Asia Pacific Report
A New Zealand policy research and advocacy group released a detailed blueprint today for a fresh “independent” Te Tiriti and Pacific-based approach to foreign policy, and called for greater transparency in election year.
The current coalition government has “radically shifted New Zealand’s longstanding foreign policy traditions” — including by moving the country away from a principled defence of its independent values to “unquestioning support” for the actions of the Trump administration, said Te Kuaka spokesperson Dr Marco de Jong.
“New Zealand’s slide under this government towards a tightly aligned, militaristic foreign policy is not inevitable,” he added.
Te Kuaka — a group made up of academics such as Dr de Jong and Dr Arama Rata, and lawyers with expertise in international and constitutional law like Fuimaono Dylan Asafo and Gabriella Brayne — released a policy brief, “A Foreign Policy Alternative for the 2026 New Zealand Election”.
The group refers to the need to revitalise “an independent, Te Tiriti-based, Pacific-centred, internationalist foreign policy”.
Last year has witnessed “tumultuous developments in world affairs” such as Israel’s genocide in Gaza, US aggression in Venezuela, and US and Israel waging war on Iran.
Independent values
Te Kuaka’s policy brief says the current government “has radically shifted New Zealand’s longstanding foreign policy traditions”, including by moving NZ away from a principled defence of its independent values and interests towards total, unquestioning support for the actions of the Trump administration.
The brief calls for:
- greater transparency around trade agreements;
- a War Powers Act to ensure parliamentary authorisation for going to war,;
- shifts in New Zealand’s approach to the Pacific towards non-militarisation;
- NZ intervention in support of South Africa’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) genocide case against Israel; and
- other changes.
“How New Zealand acts in the world has always mattered,” said Dr de Jong. “And we need our political parties speaking more openly about their plans on how to maintain and strengthen our independent foreign policy.”
The policy brief also calls for New Zealand to take more strident steps in relation to Indigenous self-determination in Kanaky New Caledonia and to support a human rights visit to West Papua.
The coalition government did not have a mandate for this “dramatic repositioning” in support of the Trump administration, Dr de Jong said.
Call for ‘greater clarity’
“Before the coming election we are calling for greater clarity from political parties about what the public can expect to see from them in relation to New Zealand’s position in the world.”
The policy brief notes that Te Tiriti o Waitangi has not been sufficiently honoured in foreign policy, and also proposes formalising requirements for Māori representation alongside official New Zealand delegations to international forums.
“We are in a rupturing world,” said Dr de Jong. “We need to ensure we’re not unthinkingly caught in the riptide of major powers’ priorities, and that instead we chart our own course, appropriate to our histories and our location in the Pacific.”
- Te Kuaka has previously published reports on conflict prevention and peace mediation, New Zealand’s positioning on AUKUS, and civilian casualties and the NZ Defence Force.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.
APR editor | Radio Free (2026-06-09T01:32:41+00:00) Te Kuaka advocacy group calls for NZ transparent, independent ‘Pacific foreign policy’. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2026/06/09/te-kuaka-advocacy-group-calls-for-nz-transparent-independent-pacific-foreign-policy/
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