They are former National MP Simon O'Connor and ex-Labour MP Louisa Wall.

Jimmy Lai and Andy Li

Catholic entrepreneur and democracy activist Jimmy Lai is on trial.

He founded the popular pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. He was arrested in 2020 under a draconian national security law.

That law criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers. It applies throughout the world.

Lai faces two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.

Ipac

Lai's alleged links with the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) is a focus of his trial.

Ipac is a trans-national cross-party grouping of politicians who are critical of China.

Jailed activist and former Ipac volunteer Andy Li has testified against Lai.

Li is thought to have been tortured before giving evidence, providing prosecutors with a statement against Lai.

He claimed Lai backed an Ipac push for sanctions against Hong Kong over the national security law.

Beijing imposed the 2020 law following pro-democracy protests in the city.

Ipac's founder, Luke de Pulford, says Lai "had nothing whatsoever to do with any of my work on Hong Kong".

The NZ MPs concerns

O'Connor and Wall wonder why, given the potential implications for their safety, foreign affairs officials didn't know their names had featured in the national security trial proceedings.

Wall is "deeply concerned" about this.

"We urge the relevant authorities to promptly reach out to us and provide the necessary assistance and guidance to address this matter with the seriousness it warrants."

She says it is concerning that MFAT seems unaware that she and O'Connor were mentioned during Lai's trial.

She finds it "equally troubling that no one has yet contacted us directly".

Why were Wall and O'Connor named?

Wall and O'Connor are former Ipac New Zealand co-chairs.

A news outlet claims their names came up on March 27.

That was when the prosecution asked Li to confirm he was responsible for publishing a joint statement from the pair on the organisation's website in July 2020.

That statement asked the New Zealand government to rule out extraditions to Hong Kong under the national security law.

Wall and O'Connor argued the law "fundamentally compromises the democracy and rule of law in Hong Kong".

MPs work misused

O'Connor says Hong Kong authorities appeared to be misusing MPs' normal work.

The result is "a somewhat chilling effect" on public debate about China in New Zealand politics.

"I view it as a sham trial. That the normal work of a Member of Parliament here in New Zealand has been misused in a trial of good people [Lai and Li] is both inappropriate and quite upsetting."

MFAT says it had "not been present at any sessions where New Zealand MPs were specifically mentioned".

Source

• Newsroom

The diocese's Peace and International Justice Committee (PIJC) told the Committee they opposed the FTA.

"Our submission is based on the recognition of human dignity and the rights of all society members to protection, particularly the most vulnerable", they said.

"It [the FTA] falls significantly short of its Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, leaving Maori open to future exploitation in key areas."

This includes Intellectual Property and Digital Data - areas that incorporate cultural and physical taonga and whakapapa, "the essence of Maori identity."

Despite the apparent provision for Maori to benefit from the FTA, there is no process for enforcing any of the provisions contained.

The PIJC also noted that despite being a Tiriti signatory, the FTA shows the UK Government wants to distance itself from any Tiriti obligations.

This is despite an MFAT report recommending they "incorporate the protection and promotion of indigenous intellectual property into New Zealand's trade agreements".

In late 2020 Nga Toki Whakarururanga (NTW) was set up, following mediation between the Crown and claimants from a Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into Maori involvement in trade negotiations.

The PIJC told the select committee the NTWs Tiriti assessment found the Government had decided the FTA negotiating mandate with no role for Maori separate from the Crown.

NTW's advisors were given an edited version of the draft text in late 2021. However as its contents were secret, they couldn't consult with affected Maori outside the group. Most of their input was too late and had minimal impact on the final FTA.

The NTW report also noted the Tiriti clause allowing the Crown to accord ‘more favourable treatment' to Maori remained unchanged from previous FTAs.

This was despite recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal and the Government's Trade for All Advisory Board that more effective protections were needed.

An NTW spokesperson says "as far as Maori making economic gains, the figure we've seen ... is a $13 million increase in GDP for a Maori asset base of $68 billion".

In the chapter dedicated to Maori Trade and Economic Cooperation, the FTA acknowledges the Tiriti's constitutional importance. The UK ‘notes' it was an original signatory to it, but distances itself from any ongoing obligations. All its subsequent Tiriti references are confined to New Zealand.

Cooperation is frequently mentioned.

The chapter says New Zealand and the UK "may facilitate" three cooperative activities: collaborating to enhance Maori-owned enterprises' ability to benefit from FTA opportunities; developing links between the UK and Maori-owned enterprises (eg joint roadshows); continuing to support science, research and innovation as appropriate between the UK and Maori communities.

In a footnote the UK says nothing in the chapter imposes an obligation on it to actually do anything.

In July, Rawiri Waititi said the Maori Party will oppose the FTA because it shut Maori out of negotiations and failed to protect Maori rights and interests.

It is "yet another failed opportunity to reimagine trade policy". Vague statements about how Maori would be better off is not partnership, he said.

Source

• Submission supplied by Catholic Diocese of Auckland

The programme works with local communities in the Pacific and South East Asia.

It aims to continue to reduce the impact of poverty with a focus on girls and women, refugees and migrants, and indigenous peoples.

Donations to the New Zealand branch of the international Catholic organisation have been multiplied fourfold, thanks to a new funding partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

Under the new partnership, the government will match donations by adding $3 for every $1 donated to Caritas,' says Roger Ellis, Engagement Manager for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

‘We are delighted with securing this funding arrangement. This is a rare opportunity to multiply the impact of each dollar donated by our supporters and donors. A dollar donated to Caritas becomes four dollars with the matched funding.'

The partnership extends until 31 December, 2026. Total funds for the partnership are $10 million, made up of $7,500,000 from government and $2,500,000 from Caritas.

Besides giving Caritas more financial certainty, Ellis says the new partnership is significant in other ways too.

"It means that Caritas Aotearoa will not have to be involved in competitive tendering for individual international development projects, which is costly and time-consuming. It will also enable Caritas to work more collegially with other NGOs.

"The new partnership shows that the government recognises the need for a longer-term approach to development, which is led by the communities themselves and is more focused on broader outcomes, rather than narrow outputs. This allows more flexibility in achieving different outcomes in different locations," Ellis explains.

During the five year programme Caritas will work with local communities in Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Cambodia to promote integral human development.

"He Oranga Taurikura will allow us to contribute to a more peaceful world in which all people live in dignity and safety, all countries can prosper and our shared environment is protected," Caritas says.

"The work with our partners in these countries will be diverse, ranging from disaster risk reduction and farming resilience training in communities, management of water sustainability and sanitation, facilitating inclusive and equitable education.

"We will continue to work to reduce the impact of poverty with a focus on girls and women, refugees and migrants, and indigenous peoples."

Caritas works collaboratively with its country partners and supports them to take a lead role in implementation.

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• Caritas
• Welcom
• Image: Caritas