Luxon and Peters to miss Cook Islands' 60th Constitution Day celebrations
Photo:
Supplied / PMN
New Zealand will not send top government representation to the Cook Islands for its 60th Constitution Day celebrations in three weeks' time.
Instead, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent Aotearoa in Raorotonga.
On 4 August, Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand.
It comes at a
turbulent time in the relationship
New Zealand paused $18.2m in development assistance funding to the Cook Islands in June after its government signed several agreements with China in February.
At the time, a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the pause was because the Cook Islands did not consult with Aotearoa over the China deals and failed to ensure shared interests were not put at risk.
Peters and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will not attend the celebrations.
Ten years ago, former Prime Minister Sir John Key attended the celebrations that marked 50 years of Cook Islands being in free association with New Zealand.
Officials from the Cook Islands and New Zealand have been meeting to try and restore the relationship.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Taranaki mayors want hydrogen kick-start from Wellington
Hydrogen is touted as a fuel with lower carbon emissions, especially for fuel-cell powered heavy trucks. Photo: Supplied / Hiringa Energy Taranaki mayors want central government to partner up with their councils to kick-start a hydrogen industry. This despite ongoing questions about the gas's effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions. The Taranaki Mayoral Forum said Wellington should financially back the region as it is the logical base for hydrogen energy production. That work would include both onshore and offshore exploration. As economies attempt to move away from fossil fuels, hydrogen is touted as a lower-carbon-emission alternative with no pollution from the exhaust pipe. It is especially promising for freight trucks, which are hard to power by battery. The mayors' submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise on regulating hydrogen has admitted drawbacks: hydrogen's green credentials depend on how it's made. The forum emphasised hydrogen is not a silver bullet for climate change - noting that other technologies, scaled-up mitigation and behaviour change were also necessary. Despite those doubts, the mayors enthusiastically pitched Taranaki as New Zealand's best bet for a hydrogen headquarters, asking the government to take "proactive action". "Government support may be required to help kick-start an industry in New Zealand and make sure risks are appropriately managed." The forum is made up of the New Plymouth, Stratford and South Taranaki district mayors and the chair of Taranaki Regional Council. Their submission points to Taranaki's experience in energy production, existing infrastructure, and promising geology - as well as councils' experience in regulating the energy sector. Hiringa Energy's project to make hydrogen at Kāpuni powered by windmills taller than Auckland's Sky Tower defeated a court challenge from Te Korowai o Ngāruahine. Photo: Supplied / Hiringa Energy "We would welcome Taranaki being considered as a home base for this industry." The mayors are clear that iwi and hapū need to be in the room from the start. "The Mayoral Forum supports a regulatory regime that provides mana whenua with early and meaningful engagement," their submission said. "Treaty settlements in Taranaki have clear provisions around oil and gas developments, and [we] recommend that the government consider how best to honour those commitments in regulating hydrogen, even if hydrogen may not strictly fall within definitions in Treaty settlements." Different ways to make hydrogen have varying carbon footprints. Manufacturing demands huge amounts of electricity in a relatively inefficient process: Hiringa Energy is gearing up capacity at Kāpuni to make "green" hydrogen with power from four giant windmills, taller than Auckland's Sky Tower. MBIE is investigating "natural" and "orange" hydrogen. Geological processes in the Earth's crust form natural hydrogen, while the orange version is made by injecting water and carbon dioxide into particular mineral formations to stimulate hydrogen generation. The MBIE paper points to two options to regulate the infant industry: The mayors' submission said mana whenua must be part of talks, whatever officials decide. "Whichever regulatory pathway the Crown adopts regarding the RMA or CMA, discussions will be required with iwi and hapū to define rights to the resource." They also suggest collaboration with local booster agency Venture Taranaki and Ara Ake, the region's nationally-focused energy innovation centre. - LDR is local body reporting co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air.

RNZ News
16 hours ago
- RNZ News
In-fighting and claims of bullying at Southland licensing trust
The Mataura Licensing Trust has its office in Gore and services an extended area within Southland. Photo: Supplied / LDR / Wikicommons The president of a southern licensing trust said he will not accept his deputy's apology following a fiery meeting this week. Gore-based Mataura Licensing Trust operates a range of alcohol-related businesses in Southland with a mandate for redistributing profits within the community. On Thursday, tempers flared at one of its meetings after president Horace McAuley accused deputy Vince Aynsley of bullying in his president's report. The situation centred on an incident at the New Zealand Licensing Trusts Association conference in Invercargill on 19 July, where McAuley alleged Aynsley asked him how he would feel when he was no longer president next term. The Otago Daily Times was at Thursday's meeting and said Aynsley could not recall the exchange but would apologise for whatever he hypothetically said. An argument then began between president McAuley and board member Jeannine Cunningham over an employment issue - but not before she alleged the president had blown up at a previous meeting and was guilty of bullying himself. Cunningham claimed she was approached by multiple people at the Invercargill conference asking: "when are you getting rid of Horace?" Despite the in-fighting, McAuley shut down any suggestion that the licensing trust was dysfunctional. "Never in your life. Never, ever, ever," McAuley told Local Democracy Reporting . Mataura Licensing Trust president Horace McAuley, left, deputy president Vince Aynsley, and board member Jeannine Cunningham. Photo: Supplied / Local Democracy Reporting The issues had not dissuaded him from wanting to stay on at the trust, and he noted he had been elected president unopposed since 2010. "We're a busy trust, and as their president, I have an awful lot to do. And so I'm not focusing on this," he said. "To be fair to both myself and the Mataura Licensing Trust, it's a distraction, and the person responsible for the distraction is the person who should answer the questions. "That's Vince Aynsley." McAuley said he "received" Aynsley's apology, which was different to "accepting" it. Aynsley did not wish to comment on the situation but said he had asked McAuley how he would feel "hypothetically" if he wasn't president next year. "I'm in no rush to talk or bring down Horace or say anything in public at this stage." The president's dig at his deputy was not the only criticism Aynsley faced at the meeting. Another member, Bryan Burgess, claimed Aynsley underhandedly took his deputy role three years ago, which Aynsley accepted. Licensing trust elections run at the same time as local body elections, with the president selected by members. The next election is set for 11 October. Mataura Licensing Trust controls a total of 12 liquor outlets, bars, restaurants and accommodation providers from Tapanui in the north to Tokonui in the south. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

RNZ News
20 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pacific Waves for 26 July 2025
Pacific musical giant 'Fiji' dies age 55; ISA launches inquiry into The Metals Company; Bougainville woman minister confident of second term. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.