Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters, a 'respectable' NZ advocate in the Pacific

Winston Peters, Winston Raymond Peters, is in New Caledonia for the next few days. Do you know why I think that's great?

As our Foreign Affairs Minister, Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters's presence there speaks volumes and shows that New Zealand still has a strong commitment to and supports New Caledonia.

Now, it follows the turmoil that rocked the French territory earlier this year, do you remember it?

And so, the presence of our Foreign Affairs Minister in the region is a timely reminder that the Pacific community, dare I would say, still stands together in times of crisis.

Now, just for a bit of context, New Caledonia's unrest started back in May, and it was a pretty stark reminder of the deep-rooted and social challenges facing the island.

Of course, all of this stemming back from, dare I say its coloniser, France.

The riots which occurred there left 13 people dead, and hundreds injured, and severely damaged the economy, something to the tune of $2.2 billion.

Now, of course, to me, that highlights the need for a united France when it comes to the Pacific, and the involvement of Pacific neighbours, and why it remains crucial that our leaders, like Winston Peters, visit island nations like New Caledonia.

Watch Will's Word below

And I reckon it's not just this significant visit from Peters, because of the diplomatic dialogue that will inevitably come about from this meeting, or his three-day trip, but it also shows our commitment to supporting our Pacific neighbours, right?

New Zealand has an active role in regional affairs, just like our big neighbour, Australia.

We have an active role in advocating for what's best for the Pacific region, and that is peace. It's a meaningful visit by Peters.

And can I just say, it is good to have a foreign affairs minister that is highly visible in the Pacific region.

It has been long overdue, and I've been fully impressed by how Peters has been conducting himself across the Pacific region, going from nation to nation, talking to leader to leader, to reinforce New Zealand's commitment to the Pacific.

Because in past years, to me at least, it felt as though New Zealand was losing its influence in the Pacific region. And so to see someone like Winston Peters advocating on behalf of New Zealand, its presence in the Pacific, it's a good thing.

And so look, I'm not going to fault him. I'm not going to fault him as the foreign affairs minister. I think he is doing a respectable job, and you've got to give credit where credit is due.

That's Will's word.