TRANS-TASMAN POLITICAL LETTER
For Immediate Release
11 March 2009
McLay For New York - First Of McCully Appointments
The Trans-Tasman Political Letter reports Jim McLay will be NZ's
permanent representative to the UN in New York. McLay will take
up the post when the present ambassador Rosemary Banks finishes
her term in May.
McLay, now 64, succeeded Sir Robert Muldoon in 1985 as leader of
the National Party, but was then unseated by Jim Bolger.
After he left Parliament McLay carved out a business career as
head of Macquarie Bank in NZ. He also served a term as NZ's
representative on the International Whaling Commission. More
recently he has been an unofficial mentor to John Key.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully believes NZ has always punched
above its weight at the UN but with the UN under pressure to
reform itself, NZ needs to be represented in New York by someone
with political as well as diplomatic skills.
Trans-Tasman says the Govt does not have any other immediate
political appointments to diplomatic posts on its agenda.
Speculation former PM Jenny Shipley might be in line for such a
job is wide of the mark: she has made it clear she does not want
to serve in that capacity.
Almost certainly her talents will be sought for a heavyweight
task within NZ. McCully is keen to use the services of another
former PM Mike Moore but has yet to identify an appropriate role.
Foreign Minister McCully has indicated he wants the current
professional diplomats in Washington (Roy Ferguson) and in London
(Derek Leask) to serve out their terms.
Interviews to find a successor for retiring MFAT CEO Simon
Murdoch will begin in Wellington next week.
Meanwhile, Trans-Tasman says former PM Helen Clark is on the
three-person short-list for the post of director of the UNDP. The
Govt has been seeking international support for her appointment
and is understood to have gained the support of Korea, which
could be influential on the thinking of the current UN
Secretary-General. Clark had a one-on-one meeting with the Korean
president Lee Myung-Bak in Auckland.
ENDS