Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on the Foreign Minister expressing support for a two-state solution

The Foreign Minister's agreeing with an Act MP that recognising Palestine while Hamas holds hostages would be 'rewarding terrorism'.

Simon Court raised the question in Parliament, after Winston Peters expressed support for a two-state solution - after a ceasefire and hostage releases.

International condemnation's growing over Israel blocking aid and starving civilians in Gaza, including children.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says New Zealand will adopt the UK's stance on Palestine eventually, but concerns have been raised.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barrisobersen your political correspondence with us.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Now, how Barry, good afternoon.

Speaker 1 (00:03):
How are we not following the UK in recognizing Palestine
as a state?

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well, we will eventually, I mean clearly, Winston Peter has
made that clear right from the beginning that the two
state solution is the end should be the end result.
But of course in the meantime, this dreadful situation has
happened in Gaza, and the problem with it is that
it's seen as using Palestine as a bargaining chip, and

(00:30):
I guess in a way that's what is happening. But look,
label was asking Winston Peters in the house this afternoon
why we weren't following the British example. Peter's found himself
agreeing with Simon Court that's from the act party when
it comes to recognizing Palestine.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
If we are recognize the state of Palestine, if he
even wants to know that what we are recognizing is
a legitimate, representative, viable political entity.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
We're recognizing the state of Palestine before Hamas has returned
the hostages and laid down their weapons. Constitute a reward
for exit terrorism.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
That's most likely how it'll be interpreted that very condition
is part of the request that we are making by
way of demands that they give back the hostages.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
See, and there's no way Palestine could ever be recognized
whilst the hostages are there. And I don't. And so
Kis Starmer is not saying that either. He's saying there's
got to be a cessation of what's going on from
the Israeli side.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Yes, so what you're saying, is k one of Kis
Starmer's I guess contingencies for this is not that the
hostages are back. Well, it's only forcing Israel's hand, Yes
it is. Yeah, that's fair enough. I do understand that. Okay,
So what's Willie Jackson got to say about these changes
to electoral.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
You'll never die not knowing what Willie Jackson thinks, will
you really? As usual, no one left in any doubt
about Willie Jackson what he thought about the changes, particularly
the one requiring people to enroll thirteen days out of
an election. Jackson called the coalition government rotten and a

(02:05):
useless government. Well that was the starters before he launched
into entirerade about what he really thought.

Speaker 5 (02:12):
Never before in my political life have I seen a
new Zealand government actively suppressed the vote. I rise today
to heat criticism and contempt upon the government for passing
voter suppression rules as egregious as this, and it's racist
dis enfranchisement. I don't know what's more offensive, the gerry

(02:32):
mendering of their voting rules to wreck the election or
the Deputy Prime Minister referring to six hundred thousand people
as dropkicks. Every key We of conscience, no matter what
their political persuasion, should denounce this and denounce mister Seymour.
I said before, and I'll say it again. He is
the most dangerous politician of the last generation. And surely

(02:55):
mister Speaker not only a disgrace as the Deputy Prime Minister,
but surely the biggest rock kick of all.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Like I say, you're never left thinking or wondering what
Willie Jacksons play bingo?

Speaker 1 (03:10):
With everything there? Jackson bis is a disgrace. Okay. So
what do you make of Kiwi Bank being partially privatized.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yes, it's interesting, isn't it? Because look, the under capitalization
of Kiwi Bank means that it's a bit player when
it comes to the four big Australian banks. And I
think it's a great move that you know, this bank
is going to be a bank to be more reckoned with,
although to take on those Big four is going to
be really difficult. But the Government will still own fifty

(03:38):
one percent of the bank minimly, and so it means
that it still will be a government bank to an extent.
But the interesting thing to me is that the bank
is run by Kiwi Group Capital. Now the chair of
that is David MacLean, who is the former c of Westpac.

(04:01):
And there's always been an argument as to key we
back never being big enough to do the government's business
and west Pack has got that job and has had
that job since nineteen eighty nine when it was given
to it by Roger Douglass. Before that, interestingly, it was
the Bank of New Zealand and of course we flogged
that off to the Australian so it's no longer ours,

(04:22):
so they didn't do the job. But it's a massive jobs,
from paying benefits to you know, looking after public service salaries.
So you can imagine what west Pack is making out
of this contract. And I think it's good that David
McLain is the man that will be at the center
of this bid to get what five hundred million dollars

(04:44):
into the bank, and you know who knows. Further down
the track, we may see this bank becoming the official banker,
and it should be the government owns it. The Australians don't.
Why shouldn't we have them as our banker?

Speaker 1 (04:58):
You use it, don't you.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
I'm most certainly do loyal to New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (05:02):
Yeah, and how do you find their service nowadays?

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Absolutely magnificently.

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
I don't believe a word coming out of your mouth. Okay,
very sober, Senior political corresponder.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news Talks it'd b from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio