The first Māori woman to be foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta is an experienced lawmaker known for her deep roots in Māori tribal diplomacy. She was chosen, she said because she looks and sounds different from her predecessors: Mahuta was the first New Zealand Minister to bear a moko kauae, or traditional chin tattoo. Her appointment as part of a notably diverse cabinet after the October elections is a statement of intent from Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, who has promised to prioritize social justice and equality. Various New Zealand leaders, including Mahuta, have trumpeted their esteem for a “multilateral, rules-based” foreign policy as the only way that the nation of 5 million can exert influence. But since the center-left Labour government led by Ardern took office in 2017, New Zealand has served for some as a symbol of something beyond its size: a foil for right-wing populism and the triumph of kindness and competence. Now, Mahuta has her work cut out. Her country finds itself in a tougher neighborhood than before, driven by a rupture in relations between China and Australia, New Zealand’s closest ally, as Beijing blockades Australian imports and Australia pushes back at what it considers malign Chinese actions. China is New Zealand’s top trading partner, but the small Pacific nation’s Western allies increasingly expect that it will vocally defend democracy and call out Beijing’s authoritarianism — moves that would risk economic retribution. Mahuta has proffered early examples of her strategy, telling reporters last month that New Zealand could use its role as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this year to mediate talks between Australia and China. Beijing’s state media poured scorn on the suggestion, emphasizing the scale of the challenge
I believe the New Zealand government is a poster child on how a country should be run. Not pandering to big business but offering them support. Not pandering to interests that do not improve the country. Listening to experts and acting accordingly instead of pandering to minority interests. This government has led the country through this pandemic relatively unscathed, with a strong economy, minimal loss of employment, and a death rate so low that if the U.S had achieved what New Zealand has then its death toll would be just 1,650 people, instead, it is 200 times higher… and constantly rising.