PMs Christopher Luxon and Anthony Albanese warn of ‘volatile world’ ahead of leaders’ meeting
A volatile world that threatens liberal democracies is among the chief warnings of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese as the pair meet ahead of their annual leader’s meeting tomorrow.
Luxon, who arrived in Brisbane this morning, has met with Albanese in Noosa ahead of a reception for their respective delegations which featured several high-powered businesspeople as the two nations seek to strengthen economic ties.
Albanese emphasised the transtasman relationship as “more important than ever” while looking at the state of global affairs.
“We live in a volatile world,” he said, pointing to the Middle East conflict and its far-reaching consequences.
“We have a world as well in which the norms that we considered as liberal democracies to be just the way the world was headed ... we can’t take those things for granted anymore.”
Luxon responded in kind, reiterating his view that the world had reached “an inflection point”.
“We are moving from a world that’s been ordered by rules to one that’s ordered by power, and that means that actually big countries often dominate smaller countries.
“We are moving from a multi-lateral system to a multi-polar system and while it’s not yet fully determined, that’s the opportunity of two countries like us working so closely together with other like-minded friends and partners to actually shape where that goes.”
Luxon and Albanese will hold the leaders’ meeting tomorrow morning, followed by a joint press conference.
Earlier, Luxon insisted the response to China’s sanctioning of Taiwan-visiting MPs lies with New Zealand as Australia calls on its officials over the matter.
It followed Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong saying she was concerned by China’s decision to ban several New Zealand MPs from travelling to China after they visited Taiwan, Wong also committing her officials would raise the matter with Chinese counterparts.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has since instructed officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to contact their Chinese counterparts to “express concern” at the sanctioning.
Luxon told travelling media he appreciated Wong’s statements but reiterated it was a matter for New Zealand.
“We appreciate the support, but at the end of the day it’s an issue between New Zealand and China.”
The diplomatic spat relates to a visit made by Act’s Laura McClure, NZ First’s David Wilson, Labour’s Duncan Webb and National’s Maureen Pugh to Taiwan in May.
On returning, they were told by Parliament’s clerk that the Chinese Embassy had been in touch to say they would be banned from entering China and the territories of Hong Kong and Macau for a year.
The embassy also said the punishment could be reduced or waived if the MPs apologised for their visit. China claims Taiwan, a self-governing island, as its territory.
Under its diplomatic relations with China, New Zealand recognises the “One China” policy position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. However, New Zealand does not explicitly hold that view itself.
Luxon maintained New Zealand had a long tradition of MPs visiting Taiwan, noting Parliament MPs did not represent the Government.
“They’re free to see who they want to see,” Luxon said of the MPs.
“We think it’s entirely inappropriate, the reaction that we’ve seen from the Chinese, we’ll raise that with them ourselves.”
A spokesman for Peters earlier said the minister had been surprised to learn that China had taken a decision, for the first time, to impose travel bans on New Zealand MPs as a result of travel to Taiwan, given the visits weren’t inconsistent with the One China policy.
Peters had instructed MFAT officials in Beijing and Wellington to discuss the matter with the Chinese system, to express concern at the departure from past practice and to better understand it.
‘Wasn’t right’: Luxon weighs in on State of Origin red card with Queensland Premier
Luxon capped off his brief visit to Brisbane meeting Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.
In their opening remarks, the pair bantered about rugby league, specifically the three-game State of Origin series between Queensland (Maroons) and New South Wales (Blues).
Luxon, who Crisafulli outed as a Maroons fan, expressed sympathy at Queensland’s 20-22 loss last week.
The game turned on the referee’s controversial decision to send off Queensland’s Kayln Ponga for a high tackle on NSW’s Toluta’u Koula, allowing the Blues back into the game, which had been dominated by the Maroons.
Luxon raised the decision in his remarks, declaring it “wasn’t right” and said to Crisafulli: “You were robbed!”
He then jibed that he would be mentioning the Warriors’ recent good form with Albanese in his meetings.
After touching down in Brisbane in the morning, Luxon met with organisers of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Organising committee president Andrew Liveris assured Luxon he wanted the games to be an “economic opportunity” for New Zealand, later telling media he was lobbying the Australian Government to relax immigration settings to allow more workers to cross the Tasman.
Luxon then visited a Pacific Policing Initiative base, meeting with police officers from across the Pacific who spend six months at the Brisbane base upskilling.
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.