Brigitte Morton: political commentator on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting New Zealand

A historic visit is just the latest in a chain of landmark developments that are seeing us forge closer ties with India. 

Narendra Modi will arrive in Auckland next week - marking the first time an Indian Prime Minister has ventured to our shores in four decades. 

It comes on the heels of our countries signing a free trade agreement. 

Political commentator Brigitte Morton says it's a good sign for the trade agreement between both nations - and it could be seen as a positive move for New Zealand's Indian communities, given certain comments made by NZ First. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks AB time.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
To talk politics, and political commentator Bridget Morton joins me. Now,
good morning, Bridget, good morning. If we can talk about
the Indian Prime Minister being here next weekend. What's the
significance of this quick trip.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
I think it's usually significant. Firstly, it's a sort of
physical symbol of the Indian Free Trade Agreement. This was
a big political commitment made by Luxen coming into the
last election. You know, his then Prime Minister, Chris Hipkin
said that couldn't be done and he has achieved that.
And I think it's also as a big single a
signal to those in the Indian community in New Zealand.

(00:45):
We'll see some pretty awful rhetoric around, particularly from New
Zealand first, you know, the Bula Chicken tsunami and some
misinformation about immigration settings. So thanks to so to them
that this is an important relationship. It's also really important.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Okay, New Zealand first is going back to the nineties.
Michael Laws has been announced as a candidate for New
Zealand First. What do you make of this?

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, I mean they definitely are going down a strategy
of bringing back former politicians. You know, this follow sort
of Alfred Naro Stuart Nash. So I don't think so.
I think, you know, they are calling on the sort
of celebrity or well known names to get their profile
up as much as possible. He has you know, been
you know, a politician of sorts since those early nineties.
He has been a counselor, he's been mayor, he's you know,

(01:28):
he hasn't kind of ever taken I think his finger
out of the sort of the politics pie. So I
think it's not that unusual that he wants to come
back as an MP, and he probably sees an opportunity
with New Zealand's first polling as it is, that he
could be a minister.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
I've written into an article that he did. He did
an interview and he said that there's a possibility that
you know, if he did become a member of Parliament,
he would continue doing his media job. Can he do that?

Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, I mean yes, he technically can keep doing that,
but I don't think that's something that probably Leader Winston
Peters wants to keep happening. I mean, obviously you want
your MPs to be focused on the job, and the
public needs to know that they are being focused on
the job. I think that also creates, you know, some
sort of disconnect to as well. You know, what is
he talking about on the show? Is that aligned with
what their party's doing, as it aligned with what the

(02:12):
leader wants. I think it can get really messy really quickly.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
I saw quite a funny headline for an article that
was sort of saying, is the coalition cracking or just cranky?
And of course Parliament is recessing for the next fortnight
that's returning July twenty first. It's been very, very busy,
and I just thought to myself, aren't they just like
teachers at the end of a term? You know what
I mean, They're just a bit over it. You can't

(02:37):
really read anything into it. They are working day and
night trying to push all this stuff through. Yeah, they
are going to look cranky and cracking.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Yeah and anything.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
You know.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
I'm not a teacher or a MP, and I think
sometimes you get to this middle of winter and you
all get a bit cranky. And I think without a
doubt it's not just for them too, that it's into terms,
so they can see that winding down. They know that
they've got to get all these things done and then
they've got to really go out in their campaign, so
they actually look ahead that at a very very busy
period in which their futures are on the line. So
I think you can see some of those engines kind

(03:07):
of coming through. You see it across the board as well.
You know, I don't think you can read too much
into the fact that, without a doubt the Junior Coalition
Partners Act in New Zealand First are trying to make
you know, the estative images and the recal distinct of
the major Party of Nationals so that they maintain their votes.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
Bridget always appreciate your thoughts. Thank you so much for
your time today.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks It'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.