John MacDonald: The Red Sea precedent NZ can't ignore

MPs are debating whether New Zealand should get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

Labour is arguing that the Government was too quick off the mark signing an international statement which expressed New Zealand's readiness to do its bit. 

Labour says New Zealand needs to be weary of getting involved because of the way the U.S. might go about things. 

But I think New Zealand has no choice but to get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

For two reasons.

Back in 2024, we sent six defence personnel to help out behind the scenes with U.S. and British airstrikes on bases used by Houthi Militia.

The Government decided to support America and Britain with their strikes on the Houthi Militia - which is supported by Iran- because they’d been attacking ships in the red sea in retaliation for Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Our government said at the time that it wanted to do its bit to ensure maritime security for trade purposes, because the Houthi’s attacks were having an impact on world trade.

10 percent of New Zealand’s exports and about 20 percent of the stuff we import travels through the red sea between here, the UK, Europe and North Africa.

At the time, prime minister Christopher Luxon said: “Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising.

“This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand’s long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home.”

And foreign affairs minister Winston Peters said: “these efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely.”

At the time, I was weary of New Zealand getting involved in the red sea. For two reasons.

One reason was that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and how long we might be involved and what else might be expected of us.

The other reason I was weary ofit;was what sort of precedent it might set. 

And now, the chickens are coming home to roost on that part of it - with the precedent bit.

Because, whether we like it or not, there is no wayNewZealandcan‘thelpget theStrait ofHormuzup and running again.

We have to take part. Because, if it was good enough for us to defend trade routes back in 2024, the case is just as strong now.

If anything, the argument for getting involved in defending the oil shipping route is stronger than defending the red sea.

The other reason why I think there’s no way we can’t do our bit, is that we are so dependent on the Strait of Hormuz that it would be lame-as for us to just sit on the sidelines and watch other countries do the heavy lifting

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
You may have heard that MPs are debating where the
New Zealand should get involved in securing and opening up
the strata for moose to shipping again get the oil flowing.
Labor is arguing that the government was too quick off
the mark signing that international statement which expressed New Zealand's

(00:36):
readiness to do its bit. Labour says New Zealand's needs
to be wary of getting involved because of the way
that the US might go about things might not be
all all that cocious of Why would New Zealand want
to be involved in that? You know what, I don't
think we have any choice. New Zealand has no choice
but to get involved for two reasons. Back in twenty

(00:59):
twenty four, let me remind you. Back in twenty twenty four,
we sent six defense personnel help out behind the scenes
when the US in Britain were leashing those air strikes
on bases used by the UTI militia. Remember that. And
the government decided to support America and Britain with the

(01:19):
strikes on the militia, which is supported by Iran. By
the way. New Zealand got involved because the militia had
been attacking ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for
Israel's attacks on Gaza, and our government said at the
time that it wanted to do its bit to ensure
maritime security for trade purposes because the Hooties attacks were

(01:42):
having an impact on world trade. Ten percent of New
Zealand's exports and about twenty percent of the stuff we
import goes through the Red Sea between here and the UK,
Europe and North Africa. And at the time you see
this is this is where it's handy to go back
into the records. At the time, Prime Minister Christopher Luxen said,

(02:06):
quote Hooty attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal,
unacceptable and profoundly destabilizing. He said, this deployment, this is
sending over the New Zealand defense personnel. This deployment as
part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New
Zealand's long history of defending freedom of navigation, both in

(02:28):
the Middle East and closer to heart. That was Christopher
Luxen and Foreign Affairs Minister Winst Peter said at the time,
quote these efforts support international security and the free flow
of trade on which New Zealanders rely. That was back
in twenty twenty four, and at the time I was

(02:51):
wary of New Zealand getting involved in the Red Sea
for two reasons. One was that we had no idea
what we were getting ourselves into and how long we
might be involved and what else might be expected of us.
The other reason I was wary of it was what
sort of precedent it might set. And now you could
say the chickens are coming home to roost on that

(03:14):
part of it with the precedent that was set two
years ago. Because whether we like it or not, whether
we like it or not, there is absolutely no way
New Zealand can't help get the Strait of a Moose
up and running again. We have to take part, because
if it was good enough for us to defend trade
routes back in twenty twenty four, the case is just

(03:35):
as strong now. I mean, if anything, the argument for
getting involved and defending the oil shipping route is stronger
than it was two years ago defending the Red Sea.
And the other reason why I think there's no way
we can't do a bit is that we are so
dependent on the Strait of a Moose I mean, we
know that, doesn't We were so dependent on it that
it would just be lame as for us to sit

(03:58):
on the sidelines and watch other countries do the heavy lifting.
Our cabinet, of course, has yet to make a final
call on this, but what do you think New Zealand
should do? Join other countries and eventually getting the oil
tankers and other ships going through the strade of homos again.
Join in what do you think we shouldn't?

Speaker 1 (04:17):
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