News

Ministerial Press Releases and Speeches

Note: All links are to the offical website of the New Zealand Government . Please see www.beehive.govt.nz

MFAT Statements and Speeches

Select the year of the speech you are interested in from the dropdown list and click on the go button.

Home > News

Recent news items
Information for Media

Recent News Items

Prime Minister's visit to North Asia

NZ Embassy reception, Korea - speech Rt Hon Helen Clark - 16 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
Prime Minister's speech at New Zealand-Korea business breakfast - speech Rt Hon Helen Clark - 16 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
Japan-New Zealand Partnership - Address at the inaugural Japan-New Zealand Partnership Forum - speech Rt Hon Helen Clark - 15 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
NZ-Japan Mutual Recognition Customs Agreement - speech Rt Hon Helen Clark - 14 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
Customs agreement with Japan signed - press release Rt Hon Helen Clark - 14 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
Prime Minister to visit Japan and Korea - press release Rt Hon Helen Clark - 2 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
New Zealand's relations with Japan
New Zealand's relations with Korea

Earthquake in China's Central regions

NZ aid for China following earthquake - press release Rt Hon Winston Peters - 16 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
New Zealand extends sympathy after China earthquake - press release Hon Michael Cullen - 13 May 2008 [beehive.govt.nz]
Register with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Pakistan's return to the Commonwealth

New Zealand supports Pakistan's return to the Commonwealth - press release Rt Hon Winston Peters - 13 May 2008
New Zealand's relations with Pakistan

Foreign Minister signs Working holiday scheme with Poland

Working Holiday Scheme signed with Poland - press release Rt Hon Winston Peters - 10 May 2008
New Zealand's relations with Poland

Foreign Minister in Europe

NZ, Turkey likeminded on many issues - press release Rt Hon Winston Peters 29 April 2008
New Zealand's relations with Turkey
New Zealand's relations with Europe

Zimbabwe elections

On-going delays fuel fears for Zimbabwe poll results - press release Rt Hon Winston Peters 18 April 2008

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade funding increase

The Government has announced a major increase to the funding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to be used over five years to increase operational capability at key missions overseas, and at home.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters outlined the changes in a speech to the NZ Institute of International Affairs in Wellington at lunchtime on Wednesday 16 April.

You can read the speech and the Minister's media release [beehive.govt.nz].
There is a detailed Ministry backgrounder explaining how the extra funding will be used.

NZ-China Free Trade Agreement signed

Prime Minister Helen Clark and Chinese counterpart, Premier Wen Jiabao, signed the Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and China in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on 7 April 2008.

See related press releases and speeches on the China FTA [external links]:

Putting the FTA into action - Hon Phil Goff (Press Release)- 9 April 2008
Website demonstrates huge interest in NZ-China FTA (Press Release) - Hon Phil Goff - 9 April 2008
Navigating China Seminar (Speech)- Hon Phil Goff - 8 April 2008
NZ- China FTA Celebration (Speech) - Rt Hon Helen Clark - 7 April 2008
Historic first - NZ-China Free trade Agreement signed (Press release) - Rt Hon Helen Clark - 7 April 2008
NZ- China Free Trade Agreement- Hon Phil Goff (Press release) - 4 April 2008

For more information on the China FTA - see the official government website www.chinafta.govt.nz

Carbon Neutral Public service programme

Carbon emissions inventory
Carbon Emissions reduction plan
Carbon neutral public service programme update - press release Hon Trevor Mallard - 4 April 2008

Reports of violence in Tibet

Parliamentary Notice of Motion re Tibet Rt Hon Helen Clark 18 March 2008 [external link]
NZ deeply concerned at reports of violence in Tibet press release Rt Hon Helen Clark 17 March 2008 [external link]
China travel advisory [www.safetravel.govt.nz]

top of page

New Zealand/Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) joint study

A joint study by New Zealand and Korea has found that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would bring substantial economic benefits to both countries.

See press release from Hon Phil Goff - 22 February 2008
Read about New Zealand's Relationship with South Korea

Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions (18 - 22 February 2008)

Conference ends with more than 80 countries signing the Wellington Declaration to end the use of clustermunitions in countries of conflict. The next conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland 19-30 May 2008.

Visit the Wellington Conference 2008 website

Information for Media

The Ministry’s media team can provide information to journalists on:

NZ foreign and trade policies
Ministry activities (e.g. meetings, seminars, policy consultations)
Official visits (of NZ Ministers overseas, or from other countries to NZ)
Consular services (assistance to New Zealanders overseas)

Contact: Media Duty Phone: 021 375 105

(Please note: The Ministry does not operate a 24 - hour media response service )

top of page

Other Ministry Contacts:

Emma Reilly
Media Adviser
Email: emma.reilly@mfat.govt.nz
D/D: +64 4 439 8777

Lucy Taylor
Communications Advisor
Email: lucy.taylor@mfat.govt.nz
D/D:+64 4 439 8774

Ministerial Comment on Foreign Policy issues

Journalists seeking ministerial comment on the NZ Government’s position on foreign policy issues should contact the office of the Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Contact:
James Funnell
Press secretary
james.funnell@parliament.govt.nz
Ph: +64 4 471 9710

Ministerial Comment on Trade policy issues and disarmament and arms control issues

Journalists seeking on-the-record comment on the NZ Government’s position on trade policy issues and disarmament and arms control issues should contact the office of the Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Trade and Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control.

top of page

Contact:
Richard Trow
Press secretary
richard.trow@parliament.govt.nz
Ph: +64 4 471 9794

(NZAID) New Zealand International Aid & Development Agency

Contact: Media Duty Phone: 021 590 578

Page last updated: Friday, 16 May 2008 15:02 NZST

Print this page