John MacDonald: Winston had no option

Winston Peters had no option when it came to sacking Phil Goff from his job as High Commissioner in London, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy with it.  

I think he’s done the right thing. But he’s done the wrong thing, as well.  

Because it just shows how scaredy-cat the world is of Donald Trump. But we better get used to it – this is how it’s going to be for the next four years.   

That’s why I accept that it needed to be done, but it’s still pretty cruddy that we are running scared of him like this.

What Goff did was he let the political nerd in him come out when he was at an event at Chatham House, in London, earlier this week. And it looked like it was some sort of Q&A session involving Finland’s Foreign Affairs Minister.

The significance of Finland, of course, is that it shares a border with Russia.  

So Phil Goff had the roving microphone, and he asked Elina Valtonen whether she thought Donald Trump understood the history of the second world war.

That’s because people are likening what Trump is doing with Ukraine to what happened in 1938, when Nazi Germany was allowed to get its hands on land in Czechoslovakia in a bid to avoid war.   

It was a deal signed in 1938, but, as we know, a year later Germany still went to war.  

Phil Goff isn’t the first person to say it. And on the face of it, it doesn’t seem that outrageous, but in diplomatic circles, it was probably enough to have them spilling their G&Ts.  

And it was certainly enough for Foreign Minister Winston Peters to tell his people in London to give Phil Goff the flick.

Winston Peters says the reason he did it was because Goff’s comments “do not represent the views of the New Zealand government and make his position as High Commissioner to London untenable.”  

And former High Commissioner Sir Lockwood Smith agrees. He’s in no doubt that Winston Peters has done the right thing to minimise any damage.   

Phil Goff was due to finish his posting later this year, but that could have been extended, of course. But he’s over there right now and all the diplomatic crew will be chattering.   

So it will be very embarrassing for Goff. Not the way he would’ve wanted to go out.  

Especially, given that as far as I’m aware, it’s the first time New Zealand has sacked a High Commissioner.   

Yes, he was being a bit of a smart-alec, something you’re not supposed to be when you move around in diplomatic circles. Which is a tension that Sir Lockwood talked about when he was on Newstalk ZB this morning.  

He was saying that when you’ve been a politician, it can sometimes be difficult to take your political hat off. But he reckons that his time as speaker before being a High Commissioner helped prepare him for that.  

Maybe that’s why we’re not hearing about former speaker Trevor Mallard putting his foot in it over in Ireland, where he’s High Commissioner.  

But perhaps Phil Goff can take some comfort from Dr Stephen Winter, who is an international relations expert at Auckland University. He’s says if things weren’t so on edge around the world, Goff might have got away with it.   

He says: "Goff can take comfort from the fact that he is right, even though he was not diplomatic.”  

But things are on edge, and Goff is off.  

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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 (00:12):
You know, when it comes down to it, Winston Peters,
he had no option when it came to sacking Phil
Goff from his job as High Commissioner in London. He
had no option. But that doesn't mean I'm happy with it.
I think he's done the right thing, but he's done
the wrong thing as well, because it just shows, doesn't it,
how scaredy cat the whole world is of Donald Trump.

(00:36):
But we better get used to it because this is
how it's going to be for the next four years.
And that's why I accept that it needed to be done.
But it's still pretty cuddy that we are running scared
of him like this. So what GoF did was well,
I reckon what he did is he let the political
nerd in him come out when he was at an

(00:57):
event at Chatham House in London earlier this week and
it looked like it was some sort of Q and
A session involving Finland's Foreign Affairs minister and the seat
significance of Finland of courses that it shares a border
with Russia. So Phil Goff he had the roving microphone.
He stood up and he asked Elena Valtonen whether she

(01:18):
thought Donald Trump understood the history of the Second World War.
That's because people are people are likening what Trump is
doing with Ukraine to what happened in nineteen thirty eight
when Nazi Germany was allowed to get its hands on
land in Czechoslovakia in a bid to avoid war. This

(01:38):
is a deal that was soon signed by Germany, the UK,
France and Italy in nineteen thirty eight, but as we know,
a year later, Germany still went to war started World
War II. So Phil Goff, He's not the first person
to say it, And as I say, I think he
let the political nerd in him get the better of him.

(02:02):
And on the face of it, it doesn't seem that outrageous,
does it that in diplomatic circles it was probably enough
to have them spilling their g and ts and their
cups of tea, And it was certainly enough for Foreign
Affairs Minister Winston Peters to tell his people in London
to hey, give give Phil Goff the fleck, get rid
of them.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Now.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Winston Peter says the reason he did that was because
Goff's comments quote, do not represent the views of the
New Zealand government and make his position as High Commissioner
to London untenable. End of quote. And you might have
heard former British High Commissioner Sir lockwood Smith agreeing with
Winston Peters. He's in no doubt that Winston Peters has

(02:47):
done the right thing. He's a bit of what he
said to Mike earlier.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
Our relationship with the United States is just too important
for a loose comment to cause problems, you know. And
I think you know, if Phil Goff's comments had been
criticized by the Foreign Minister, I don't think that would
have been enough. I think, you know, I've got to
give the run of Winston Peter's credit. He moved to
excisively and that should help minimize any damage, did he ever?

Speaker 2 (03:10):
As just as a side note, it is interesting, isn't
it that Winston Peters says Phil Goff's comments aren't consistent
with government policy, but he didn't think he needed to
talk to the Prime Minister and tell him that he
was giving Phil Goff the boot. But either way doesn't
change anything. Phil Goff, he's over there in London right now.
He was due to finish up later this year, but

(03:31):
that could have been extended, of course. But he's over
there right now. What will it be Thursday night in
London and all the diplomatic crew, they'll be chattering one day,
not to mention the headlines all around the world. I mean,
here's an example. One Reuter's headline this morning says quote
New Zealand sacks ambassador and even Fox News is reporting

(03:51):
it with the headline top New Zealand diplomat fired for
what he said about Trump. So it'll be extremely embarrassing
for Golf. Not the way he would have wanted to
have gone out, especially given as far as I'm aware,
this is the first time New Zealand to sacked the
High commissioner. And you can't help but feel very sorry

(04:13):
for him, can you. Yes, he was probably being a
bit of a smart alec, something you're not supposed to
be when you move around in diplomatic circles, which is
a tension that Sir Lockwood talked about with Mike earlier.
He was saying that when you've been a politician, it
can sometimes be difficult to take your political head off.
He reckons he had a safeguard because he Reckons has

(04:37):
time as Speaker in Parliament before being the High Commissioner
helped to prepare him for that. Maybe that's why, maybe
that's why I'm not hearing about Trevor Mallow putting his
foot on it over an island where he's High Commissioner.
Either way, though, Phil Goff, maybe maybe he can take
some comfort from doctor Stephen Winter, who was an international

(04:59):
relations expert at Auckland University. He saying this morning Auckland University.
That was he's saying this morning that if things weren't
so on edge around the world, world, Gough might have
got away with it. He says, quote GoF can take
comfort from the fact that he is right, even though
he was not diplomatic. But things are on there, Jane,

(05:19):
and it's all down to Trump, isn't it.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
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