strength of character to stay the course of independence and principle in similar circumstances?  Hardly- it will be a twisting triple policy back flip, with one and a half reverse sommersault.   That is not in New Zealand’s interests.  Only Labour has the long term committment to being the feisty little brother on the world stage.