The Cook Islands-New Zealand relationship: Restoring trust without giving up sovereignty

New Zealand’s decision to pause close to $30 million in Core Sector Support and Public Sector Strengthening funding to the Cook Islands has caused uncertainty at home and surprise abroad.

It is a serious development, but it should not be misunderstood. First, this is a temporary pause, not a permanent withdrawal.

Second, New Zealand has confirmed that significant development funding will continue through projects in health, education, governance, humanitarian support, and regional initiatives.

Our people are not being abandoned, and the Realm relationship is not collapsing. This is a diplomatic signal, not a severing of ties.

New Zealand believes the Cook Islands did not adequately consult before entering into certain cooperation agreements with China, particularly those involving marine scientific activity.

Under the free association relationship, Wellington expects prior consultation on issues that may touch foreign affairs, defence or security implications.

Political commentator and academic, William Numanga. Photo/Supplied

That expectation has existed for decades, and it is clearly at the heart of this dispute. Rather than debating who is right or wrong, the Cook Islands should respond in a calm, transparent, and principled manner.

We can repair trust without surrendering sovereignty. The solution is practical: establish a written consultation protocol with New Zealand, clarify timelines and responsibilities, and ensure neither side is left guessing.

The Cook Islands works with many partners: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United States, the European Union, and China. We pursue cooperation in climate resilience, ocean science, tourism infrastructure, and economic development.

The Cook Islands and New Zealand flags: A temporary funding pause has tested the Realm relationship, but both nations remain bound by history, family, and shared values. Photo/Supplied

None of this is unusual. But diplomacy is not just about substance; it is also about perception.

Transparency around high-profile projects, like foreign research vessels, helps avoid misunderstandings and preserve confidence.

If mission summaries, data-sharing, and independent scientific oversight are all made public, suspicion evaporates.

Domestically, the pause puts pressure on the Government’s budget because Core Sector Support is highly flexible.

In the short term, essential services must be protected, non-essential capital spending may need to slow down, and a mini-budget update would provide clarity and reassurance.

This is not a fiscal crisis; it is an administrative challenge and it can be managed.

Listen to former minister Alfred Ngaro's interview below.

The Cook Islands diaspora in New Zealand will feel frustrated, and rightly so. Our families contribute to New Zealand society, pay taxes, work in essential industries, and serve in the military.

They expect the relationship to operate with respect on both sides. They also expect their government at home to communicate clearly and fix problems quickly.

That expectation is fair.

Regionally, Australia will watch this situation carefully, as will other partners.

If the Cook Islands takes swift steps to formalise consultation arrangements and increase transparency around scientific research and seabed activity, our credibility will strengthen, not weaken.

This moment should be seen not as a rupture, but as a reset. The Realm relationship needs modernisation. The geopolitical environment of 2025 is far more complex than the one our constitutional frameworks were built for.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters has stated that Aotearoa remains committed to the Realm relationship while seeking clearer consultation with the Cook Islands. Photo/Supplied

There is nothing disloyal about updating the machinery of consultation to fit the times. We can preserve our sovereign right to choose our partners and respect the expectations of free association.

Those goals are not in conflict. In fact, the only way to protect our independence in the long term is to ensure our relationships are built on clarity, honesty, and trust.

Let us use this moment to upgrade, not downgrade, our partnership with New Zealand.

A written protocol, transparent scientific practices, and open communication could allow the paused funds to be restored and ensure this situation never repeats itself.

The Cook Islands and New Zealand are bound by history, citizenship, family, and shared values.

We will get through this if we do the work.