PM Post Cabinet: Christmas Island and the U.S.A. NavyRobert Kelly
Prime Minister John Key will travel to South East Asia next week to encourage commerce and security links with
South-East Asian and Pacific nations. He will lead a trade delegation to Vietnam before visiting the East Asian Summit
in Kuala Lumpur and the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Manilla.
Mr Key fielded a range of questions on issues at the Australian Christmas Island detention centre. He said New
Zealanders at the detention centre had been offered the opportunity to come back to New Zealand while there cases were
being processed and that to his knowledge the ones still at the centre were there by choice. Key emphasised that while
New Zealanders were involved in this issue it is still an Australian correctional facility and therefore an “Australian
matter”.
Mr Key said the US, along with several other armed forces, has been invited to send a naval ship for the New Zealand
Navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations. He stated that the invitation was not motivated by desires to strengthen the
relationship between New Zealand and the United States. Key said that he considered the issue of nuclear powered ships
visiting as a “bit of a historical issue” but that “the ship would have to comply with our law” and the law was in no
way under review.
When asked if he was clearer on the Labour Party’s position on the Trans Pacific Partnership the Prime Minister
responded “Who knows? Who cares?” He laughed off comments that the release of the text had been timed to make life
awkward for the Labour Party in the immediate run up to their 2015 conference.
The Prime Minister refused to be drawn on what flag Prince Charles favoured but revealed that he personally was likely
to vote for the Kyle Lockwood fern design with the blue and black background. He said that Royal Family’s position was
that they were comfortable with whatever New Zealand chose.
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